Documentaries
by bellamerchant | created - 09 Jul 2018 | updated - 09 Jul 2018 | Public- Genres
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1.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Carole King: Natural Woman
(2016)
TV-14 | 55 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Rare home movies, performances and photos help illustrate the life and career of songwriter-singer Carole King, from 1960s New York to Los Angeles in the 1970s to extensive present-day interviews with King and and those who know her best.
Director: George Scott | Stars: Carole King, Eugenia Klein, Sidney N. Klein, Joel Zwick
Votes: 95
2.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Satchmo: The Life of Louis Armstrong
(1989)
TV-14 | 85 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Home movies, film clips, and interviews provide insight into the remarkable life and career of jazz trumpeter and bandleader Louis Armstrong.
Directors: Gary Giddins, Kendrick Simmons | Stars: Louis Armstrong, Hattie Winston, Melvin Van Peebles, Wynton Marsalis
Votes: 150
3.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise
(2017)
TV-14 | Documentary, Biography, History
Singer, dancer, activist and writer Maya Angelou inspired generations with boundary-pushing African-American writings. Trace her incredible journey as she unwraps untold aspects of her life with rare footage, photographs and her own words.
Directors: Rita Coburn, Bob Hercules | Stars: Maya Angelou, James Baldwin, Diahann Carroll, Bill Clinton
Votes: 48
4.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Fats Domino and the Birth of Rock 'n' Roll
(2016)
TV-14 | Documentary, Biography, History
The New Orleans rhythm and blues of Fats Domino helped aid integration in the South.
Director: Joe Lauro | Stars: David Bartholomew, Fats Domino, Cosimo Matassa, Clarke Peters
Votes: 75
5.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Janis Joplin: Little Girl Blue
(2016)
TV-14 | 105 min | Documentary, Biography, History
This episode page reflects the reshowing of the original title Janis: Little Girl Blue (2015) as part of the American Masters Series
Votes: 61
6.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You
(2016)
TV-PG | 84 min | Documentary, Biography, History
With unprecedented access to Norman Lear, his work and his massive personal archives, this documentary combines stories from his turbulent childhood and early career with his groundbreaking TV success and social activism.
Directors: Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady, Annette Jolles | Stars: John Amos, Bea Arthur, Adrienne Barbeau, Valerie Bertinelli
Votes: 107
7.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Harper Lee: American Masters
(2015)
TV-14 | Documentary, Biography, History
An updated version of Mary McDonagh Murphy's documentary - Hey, Boo: Harper Lee and 'To Kill a Mockingbird' (2010). Renamed and originally aired on American Masters season 26 as 'Harper Lee: Hey, Boo' (2012).
Votes: 27
8.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Harper Lee: American Masters
(2015)
TV-14 | Documentary, Biography, History
An updated version of Mary McDonagh Murphy's documentary - Hey, Boo: Harper Lee and 'To Kill a Mockingbird' (2010). Renamed and originally aired on American Masters season 26 as 'Harper Lee: Hey, Boo' (2012).
Votes: 27
9.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Harper Lee: American Masters
(2015)
TV-14 | Documentary, Biography, History
An updated version of Mary McDonagh Murphy's documentary - Hey, Boo: Harper Lee and 'To Kill a Mockingbird' (2010). Renamed and originally aired on American Masters season 26 as 'Harper Lee: Hey, Boo' (2012).
Votes: 27
10.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Althea
(2015)
TV-14 | 90 min | Documentary, Biography, History
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).
Director: Rex Miller | Star: Althea Gibson
Votes: 58
11.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
The Women's List
(2015)
TV-14 | Documentary, Biography, History
Director Timothy Greenfield-Sanders spotlights 15 women who define contemporary American culture; included are Madeleine Albright, Margaret Cho, Edie Falco, Betsey Johnson, Alicia Keys, Nancy Pelosi, Rosie Perez and Wendy Williams.
Director: Timothy Greenfield-Sanders | Stars: Madeleine Albright, Gloria Allred, Laurie Anderson, Sara Blakely
Votes: 96
12.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Salinger
(2014)
TV-14 | Documentary, Biography, History
Filmmaker Shane Salerno reveals Salinger's private world: how WW II influenced his life and work, his painstaking writing methods, his many relationships with young women, and the literary secrets he left behind after his death.
