American Masters

History Series / 14 Seasons

American Masters, committed to producing comprehensive film biographies about the broad cast of characters who comprise our cultural history.

Watch Latest: S39 E1

1h 23m / TV-14

Ruben Santiago-Hudson's Skills for "Seven Guitars" Role

54s / TV-PG

Blues music runs through many of August Wilson's plays, particularly "Seven Guitars." Ruben Santiago-Hudson didn't know how to play harmonica when he auditioned for his role in it, but he aimed to have audiences say, "that harmonic player sure can act." Santiago-Hudson won a 1996 Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play. This is an outtake from August Wilson: The Ground on Which I Stand.

Actor James Earl Jones on August Wilson's Plays

In this behind-the-scenes look from August Wilson: The Ground on Which I Stand, director Sam Pollard interviews James Earl Jones, a Tony Award winner in 1987 for his role in Wilson's "Fences," for which Wilson won the first of two Pulitzer Prizes for Drama. Jones characterizes Wilson's work, saying, "Most of all his plays are about families and the migration from greater pain to lesser pain."

Filmmaker Sam Pollard on His August Wilson Documentary

2m 29s

Filmmaker Sam Pollard's latest documentary for American Masters is August Wilson: The Ground on Which I Stand. In this filmmaker interview he speaks about Wilson's relevance, interviewing actors and more. The film premieres Friday, February 20 at 9 pm on PBS (check local listings).

Costume Designs for August Wilson Plays

3m 15s

Constanza Romero created costume designs for August Wilson's plays and the two artists married each other in 1994. Romero describes the decisions she made while creating looks for August Wilson's characters in Seven Guitars, Gem of the Ocean and more. This is a film outtake from August Wilson: The Ground on Which I Stand.

August Wilson on the Dialogue in His Plays

1m 38s

August Wilson describes how dialogue comes to him and guides his character development and the plot. This film excerpt from August Wilson: The Ground on Which I Stand includes a dramatic reading of the opening scene of "Two Trains Running" (Broadway premiere 1992).

Ricky Jay and Art Spiegelman in Conversation

51m 4s

This web-extra feature is a Hammer Conversation with Ricky Jay and Art Spiegelman, from the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles on November 17, 2007. Sleight-of-hand magician Ricky Jay and cartoonist Art Spiegelman discussed works from "Extraordinary Exhibitions," featuring over eighty 17th-, 18th-, and 19th-century ephemeral advertising sheets known as broadsides, from Ricky Jay's own collection.

Season 2015 Overview

30s

The 2015 American Masters season kicks off with its first magician profile --- the great Ricky Jay --- followed by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, August Wilson; violin virtuoso Jascha Heifetz; and Ken Burns' portrait of American Ballet Theatre. More films to be announced.

Ricky Jay Remembers Mentor Dai Vernon

3m 41s

"If I had never seen him do magic he'd be the most remarkable person I ever met," say Ricky Jay of his friend and mentor, the magician Dai Vernon (1894 -1992), also known as "Professor." A remarkable observer is one way Ricky Jay describes the sleight of hand artist, whose lifetime spanned a century.

Sleight of Hand and Three-Card Monte with Ricky Jay

2m 23s / TV-PG

At a performance in London, Ricky Jay demonstrates three-card monte in his one-man show, "Ricky Jay and his 52 Assistants," which premiered Off-Broadway in 1994. Jay considers himself lucky to feel part of the continuum of sleight-of-hand artists, whose tradition goes back more than a century. American Masters - Ricky Jay: Deceptive Practice premieres Friday, January 23 at 9 pm on PBS.

Filmmaker Molly Bernstein on Ricky Jay: Deceptive Practice

4m 26s

Filmmaker Molly Bernstein describes her astonishment the first time she saw Ricky Jay perform. It led her to learn more about sleight-of-hand and the history of magic. She and her partner eventually earned Jay's trust and began the documentary film that was more than a decade in the making.

