American Masters

American Masters: 1980s Highlights

Season 27 | 2m 33s

Created and launched in 1986 by Executive Producer Susan Lacy, the American Masters series set the standard for documentary film profiles. Among its first films in the 1980s were "George Gershwin Remembered," "Aretha Franklin: The Queen of Soul," and "James Baldwin: The Price of a Ticket." On January 21, 2014, American Masters premieres its 200th episode: "Salinger," by Shane Salerno.

Support for American Masters is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, AARP, Rosalind P. Walter Foundation, Judith and Burton Resnick, Blanche and Hayward Cirker Charitable Lead Annuity Trust, Koo and Patricia Yuen, Lillian Goldman Programming Endowment, Seton J. Melvin, Thea Petschek Iervolino Foundation, Anita and Jay Kaufman, The Philip and Janice Levin Foundation, Kate W. Cassidy Foundation, The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, The Ambrose Monell Foundation, Ellen and James S. Marcus, The Charina Endowment Fund, The Marc Haas Foundation and public television viewers.