Director: Shane Salerno
Votes: 79
13.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Bing Crosby Rediscovered
(2014)
TV-14 | 85 min | Documentary, Biography, History
American Masters looks at one of the most prolific entertainers in history; Bing Crosby. The special looks into his family life and into a career that spanned decades over film, music, and live entertainment.
Director: Robert Trachtenberg | Stars: Louis Armstrong, Fred Astaire, Pearl Bailey, Tony Bennett
Votes: 132
14.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Billie Jean King
(2013)
TV-PG | 84 min | Documentary, Biography, History
This documentary looks back to the 12-year-old southern California girl who played tennis on public courts, observed disparity and unfairness and, as she soared athletically, never stopped trying to remedy both.
Director: James Erskine | Stars: Peaches Bartkowicz, Rosie Casals, Hillary Clinton, Margaret Court
Votes: 117
15.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Jeff Bridges: The Dude Abides
(2011)
TV-14 | Documentary, Biography, History
Director: Gail Levin | Stars: Joan Allen, Karen Allen, Martin Bell, Peter Bogdanovich
Votes: 129
16.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Troubadours: Carole King/James Taylor & the Rise of the Singer-Songwriter
(2011)
Unrated | 101 min | Documentary, Biography, History
A musical journey tracing the lives and careers of James Taylor and Carole King, pillars of the California singer/songwriter scene, which converged in and around LA's Troubadour Club in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Director: Morgan Neville | Stars: Lou Adler, Peter Asher, Paul Body, Ursula Britton
Votes: 139
17.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Sam Cooke: Crossing Over
(2010)
TV-14 | 54 min | Documentary, Biography, History
A documentary capturing the life of Sam Cooke.
Director: John Antonelli | Stars: Lou Adler, Herb Alpert, James Brown, Jimmy Carter
Votes: 105
18.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Dalton Trumbo: Trumbo
(2009)
TV-14 | Documentary, Biography, History
What the Stalin-stooges actually said at the time of the Hollywood Blacklist - spoken by some of today's greatest actors.
Director: Peter Askin
Votes: 83
19.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Garrison Keillor: The Man on the Radio in the Red Shoes
(2008)
Not Rated | 86 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Widely admired and regarded as 'a modern day Mark Twain', Garrison Keillor has established himself as one of the most popular personalities in the American entertainment industry.
Director: Peter Rosen | Stars: Pat Donahue, Richard A. Dworsky, Yvonne Freese, Garrison Keillor
Votes: 145
20.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Joan Baez: How Sweet the Sound
(2009)
TV-14 | Documentary, Biography, History
American Masters explores fifty years of folk legend and human rights activist Joan Baez
Director: Mary Wharton | Stars: Joan Baez, Albert Baez, Pauline Baez, Mimi Fariña
Votes: 214
21.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Pete Seeger: The Power of Song
(2008)
TV-14 | Documentary, Biography, History
Pete Seeger helped introduce America to its own musical heritage, devoting his life to using the power of song as a force for social change. With his deeply-held beliefs, Pete went from the top of the pop charts to the top of the blacklist
Votes: 94
22.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Zora Neale Hurston: Jump at the Sun
(2008)
TV-14 | 83 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Author Zora Neale Hurston died in poverty in 1960 but today her novels are read throughout the world. Her controversial life story is explored in this biopic.
Director: Sam Pollard | Stars: Kim Brockington, Cab Calloway, Frank Robertson Jr., Henry Louis Gates Jr.
Votes: 121
23.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Marvin Gaye: What's Going On
(2008)
TV-14 | Documentary, Biography, History
When Marvin Gaye died in 1984, he left behind one of the great legacies in American music.
Director: Sam Pollard | Star: Jesse L. Martin
Votes: 116
24.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story - Part 1
(2008)
TV-14 | 228 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Documentary about the first 85 years of Warner Bros. Studios, with scenes from hundreds of films that reflect the values, morals and attitudes of several generations, especially in the United States.
Director: Richard Schickel | Stars: Clint Eastwood, Susan Orlean, John Barrymore, Jack Warner Jr.
Votes: 310
25.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Carol Burnett: A Woman of Character
(2007)
TV-PG | Documentary, Biography, History
At 10pm every Saturday night, in living rooms and bedrooms across the country, Americans watched The Carol Burnett Show. For 11 years, this wacky performer yelled like Tarzan and won our hearts, with her edgy always sympathetic characters.
