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Ken Burns (I)

Director | Producer | Cinematographer

Celebrated American documentarian who gradually amassed a considerable reputation and a devoted audience with a series of reassuringly traditional meditations on Americana. Burns' works are treasure troves of archival materials; he skillfully utilizes period music and footage, photographs, periodicals and ordinary people's correspondence... See full bio »

Born:

Kenneth Lauren Burns
in Brooklyn, New York, USA
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Ken Burns at event of The Central Park Five Jeff Goldblum and Ken Burns Still of Ken Burns in The National Parks: America's Best Idea Ken Burns and E. Elias Merhige Ken Burns Ken Burns, David McMahon and Sarah Burns at event of The Central Park Five
27 photos | 6 videos | 250 news articles »

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Ken Burns Film Stuns Cannes Film Festival
25 May 2012 10:30 AM, PDT | Studio Briefing - Film News
Cannes 2012 - Watch 3 Clips From Ken Burns "The Central Park Five" Doc
24 May 2012 8:45 AM, PDT | ShadowAndAct
Blu-ray Review: Ken Burns Uses His Amazing Skill to Chronicle ‘The War’
21 May 2012 12:20 PM, PDT | HollywoodChicago.com
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Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 19 wins & 11 nominations See more awards »

Known For


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Filmography

Hide HideDirector (22 titles)
2016 Vietnam (TV series documentary) (pre-production)
 
2012 The Central Park Five (documentary)
 
2011 Prohibition (TV mini-series documentary)
– A Nation of Hypocrites (2011)
– A Nation of Scofflaws (2011)
– A Nation of Drunkards (2011)
 
1994-2010 Baseball (TV mini-series documentary)
– The Tenth Inning: Bottom of the Tenth (2010)
– The Tenth Inning: Top of the Tenth (2010)
– A National Heirloom (1994)
– A Whole New Ball Game (1994)
– Home (1994)
See all 11 episodes »
 
2009 The National Parks: America's Best Idea (TV mini-series documentary)
– The Morning of Creation: 1946-1980 (2009)
– Great Nature: 1933-1945 (2009)
– Going Home: 1920-1933 (2009)
– The Empire of Grandeur: 1915-1919 (2009)
– The Last Refuge: 1890-1915 (2009)
See all 6 episodes »
 
2007 The War (TV mini-series documentary)
– A World Without War: March 1945 - September 1945 (2007) (co-director)
– The Ghost Front: December 1944 - March 1945 (2007) (co-director)
– FUBAR: September 1944 - December 1944 (2007) (co-director)
– Pride of Our Nation: June 1944 - August 1944 (2007) (co-director)
– A Deadly Calling: November 1943 - June 1944 (2007) (co-director)
See all 7 episodes »
 
2004 Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson (documentary)
 
2003 Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip (TV documentary)
 
2001 Mark Twain (TV documentary)
 
2001 Jazz (TV mini-series documentary)
– A Masterpiece by Midnight: 1960 to the Present (2001)
– The Adventure: 1956-1960 (2001)
– Risk: 1945-1955 (2001)
– Dedicated to Chaos: 1940-1945 (2001)
– Swing: The Velocity of Celebration - 1937-1939 (2001)
See all 10 episodes »
 
1999 Not for Ourselves Alone: The Story of Elizabeth Cady Stanton & Susan B. Anthony (TV mini-series documentary)
 
1998 Frank Lloyd Wright (documentary)
 
1997 Lewis & Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery (TV special documentary)
 
1997 Thomas Jefferson (TV mini-series)
 
1991 Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio (documentary)
 
1990 The Civil War (TV mini-series documentary)
– A Very Bloody Affair (1862) (1990)
– Forever Free (1862) (1990)
– Most Hallowed Ground (1864) (1990)
– Simply Murder (1863) (1990)
– The Better Angels of Our Nature (1865) (1990)
See all 9 episodes »
 
1988 Thomas Hart Benton (TV movie)
 
1988 The Congress (TV documentary)
 
1985 Huey Long (documentary)
 
1985 The Statue of Liberty (documentary)
 
1984 The Shakers: Hands to Work, Hearts to God (documentary)
 
1981 Brooklyn Bridge (documentary)
 
Show ShowProducer (25 titles)
2016 Vietnam (TV series documentary) (producer) (pre-production)
 
2012 The Central Park Five (documentary) (executive producer, producer)
 
2011 Prohibition (TV mini-series documentary) (executive producer - 2 episodes, 2011) (producer - 1 episode, 2011)
– A Nation of Hypocrites (2011) (executive producer)
– A Nation of Scofflaws (2011) (executive producer)
– A Nation of Drunkards (2011) (producer)
 
