Biography of Ken Burns

Four and a half years in the making and eighteen and a half hours in length, this film covered the history of baseball from 1840’s to the present. It became the most watched series in PBS history, attracting more than 45 million viewers. Among critical acclaim, Baseball earned Mr. Burns an Emmy, the Clarion Award, and The Television Critics Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Sports and Special Programming.

Mr. Burns also is the director, producer, co-writer, chief cinematographer, music director and executive producer of the landmark television series The Civil War. This film attracted an audience of 40 million during its premiere in September 1990. The film attracted praise from audiences and critics; The Washington Post said, “This is not just good television, nor even just great television. This is heroic television.” The series has been honored with more than forty major film and television awards, including two Emmy Awards, two Grammy Awards, Producer of the Year Award from the Producer’s Guild, People’s Choice Award, Peabody Award, and others.

In January of 1998, Ken Burns’ film Frank Lloyd Wright premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and aired on PBS in the fall of 1998. His recent works also include: Lewis and Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery; Thomas Jefferson; The West; Brooklyn Bridge; The Shakers: Hands to Work, Hearts to God; The Statue of Liberty; and others.

His recently completed works include a series of biographies on the lives of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, and Mark Twain.