Director: Kyra Thompson | Stars: Carol Burnett, Betty White, Kenny Solms, Tim Conway
Votes: 162
26.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
The World of Nat King Cole
(2006)
TV-14 | 55 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Edited version of an 89 minute UK documentary on the life of the singer with recollections from family, friends, and famous fans.
Director: Ian A. Hunt | Stars: André 3000, Eden Ahbez, Pearl Bailey, Harry Belafonte
Votes: 97
27.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
John Ford/John Wayne: The Filmmaker and the Legend
(2006)
TV-14 | 97 min | Documentary, Biography, History
John Ford and John Wayne - a friendship and professional collaboration that spanned 50 years, changed each others' lives, changed the movies, and in the process, changed the way America saw itself.
Director: Sam Pollard | Stars: Peter Bogdanovich, Harry Carey Jr., Harry Carey, William H. Clothier
Votes: 183
28.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Woody Guthrie: Ain't Got No Home
(2006)
TV-14 | 85 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Hear the story of Woody Guthrie's creative energy, personal imperfections and family tragedy.
Director: Peter Frumkin | Stars: Peter Coyote, Rick Sharp, Robin Wiley, Peter Mark Joliat
Votes: 147
29.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Marilyn Monroe: Still Life
(2006)
TV-14 | 55 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Explores Monroe as the icon of the 20th century via photography, perhaps, her greatest "love affair".
Director: Gail Levin | Stars: Eve Arnold, Cecil Beaton, Patricia Bosworth, Louis Calhern
Votes: 167
30.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Walter Cronkite: Witness to History
(2006)
TV-14 | Documentary, Biography, History
He was the man who told us that President Kennedy had been shot, the man who told us that we had put a man on the moon, and the man who told us that we couldn't win the war in Vietnam. For 20 years he anchored the evening news on CBS.
Director: Catherine Tatge | Stars: Spiro Agnew, Menachem Begin, Ben Bradlee, Tom Brokaw
Votes: 113
31.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Bob Newhart: Unbuttoned
(2005)
TV-14 | 84 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Shy and unassuming, the "Dean of Deadpan" exploded on the comedy scene in 1960. Over the years, Newhart's cool, calculated routines became part of Americana, from his one-way telephone conversations to the "nervous monologue" sketch.
Director: Kyra Thompson | Stars: Tim Conway, Lawrence J. Epstein, Stephen C. Grossman, Buck Henry
Votes: 127
32.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Sweet Honey in the Rock: Raise Your Voice
(2005)
TV-14 | 84 min | Documentary, Biography, History
This uplifting musical doc explores the powerful legacy of the beloved African-American female acapella group as they embark on their 30th anniversary tour.
Director: Stanley Nelson | Stars: Arnaé, Ysaye M. Barnwell, Nitanju Bolade Casel, Aisha Kahlil
Votes: 93
33.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
James Dean: Sense Memories
(2005)
TV-14 | 54 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Documentary exploring the life and career of James Dean.
Director: Gail Levin | Stars: Mark Rydell, Martin Landau, Eli Wallach, William Bast
Votes: 141
34.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Annie Leibovitz: Life Through a Lens
(2006)
TV-14 | Documentary, Biography, History
Annie Leibovitz enrolled in the San Francisco Art Institute intent on studying painting. It was not until she traveled to Japan with her mother after her sophomore year that she discovered her interest in taking photographs.
Director: Barbara Leibovitz | Stars: Mikhail Baryshnikov, Graydon Carter, Hillary Clinton, George Clooney
Votes: 569
35.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Sketches of Frank Gehry
(2005)
PG-13 | 83 min | Documentary, Biography, History
A look at the life and work of the renown architect.
Director: Sydney Pollack | Stars: Frank Gehry, Sydney Pollack, Julian Schnabel, Charles Arnoldi
Votes: 1,620 | Gross: $0.44M
36.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Andy Warhol: A Documentary
(2006)
TV-14 | 240 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Ric Burns unearths rarely seen footage and offers keen observations on the life and artistic influence of Andy Warhol.
Director: Ric Burns | Stars: Laurie Anderson, Irving Blum, DeVeren Bookwalter, Marlon Brando
Votes: 422
37.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Willa Cather: The Road Is All
(2005)
TV-14 | 90 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Cather had the great good fortune to have lived among the first generation of white settlers in 1880's Nebraska, and she gives witness to their time and place in such a way that American literature will never forget them.
