American Masters

This episode page reflects the reshowing of the original title Sammy Davis, Jr.: I've Gotta Be Me (2019) as part of the American Masters Series

Ted Williams, the iconic Hall of Fame hitter, fighter pilot and fisherman, will have his life profiled in the renowned American Masters Documentary series on PBS in a documentary that will premiere in the summer of 2018.

The life and career of Michael Tilson Thomas, music director of the San Francisco Symphony, founder and artistic director of the New World Symphony and conductor laureate of the London Symphony Orchestra.

The life and career of jazz trumpeter Doc Severinsen, leader of the band for "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson," who continued a schedule of touring and performing into his 90's.

The complicated history of the American South and its music through the life of country star Charley Pride. Raised in segregated Mississippi, his journey shows the ways that artistic expression can triumph over prejudice and injustice.

The 70-year career of Rita Moreno, one of a select group of entertainers who have won Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Awards.

Musicians, scholars, family and friends reflect on the life of jazzer Miles Davis to reveal the man behind the legend. Full access to Davis' estate provides rare footage and photos, outtakes from recording sessions and new interviews.

Tennis champion Althea Gibson (1927-2003) was the unlikely queen of the segregated tennis world in the 1950s. She was the first African American to play and win at Wimbledon and the U.S. Nationals (precursor of the U.S. Open).

The life and times of radio commentator and syndicated newspaper gossip columnist Walter Winchell, who reached an audience of 50 million at his peak.

Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys reminisces about his career with Rolling Stone editor Jason Fine.

This inspiring new documentary provides an intimate and unprecedented look into the remarkable life of Itzhak Perlman, widely considered the world's greatest violinist.

The life and legacy of Helen Keller, including how she used her celebrity to advocate for human rights and social justice for women, the poor and people with disabilities.

Dive into the career of the legendary blues guitarist, a pioneer of Chicago's West Side sound and major influence on rock titans like Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton. Featuring new performances and interviews with Carlos Santana and more.

Singer-songwriter Loretta Lynn balances family and a music career that has spanned 50 years.

The friendship between Emmy Award-winning television personality Dick Cavett and comic Groucho Marx, featuring footage of Marx's visits to "The Dick Cavett Show" and other rare recordings.

A look at the life, work and political activism of one of the most successful television producers of all time, Norman Lear.

A look at the period of time musician John Lennon and his family spent living in New York City during the 1970s.

An unlikely author who helped shape American ideas of the frontier. A Midwestern farm woman who published her first novel at age 65, Laura Ingalls Wilder transformed her frontier childhood into the best-selling "Little House" series.

The life and career of groundbreaking writer, performer and subversive star Mae West. Over a career spanning eight decades, she broke boundaries and possessed creative and economic powers unheard of for a female entertainer in the 1930s.

Follows the Oscar-winning Indigenous artist from her rise to prominence in New York's Greenwich Village folk music.

Blake Edwards' life and career, told by family and colleagues, especially wife Julie Andrews. Chronicles his filmmaking phases, Pink Panther series, collaboration with Henry Mancini, and later artistic pursuits in painting and sculpture.

How Brenda Lee's early fame and life of poverty shaped her music, including the classic "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree".

The meteoric rise and legacy of Little Richard This portrait of the "King and Queen of Rock n Roll" explores his far-reaching influence, still felt in pop culture today and his advocacy for the rights of Black artists in the music industry

Un homenaje a una joven artista con un talento sin límites y a las relaciones profundas y creativas que tiene con sus mentores e influencias.

Un recorrido por la vida de la cantautora Janis Ian y su ascenso como icono del folk y defensora de los derechos de los homosexuales.