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

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 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 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: 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.

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, 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.

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.

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 and Maurice Chevalier Duet

3m 20s / TV-14

Legends Bing Crosby and French entertainer Maurice Chevalier sing "I'm Glad I'm Not Young Anymore" from the film "Gigi" on Bing Crosby's television special in 1961. This film outtake is from American Masters - Bing Crosby Rediscovered, directed by Emmy Award-winning director Robert Trachtenberg.

Filmmaker Interview: Bing Crosby Rediscovered

3m 29s

Director Robert Trachtenberg worked with the Bing Crosby estate to bring a wealth of audio recordings and images to the public from the first time. In this interview he speaks about the challenge of presenting the man who down-played how hard he worked to become a sensation in film, radio and television. American Masters - Bing Crosby Rediscovered premieres Tue., Dec. 2 at 8 pm on PBS.

Bing Crosby, Maurice Chevalier and Carol Lawrence Perform

4m 44s / TV-14

Bing Crosby, French entertainer Maurice Chevalier and musical theater actress Carol Lawrence sing "Riding High" during Crosby's television special in 1961. This film outtake is from American Masters - Bing Crosby Rediscovered, directed by Emmy Award-winning director Robert Trachtenberg.

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).

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.

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 Style of Singing

1m 56s

Bing Crosby sang as if he were addressing only one person with his voice. "What Bing created was the art of intimacy," says singer Tony Bennett. Entertainer Michael Feinstein uses the song "Moonlight Becomes You," from the film Road to Morocco to illustrate how Bing would change a song's phrasing and melody to make it more conversational. Bing Crosby Rediscovered premieres Dec. 2 on PBS.

Bing Crosby's Innovations in Technology

4m 44s

Not only was Crosby a multimedia star, he advanced the technology to record music and make television --- such as the laugh track. Filmmaker Robert Trachtenberg describes how his crew was able to include in "American Masters - Bing Crosby Rediscovered" the private letters Crosby recorded on dictabelts. American Masters Executive Producer Michael Kantor adds perspective on Crosby's significance.

Bing Crosby Rediscovered

1m 56s

Bing Crosby (1903-1977) was the most popular and influential multi-media star of the first half of the 20th century. For more than three decades, through radio, film, television and records, he reigned supreme. For this new documentary, Crosby’s estate granted American Masters access to the entertainer’s archives, including never-before-seen home movies, Dictabelt recordings, photos and more.

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