Director: Joel Geyer | Stars: Joan Acocella, Willa Cather, Richard Giannone, Vivian Gornick
Votes: 100
38.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Ernest Hemingway: Rivers to the Sea
(2005)
TV-14 | 90 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Hemingway was an American journalist, novelist, short-story writer, and sportsman. His economical and understated style-which he termed "the iceberg theory" had a strong influence on 20th-century fiction.
Director: DeWitt Sage | Stars: Kate Burton, James Naughton
Votes: 119
39.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
No Direction Home: Bob Dylan
(2005)
Not Rated | 208 min | Documentary, Biography, History
A chronicle of Bob Dylan's strange evolution between 1961 and 1966 from folk singer to protest singer to "voice of a generation" to rock star.
Director: Martin Scorsese | Stars: Bob Dylan, B.J. Rolfzen, Dick Kangas, Liam Clancy
Votes: 12,201
40.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
James Brown: Soul Survivor
(2003)
TV-14 | Documentary, Biography, History
"The Hardest-Working Man in Show Business," "Soul Brother Number One," "the Godfather of Soul," - in whatever guise, James Brown is unquestionably one of the most charismatic musical icons of the 20th century.
Director: Jeremy Marre | Stars: Dan Aykroyd, Afrika Bambaataa, James Brown, Bobby Byrd
Votes: 115
41.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Cary Grant: A Class Apart
(2004)
TV-MA | 87 min | Documentary, Biography, History
American Masters explores the life and career of Cary Grant (born Archie Leach) with celebrity interviews.
Director: Robert Trachtenberg | Stars: Helen Mirren, Jeremy Northam, Cary Grant, Barbara Harris
Votes: 580
42.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Judy Garland: By Myself
(2004)
TV-14 | 116 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Actress Judy Garland tells her own story through recordings she made while preparing to write her autobiography.
Director: Susan Lacy | Stars: Harris Yulin, June Allyson, Del Armstrong, Desi Arnaz
Votes: 311
43.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Willie Nelson: Still Is Still Moving
(2002)
TV-14 | 84 min | Documentary, Biography, History
He's been instrumental in shaping both country and pop music, yet his appeal crosses all social and economic lines. Sometimes he's called an outlaw, though it is Willie Nelson who brings us together.
Director: Steven Cantor | Star: Willie Nelson
Votes: 82
44.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
F. Scott Fitzgerald: Winter Dreams
(2001)
TV-14 | Documentary, Biography, History
The dreams that all came true for Scott Fitzgerald - once he was in his grave.
Director: DeWitt Sage | Stars: Laura Linney, Amy Irving, William Sandler, Campbell Scott
Votes: 110
45.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Lucille Ball: Finding Lucy
(2000)
TV-14 | Documentary, Biography, History
For more than 30 years, Lucille Ball was one of the most recognized and loved entertainers in the world. Known to all simply as Lucy, she portrayed a scatterbrained housewife with the ability to turn simple chores into humorous disasters.
Director: Pamela Mason Wagner | Stars: Edie Adams, Cynthia Adler, Desi Arnaz Jr., Desi Arnaz
Votes: 187
46.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Bob Marley: Rebel Music
(2000)
TV-14 | 90 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Profile of the life and music of the legendary reggae singer.
Director: Jeremy Marre | Stars: Rita Marley, Bob Marley
Votes: 226
47.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Hitchcock, Selznick and the End of Hollywood
(1998)
TV-14 | 86 min | Documentary, Biography, History
With Hitchcock's career just beginning and Selznick's on the decline, the final year of their collaboration would mark turning points in both men's lives.
Director: Michael Epstein | Stars: Gene Hackman, Alfred Hitchcock, David O. Selznick, Peter Bogdanovich
Votes: 389
48.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Norman Rockwell: Painting America
(1999)
TV-14 | Documentary, Biography, History
A documentary about American artist Norman Rockwell, featuring his biography accompanied with opinions by the artist's son, movie director Steven Spielberg, two of the artist's models, and art critics.
Votes: 81
49.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Ella Fitzgerald: Something to Live For
(1999)
TV-14 | Documentary, Biography, History
Through fifty-eight years of performing, thirteen Grammys and more than forty million records sold, she elevated swing, bebop, and ballads to their highest potential. She was, undeniably, the First Lady of Song.