Baseball (TV mini-series documentary) (executive producer - 9 episodes, 1994) (producer - 3 episodes, 1994-2010)
– The Tenth Inning: Bottom of the Tenth (2010) (producer)
– The Tenth Inning: Top of the Tenth (2010) (producer)
– A National Heirloom (1994) (executive producer)
– A Whole New Ball Game (1994) (executive producer)
– Home (1994) (executive producer)
See all 11 episodes »
 
2009 The National Parks: America's Best Idea (TV mini-series documentary) (executive producer - 6 episodes, 2009) (producer - 6 episodes, 2009)
– The Morning of Creation: 1946-1980 (2009) (executive producer, producer)
– Great Nature: 1933-1945 (2009) (executive producer, producer)
– Going Home: 1920-1933 (2009) (executive producer, producer)
– The Empire of Grandeur: 1915-1919 (2009) (executive producer, producer)
– The Last Refuge: 1890-1915 (2009) (executive producer, producer)
See all 6 episodes »
 
2008 Medal of Honor (TV documentary) (executive producer)
 
2007 The War (TV mini-series documentary) (executive producer - 7 episodes, 2007) (producer - 7 episodes, 2007)
– A World Without War: March 1945 - September 1945 (2007) (executive producer, producer)
– The Ghost Front: December 1944 - March 1945 (2007) (executive producer, producer)
– FUBAR: September 1944 - December 1944 (2007) (executive producer, producer)
– Pride of Our Nation: June 1944 - August 1944 (2007) (executive producer, producer)
– A Deadly Calling: November 1943 - June 1944 (2007) (executive producer, producer)
See all 7 episodes »
 
2004 Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson (documentary) (producer)
 
2003 Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip (TV documentary) (producer)
 
2001 Mark Twain (TV documentary) (producer)
 
2000 Biography (TV series documentary) (executive producer - 1 episode)
– Richard Widmark: Strength of Characters (2000) (executive producer)
 
1999 Not for Ourselves Alone: The Story of Elizabeth Cady Stanton & Susan B. Anthony (TV mini-series documentary) (producer)
 
1998 Frank Lloyd Wright (documentary) (executive producer, producer)
 
1997 Lewis & Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery (TV special documentary) (executive producer, producer)
 
1997 Thomas Jefferson (TV mini-series) (producer)
 
1996 The West (TV series documentary) (executive producer) (senior producer)
 
1991 Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio (documentary) (producer)
 
1990 The American Experience (TV series documentary) (co-producer - 1 episode)
– Lindbergh (1990) (co-producer)
 
1990 The Civil War (TV mini-series documentary) (executive producer - 9 episodes)
– A Very Bloody Affair (1862) (1990) (executive producer)
– Forever Free (1862) (1990) (executive producer)
– Most Hallowed Ground (1864) (1990) (executive producer)
– Simply Murder (1863) (1990) (executive producer)
– The Better Angels of Our Nature (1865) (1990) (executive producer)
See all 9 episodes »
 
1988 Thomas Hart Benton (TV movie) (producer)
 
1988 The Congress (TV documentary) (producer)
 
1985 Huey Long (documentary) (producer)
 
1985 The Statue of Liberty (documentary) (producer)
 
1984 The Shakers: Hands to Work, Hearts to God (documentary) (producer)
 
1981 Brooklyn Bridge (documentary) (producer)
 
Show ShowCinematographer (14 titles)
1994-2010 Baseball (TV mini-series documentary)
– The Tenth Inning: Bottom of the Tenth (2010)
– The Tenth Inning: Top of the Tenth (2010)
– A National Heirloom (1994)
– A Whole New Ball Game (1994)
– Home (1994)
See all 11 episodes »
 
2009 The National Parks: America's Best Idea (TV mini-series documentary)
– The Morning of Creation: 1946-1980 (2009)
– Great Nature: 1933-1945 (2009)
– Going Home: 1920-1933 (2009)
– The Empire of Grandeur: 1915-1919 (2009)
– The Last Refuge: 1890-1915 (2009)
See all 6 episodes »
 
2003 Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip (TV documentary)
 
2001 Mark Twain (TV documentary)
 
1999 Not for Ourselves Alone: The Story of Elizabeth Cady Stanton & Susan B. Anthony (TV mini-series documentary)
 
1998 Frank Lloyd Wright (documentary)
 
1997 Lewis & Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery (TV special documentary)
 
1997 Thomas Jefferson (TV mini-series)
 
1990 The Civil War (TV mini-series documentary)
– A Very Bloody Affair (1862) (1990)
– Forever Free (1862) (1990)
– Most Hallowed Ground (1864) (1990)
– Simply Murder (1863) (1990)
– The Better Angels of Our Nature (1865) (1990)
See all 9 episodes »
 
