American Masters

History Series / 11 Seasons

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

53m 3s

The fake news behind Edgar Allan Poe's reputation

2m 35s

When Edgar Allan Poe died under mysterious circumstances, his literary rival, Rufus W. Griswold, wrote a high-profile obituary filled with falsehoods that cast him as a lunatic and a madman.

Experience Poe's dramatic readings of "The Raven"

3m 1s

After the extremely successful release of Poe's "The Raven," he became famous for his dramatic readings of the poem. Tony Award-winning and Emmy-nominated actor Denis O’Hare ("This Is Us," "American Horror Story," "Take Me Out," "True Blood") stars as Poe in this documentary.

Remembering Fats Domino

1m 47s

In this clip from the Ed Sullivan Show in 1956, Fats Domino performs his version of "Blueberry Hill." Domino's recording of the song became an international hit, and exemplified his brand of New Orleans rhythm and blues morphed into rock and roll, which appealed to black and white audiences alike. Rest in peace to a true pioneer. Watch the full episode of Fats Domino and the Birth of Rock 'n' Roll

Tyrus

2m 24s

Until his death at the age of 106, Tyrus Wong was America’s oldest living Chinese American artist and one of the last remaining artists from the golden age of Disney animation. The quiet beauty of his Eastern-influenced paintings had a pioneering impact on American art and popular culture.

How Tyrus Wong got the job to animate Bambi

1m 18s

When he began working for Disney, Wong's role was minor and technical. Then, when a supervisor noticed his work, he was asked to create the atmosphere for the film "Bambi." Wong would go on to paint hundreds of pastels that would define the impressionistic, colorful forests throughout the film.

How Tyrus Wong influenced the makers of "The Dam Keeper"

9m 53s

In a new, exclusive interview, filmmakers/artists Robert Kondo and Dice Tsutsumi discuss how Wong influenced them and share an excerpt from their Oscar-nominated animated short The Dam Keeper (2014).

See Tyrus Wong's work in classic Warner Bros. movies

1m 8s

After leaving Disney, Tyrus Wong joined Warner Bros. and began painting scenes based on screenplays. He would continue working for Warner Bros. for 26 years, helping set the stage for thousands of films.

Tyrus Wong at the advent of Chinese Modern home decor

1m 23s

Tyrus Wong's skillful, inspired painting made its way into homes across America as Chinese Modern home decor became popular. His ceramics featured flowing designs of figures and tranquil scenes in nature.

Tyrus Wong's atmospheric work gave "Bambi" its unique style

1m 10s

Tyrus Wong spent years honing a soft, atmospheric painting style that relied heavily on lighting and creative use of color. This unique approach gave "Bambi" its groundbreaking impressionistic style.

Watching "Boyhood" Come to Life

2m 38s

Richard Linklater and the cast of "Boyhood" discuss how the film developed over time, year after year. Slacker. Indie filmmaker. Oscar nominee. Writer, director, producer, actor Richard Linklater is all these things and more, a poster boy for the fiercely independent style of filmmaking that emerged out of Austin, Texas in the late 1980s and 1990s.

Bringing a film to life with "Everybody Wants Some"

2m 23s

Visit the set of "Everybody Wants Some" and take a look into the strategy of Richard Linklater's direction. In the six weeks before filming, the entire cast rehearsed together, getting to know their characters and their rapport as a group.

Supported by