American Masters — Season 39

Feb 2025

How could we forget the one and only Hazel Scott? She was not only the most famous jazz virtuoso of her time, but she was the first African-American to have her own television show. This feature documentary will shine a light on this incredible talent whose voice—like the voices of so many women, especially women of color—has been lost.

Apr 20252h 14m

Take an intimate look into the life of Liza Minnelli, best known for her Oscar-winning role in Cabaret. Following in the footsteps of her mother Judy Garland, Minnelli used her boundless raw talent to build her own legacy in showbiz.

Apr 20252h

Explore the work of cartoonist Art Spiegelman and the impact of his Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novel Maus, about his parents’ survival of the Holocaust. A defender of free speech, Spiegelman has spoken out as book bans spread across the country.

Jun 20252h 30m

Discover the life of singer-songwriter Janis Ian and how she rose as a folk icon and gay rights advocate. She broke ground with “Society’s Child” (1966), a bold take on interracial love, and “At Seventeen” (1975), a searing anthem about bullying.

Jun 20252h

Discover Hannah Arendt, one of the most fearless political thinkers of the 20th century, who transformed her time as a political prisoner and refugee during World War II into daring insights about totalitarianism which continue to resonate today.

Jul 20251h 23m

Discover how celebrated writer Marcella Hazan shaped Italian cuisine in America. After immigrating to New York in the 1950s, she began making authentic dishes from her Italian roots and inspired millions of Americans with her cookbooks.

Oct 2025

Dec 20251h 53m

An episode of PBS' American Masters series, dedicated to the movie, TV and Broadway star Dick Van Dyke, with interviews with Dick plus many current and former colleagues and admirers.