Director: Charlotte Zwerin | Stars: Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Tony Bennett, Nina Bernstein
Votes: 140
50.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Sidney Poitier: One Bright Light
(2000)
TV-14 | 55 min | Documentary, Biography, History
The actor discusses his life and career, with recollections from friends and colleagues.
Director: Lee Grant | Stars: Akihito, James Baldwin, Janet G. Bostwick, Marlon Brando
Votes: 155
51.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
The Source: The Story of the Beats and the Beat Generation
(2000)
TV-14 | Documentary, Biography, History
When Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac and William Burroughs met in New York City in the 1940's, they had no intention of starting a social revolution. According to Ginsberg, "We were just trying to propose our own souls to ourselves."
Director: Chuck Workman
Votes: 14
52.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Rod Serling: Submitted for Your Approval
(1995)
TV-14 | 90 min | Documentary, Biography, History
The life and career of the renowned television writer and creator of the classic science fiction series, "The Twilight Zone."
Director: Susan Lacy | Stars: Lee Grant, Rod Serling, Mitchell Greenberg, John Frankenheimer
Votes: 243
53.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Paul Simon: Born at the Right Time
(1993)
TV-14 | Documentary, Biography, History
In the 1960's, Paul Simon's moving lyric "Bridge Over Troubled Water" was an anthem for a generation. With Art Garfunkel he made moving testaments to the times, fusing folk and rock music.
Directors: Susan Lacy, Susan Steinberg | Stars: Paul Simon, Art Garfunkel, Miriam Makeba, Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Votes: 86
54.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Miracle on 44th Street: A Portrait of the Actors Studio
(1991)
TV-14 | Documentary, Biography, History
For the past fifty years, the Old Labor Stage on 44th street in New York City has been home to some of the most inventive acting, directing, and playwrighting in the country.
Director: Dennis Powers | Stars: Ellen Burstyn, Frank Corsaro, Lee Grant, Anne Jackson
Votes: 78
55.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Ray Charles: The Genius of Soul
(1992)
TV-14 | Documentary, Biography, History
They call him the "genius" and they call him the "father of soul." With perfect pitch and an expressive voice, he combines jazz, country, rhythm and blues, and gospel to break your heart or make you dance. His name is Ray Charles.
Director: Yvonne Smith | Stars: Ray Charles, Billy Joel, Quincy Jones, Willie Nelson
Votes: 105
56.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
You're the Top: The Cole Porter Story
(1990)
TV-14 | 56 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Biographical portrait of one of Broadway's most brilliant songwriters. Told through the use of archival material and interviews with the rich and famous that knew him, this portrait concentrates on his career and his public life events.
Director: Allan Albert | Stars: Bobby Short, Richard Adler, Fred Astaire, Kitty Carlisle
Votes: 145
57.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Celebrating Bird: The Triumph of Charlie Parker
(1989)
TV-14 | 59 min | Documentary, Biography, History
At age eleven, he had just begun to play the saxophone. At age twenty he was leading a revolution in modern jazz music. Today, Charlie "Yardbird" Parker is considered one of the great musical innovators of the 20th century.
Director: Gary Giddins | Stars: Rebecca Davis, Leonard Feather, Dizzy Gillespie, Roy Haynes
Votes: 122
58.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Aretha Franklin: The Queen of Soul
(1988)
TV-14 | 60 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Aretha Franklin's recording career is examined through archival footage and interviews with family and prominent figures within the music industry.
Director: Cathe Neukum | Stars: Aretha Franklin, C.L. Franklin, Carolyn Franklin, Erma Franklin
Votes: 105
59.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Buster Keaton: Hard Act to Follow
(1987)
TV-14 | Documentary, Biography, History
A look at Buster Keaton, an early star of film comedies.
Votes: 86
60.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Unanswered Prayers: The Life and Times of Truman Capote
(1987)
TV-14 | Documentary, Biography, History
Throughout his career, Truman Capote remained one of America's most controversial and colorful authors, combining literary genius with a penchant for the glittering world of high society.
Director: Andy Harries
Votes: 65
61.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Billie Holiday: The Long Night of Lady Day
(1986)
TV-14 | 90 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Considered by many to be the greatest jazz vocalist of all time, Billie Holiday lived a tempestuous and difficult life. Her singing expressed an incredible depth of emotion that spoke of hard times and injustice as well as triumph.
Director: John Jeremy | Stars: Billie Holiday, Milt Hinton, Peter O'Brien, Alice Vrbsky
Votes: 80
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