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The Best Episodes of American Masters

Every episode of American Masters ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of American Masters!

The Best Episodes of American Masters

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...

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  1. 9.0/10(108 votes)

    #1 - The Lives of Lillian Hellman

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    S13:E5

    The politics and writings of the noted 20th century woman.

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  2. 8.8/10(65 votes)

    #2 - Unanswered Prayers: The Life and Times of Truman Capote

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    S2:E8

    The evolution of the novelist and his impact on other artists and American culture.

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  3. 8.7/10(189 votes)

    #3 - Lucille Ball: Finding Lucy

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    S15:E4

    The incredible career of Lucille Ball, from youth through the movies, from television star to media mogul. Some of the personalities that comment in this film include Fran Drescher, Van Johnson, Dick Martin, Edie Adams, and Carol Burnett. This episode won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Non-Fiction Program.

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  4. 8.5/10(127 votes)

    #4 - Dashiell Hammett: Detective, Writer

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    S13:E6

    A profile of an author as mysterious as some of his well-known detective stories.

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  5. 8.5/10(308 votes)

    #5 - Balanchine

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    S18:E4

    A retrospective on the life and work of George Balanchine, a founder of American ballet.

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  6. 8.5/10(49 votes)

    #6 - Waterman – Duke: Ambassador of Aloha

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    S36:E3

    The journey and legacy of five-time Olympic medalist Duke Kahanamoku, who broke swimming records and popularized modern-day surfing while overcoming racism.

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    The 20 WORST Episodes of American Masters

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  8. 8.4/10(55 votes)

    #7 - The Negro Ensemble Company

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    S2:E7

    An ode to the work of the African American theater group founded in the late 60s and its impact on the performing arts.

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  9. 8.4/10(125 votes)

    #8 - John Hammond: From Bessie Smith to Bruce Springsteen

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    S5:E6

    A documentary on the 50 year career of a legendary producer of recording artists and musicians.

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  10. 8.4/10(12.4k votes)

    #9 - Bob Dylan: No Direction Home (1)

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    S19:E7

    A journey through the poetry and music of Bob Dylan.

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  11. 8.4/10(113 votes)

    #10 - Walter Cronkite: Witness to History

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    S20:E5

    Walter Cronkite was the man who gave us the news for two tumultuous decades in the late 20th century. As historian, journalist and author David Halberstam says in praise of the great CBS newsman: "Most Americans really learned of the evening news and learned of Vietnam and learned of the civil rights movement and learned of Watergate with Walter Cronkite as the man who ushered it into their homes. And did it with great professionalism over a very long time and was I think absolutely true to himself." In AMERICAN MASTERS Walter Cronkite: Witness to History, a documentary narrated by Katie Couric, historians, fellow journalists and CBS colleagues appraise the career of the man who was called "the most trusted man in America." CBS writer and commentator Andy Rooney, legendary producer/director Don Hewitt, correspondents Mike Wallace, Morley Safer, Lesley Stahl and Barbara Walters, columnists Molly Ivins and Helen Thomas, Senator John McCain and President Jimmy Carter guide the viewer from Cronkite's early days as a foreign correspondent in World War II through his thirty-year career at CBS News.

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  12. 8.4/10(157 votes)

    #11 - Carol Burnett: A Woman of Character

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    S21:E9

    The career of funny woman Carol Burnett, from Broadway to television stardom.

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  13. 8.4/10(34 votes)

    #12 - Worlds of Ursula K. Le Guin

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    S33:E9

    Explore the remarkable life and legacy of late feminist author Ursula K. Le Guin whose groundbreaking work, including “The Left Hand of Darkness,” transformed American literature by bringing science fiction into the literary mainstream.

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  14. 8.4/10(39 votes)

    #13 - Amy Tan: Unintended Memoir

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    S35:E6

    The life and career of author Amy Tan, with archival imagery, home movies, photographs, animation and original interviews.

