American Masters

She was an American Cinema Pioneer

12m 12s

Lois Weber was an early film pioneer as the first American woman to direct a full-length feature film in 1913, and one of the first directors to own her own film studio. Infused with the conviction that film could change culture, she directed over 135 films about controversial subject matters such as capital punishment, police violence, birth control, and poverty.

Aired: 04/28/20

Support for American Masters is provided by AARP, The Rosalind P. Walter Foundation, Thea Petschek Iervolino Foundation, Burton P. and Judith B. Resnick Foundation, The Philip and Janice Levin Foundation, Jeffrey Katz and Beth Rogers, Kate W. Cassidy Foundation, The Marc Haas Foundation, Lillian Goldman Programming Endowment, Seton J. Melvin, Candace King Weir, Koo and Patricia Yuen, Laura Richards and Jim Naughton, Filomen M. Dagostino Foundation, André and Elizabeth Kertész Foundation, The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, Ellen and James S. Marcus, Blanche and Hayward Cirker Charitable Lead Annuity Trust, The Charina Endowment Fund, and public television viewers.