Ricky Jay on His Mentor: Charlie Miller

1m 32s / TV-14

Ricky Jay learned much from magician Charlie Miller about how to refine his practice and make a move better each time he performs it. Despite the extreme repetition and level of questioning Miller demanded, Jay describes working on sleight-of-hand moves with Miller "as close to pure joy as anything that I can imagine." Ricky Jay: Deceptive Practice premieres Friday, January 23 at 9 pm on PBS.

Ricky Jay: Deceptive Practice - Trailer

2m 20s

This portrait of the inimitable magician Ricky Jay delves into the mysterious world of sleight-of-hand and its small circle of eccentric devotees. Jay is also a best-selling author, historian, actor and a leading collector of antiquarian books and artifacts. Told largely in Jay’s own distinctive voice, the documentary traces the story of his achievement and that of other master magicians.

Ricky Jay on Ways of Learning: Books and Teachers

53s / TV-14

"I’ve collected thousands of books in my life about magic technique. But I believe that the real key to learning is personally. It’s almost like the sensei master relationship in the martial arts--that the way you want to learn is by someone that you respect showing you something." -- Ricky Jay. Learn more about Jay's scholarship and mentors in Ricky Jay: Deceptive Practice, Fri., Jan. 23 at 9 pm.

The Road Films: Bing Crosby and Bob Hope

1m 46s

At the age of 37, Bing Crosby had 24 films behind him and his Hollywood career was at a crossroads. He found the perfect comedic partner in Bob Hope, with whom he had first performed on stage in 1932. Starting in 1940, Hope and Crosby would star in seven "Road" films. This film excerpt from American Masters: Bing Crosby Rediscovered is rich in archival footage of interviews and film.

Bing Crosby and David Bowie Christmas Duet

1m 50s / TV-PG

Bing Crosby and David Bowie sing a duet in Crosby's Christmas television special in 1977. See their performance of "The Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth" and find out what it took to get Bowie to appear on the show. Two songwriters recount their quick turnaround of the song to win Bowie over. Bing Crosby Rediscovered premieres Dec. 2 on PBS at 8 pm; holiday encore on Dec. 26 at 9 pm.

Bing Crosby Performs "The Second Time Around"

2m 54s / TV-14

In this web exclusive, see Bing Crosby's full performance of "The Second Time Around" (music by Jimmy Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn). A clip of this song from Crosby's television special in 1961 is seen in American Masters - Bing Crosby Rediscovered, which after its premiere on December 2, comes around for its second time on Friday, December 26 at 9 pm for a holiday encore (check local listings).

Web Exclusive: Bing Crosby Roasts Film Director Raoul Walsh

1m 36s / TV-14

In this exclusive outtake from Bing Crosby Rediscovered, hear never-before-released audio of Bing Crosby singing the lyrics he penned to roast Hollywood director Raoul Walsh. The filming of "Going Hollywood," starring Crosby and Marian Davies, had its obstacles. When Bing poked fun at the director and film, Louis Mayer at MGM Studios banned Walsh and Bing from future MGM productions.

Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, and Dean Martin Sing Together

2m 53s

America's most famous crooners --- Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin --- sing "The Oldest Established" song from the musical Guys and Dolls. This web-exclusive clip captures the three legendary singers in a televised performance that took place in 1964. This is an web-exclusive outtake from American Masters: Bing Crosby Rediscovered, premiering Dec. 2 at 8 pm on PBS.

Bing Crosby, An All-Purpose Singer

40s / TV-14

Bing Crosby recorded thousands of songs during the height of his career. Singer and pianist Michael Feinstein and Ken Barnes, who wrote songs with Crosby in the 1970s, talk about Crosby's prolific output of songs and the variety of genres he recorded.

Bing Crosby's Charity and "Take Care of" List

1m 48s

Bing Crosby used his fame and wealth to help friends, acquaintances and strangers in ways both public and nearly invisible. In this web-exclusive outtake, Crosby's biographer Gary Giddins describes the "take care of" list of people the entertainer kept, and how Crosby generally did not draw attention to his charitable giving. American Masters: Bing Crosby Rediscovered premieres Dec. 2 on PBS.

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