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  15. 8.3/10(109 votes)

    #14 - Eugene O'Neill: A Glory of Ghosts

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    S1:E12

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  16. 8.3/10(163 votes)

    #15 - Arthur Miller, Elia Kazan and the Blacklist

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    S18:E1

    The dispute between one of America's most influential playwrights and a respected movie director over actions taken during the "red scare" of the 1950s.

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  17. 8.2/10(234 votes)

    #16 - D.W. Griffith: Father of Film

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    S7:E3

    A look at the innovator of primary motion picture techniques that are still important today and the controversy surrounding his beliefs.

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  18. 8.2/10(110 votes)

    #17 - Lena Horne: In Her Own Voice

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    S11:E1

    A biography of the famed singer including her first big breaks in show business.

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  19. 8.2/10(15 votes)

    #18 - The Source: The Story of the Beats and the Beat Generation

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    S14:E7

    A chronicle of the artistic expression of the counter-culture movement.

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  20. 8.2/10(6 votes)

    #19 - Woody Allen: A Documentary (2)

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    S25:E8

    Iconic writer, director, actor, comedian, and musician Woody Allen allowed his life and creative process to be documented on-camera for the first time. With this unprecedented access, Emmy®-winning, Oscar®-nominated filmmaker Robert Weide followed the notoriously private film legend over a year and a half to create the ultimate film biography.

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  21. 8.2/10(107 votes)

    #20 - Margaret Mitchell: American Rebel

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    S26:E3

    Margaret Mitchell: American Rebel engages leading historians, biographers and personal friends to reveal a complex woman who experienced profound identity shifts during her life and struggled with the two great issues of her day: the changing role of women and the liberation of African Americans.

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  22. 8.2/10(12 votes)

    #21 - Alice Walker: Beauty in Truth

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    S28:E3

    A profile of writer Alice Walker, the first African-American woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction (for her 1982 novel "The Color Purple"). Included: remarks from Walker; Danny Glover; Quincy Jones; Sapphire; Steven Spielberg; and Howard Zinn. Filmmaker Pratibha Parmar’s new documentary tells Walker’s dramatic life story with poetry and lyricism, and features new interviews with Walker, Steven Spielberg, Danny Glover, Quincy Jones, Gloria Steinem, Sapphire and the late Howard Zinn in one of his final interviews.

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  23. 8.2/10(130 votes)

    #22 - Bing Crosby Rediscovered

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    S28:E10

    Bing Crosby (1903-77) is remembered via home movies, Dictabelt recordings, photos and insights from wife Kathryn, daughter Mary and sons Harry and Nathaniel. He scored nearly 400 hit singles, including the classic "White Christmas"; and appeared in such popular films as "White Christmas" and "Going My Way." The profile details the allegations of abuse leveled against him by son Gary (1933-95); and explains how his beloved duet with David Bowie on "Little Drummer Boy-Peace on Earth" came about.

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  24. 8.2/10(68 votes)

    #23 - American Ballet Theatre: A History

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    S29:E4

    Delving into the rich history of one of the world’s preeminent ballet companies, Ric Burns combines intimate rehearsal footage, virtuoso performances and interviews with American Ballet Theatre’s key figures.

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  25. 8.2/10(27 votes)

    #24 - Harper Lee

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    S29:E5

    One of the biggest American bestsellers of all time, To Kill a Mockingbird (1960) was thought to be the first and only novel by Harper Lee. However, on July 14, 2015, Go Set a Watchman was released, featuring characters from Lee's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. Newly updated version of Mary McDonagh Murphy’s 2012 documentary, Harper Lee: Hey, Boo.

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  26. 8.2/10(106 votes)

    #25 - Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You

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    S30:E8

    Writer/producer Norman Lear's turbulent childhood, early success with sitcoms “All in the Family,” “The Jeffersons,” “Good Times” and “Maude,” and social activism.

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Best Episodes Summary

"The Lives of Lillian Hellman" is the best rated episode of "American Masters". It scored 9/10 based on 108 votes. Directed by N/A and written by N/A, it aired on 6/30/1999. This episode scored 0.2 points higher than the second highest rated, "Unanswered Prayers: The Life and Times of Truman Capote".