About this season
American Masters is a PBS television series which produces biographies on enduring writers, musicians, visual and performing artists, dramatists, filmmakers, and others who have left an indelible impression on the cultural landscape of the United States.
Episodes (8)
1. Ailey
Aired 11 January 2022 • 84 min
The life and career of choreographer Alvin Ailey, whose dances focus on the Black experience, interviews with those close to him and a glimpse into his dance studios.
2. Marian Anderson: The Whole World in Her Hands
Aired 8 February 2022 • 113 min
Exploring the life and legacy of singer Marian Anderson and her work as an advocate for the civil rights advocate.
3. Waterman – Duke: Ambassador of Aloha
Aired 10 May 2022 • 84 min
The journey and legacy of five-time Olympic medalist Duke Kahanamoku, who broke swimming records and popularized modern-day surfing while overcoming racism.
4. Joe Papp in Five Acts
Aired 3 June 2022
5. Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road
Aired 14 June 2022 • 84 min
Follow musician, singer, songwriter, record producer and co-founder of The Beach Boys, Brian Wilson on a drive through Los Angeles with his longtime friend and Rolling Stone editor Jason Fine. With Fine behind the wheel and Wilson selecting the music, they reflect on the formative and creative periods in Wilson’s life as they revisit the places that helped to shape his career.
6. Buffy Sainte-Marie: Carry It On
Aired 22 November 2022 • 90 min
Experience the story of the Oscar-winning Indigenous artist from her rise to prominence in New York’s Greenwich Village folk music scene through her six-decade groundbreaking career as a singer-songwriter, social activist, educator and artist.
7. The Adventures of Saul Bellow
Aired 12 December 2022 • 83 min
Explore Nobel Prize winner Saul Bellow's impact on American literature and how he navigated through issues of his time, including race, gender and the Jewish immigrant experience. Featuring interviews with Philip Roth, Salman Rushdie and others.
8. Groucho & Cavett
Aired 27 December 2022 • 82 min
Discover the enduring friendship between television personality Dick Cavett and his mentor iconic comedian Groucho Marx. Their relationship is chronicled through interviews with Cavett, archival footage and interviews with George Burns and others.