1988 The Congress (TV documentary)
 
1985 Huey Long (documentary)
 
1985 The Statue of Liberty (documentary)
 
1984 The Shakers: Hands to Work, Hearts to God (documentary)
 
1981 Brooklyn Bridge (documentary)
 
Show ShowWriter (5 titles)
2012 The Central Park Five (documentary)
 
1994-2010 Baseball (TV mini-series documentary)
– The Tenth Inning: Bottom of the Tenth (2010) (written by)
– The Tenth Inning: Top of the Tenth (2010) (written by)
– A National Heirloom (1994) (writer)
– A Whole New Ball Game (1994) (writer)
– Home (1994) (writer)
See all 11 episodes »
 
1997 Lewis & Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery (TV special documentary) (book)
 
1991 Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio (documentary) (additional)
 
1990 The Civil War (TV mini-series documentary)
– A Very Bloody Affair (1862) (1990) (writer)
– Forever Free (1862) (1990) (writer)
– Most Hallowed Ground (1864) (1990) (writer)
– Simply Murder (1863) (1990) (writer)
– The Better Angels of Our Nature (1865) (1990) (writer)
See all 9 episodes »
 
Show ShowMusic Department (4 titles)
2004 Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson (documentary) (music producer)
 
1994 Baseball (TV mini-series documentary) (musical director - 9 episodes)
– A National Heirloom (1994) (musical director)
– A Whole New Ball Game (1994) (musical director)
– Home (1994) (musical director)
– Our Game (1994) (musical director)
– Shadow Ball (1994) (musical director)
See all 9 episodes »
 
1991 Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio (documentary) (musical director)
 
1990 The Civil War (TV mini-series documentary) (musical director - 9 episodes)
– A Very Bloody Affair (1862) (1990) (musical director)
– Forever Free (1862) (1990) (musical director)
– Most Hallowed Ground (1864) (1990) (musical director)
– Simply Murder (1863) (1990) (musical director)
– The Better Angels of Our Nature (1865) (1990) (musical director)
See all 9 episodes »
 
Show ShowMiscellaneous Crew (2 titles)
1993 The Making of 'Gettysburg' (video documentary) (commentary)
 
1990 The American Experience (TV series documentary) (senior creative consultant - 3 episodes)
– Nixon: Part III (1990) (senior creative consultant)
– Richard Nixon: Part II (1990) (senior creative consultant)
– Nixon: Part I (1990) (senior creative consultant)
 
Show ShowActor (2 titles)
2012 Glue Man (short) (completed)
Ken Burns
 
1993 Gettysburg
Hancock's Aide
 
Show ShowCamera and Electrical Department (2 titles)
2009 The National Parks: America's Best Idea (TV mini-series documentary) (camera operator - 1 episode)
– The Scripture of Nature: 1851-1890 (2009) (camera operator)
 
1990 The American Experience (TV series documentary) (additional cinematographer - 1 episode)
– Lindbergh (1990) (additional cinematographer)
 
Show ShowSoundtrack (1 title)
2004 Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson (documentary) (arranger: "Levee Low Moan")
 
Show ShowThanks (4 titles)
2010 Mary and Bill (documentary) (special thanks)
 
2003 The Making of 'The Devil's Den' (video documentary) (thanks)
 
2001 The Cat's Meow (special thanks)
 
1998 Eternal Memory: Voices from the Great Terror (documentary) (thanks)
 
Show ShowSelf (26 titles)
2011 Drinks and Conversation (TV movie)
Himself
 
2005-2011 The Colbert Report (TV series)
Himself - Guest / Himself
– Episode dated 28 September 2011 (2011) … Himself - Guest
– Ken Burns (2010) … Himself - Guest
– Ken Burns (2009) … Himself - Guest
– Ken Burns (2005) … Himself
 
2011 The Simpsons (TV series)
Himself
– The Ned-Liest Catch (2011) … Himself (voice)
 
2011 Doc Talk (TV series)
Himself
– Change Is Gonna Come (2011) … Himself
 
2009-2010 Tavis Smiley (TV series)
Himself
– Episode dated 24 September 2010 (2010) … Himself
– Episode #7.2 (2009) … Himself
– Episode dated 28 September 2009 (2009) … Himself
 
2007-2010 Late Show with David Letterman (TV series)
Himself / Himself - Guest
– Anne Heche/Ken Burns/The Specials (2010) … Himself
– Episode #16.190 (2009) … Himself
– Episode #15.12 (2007) … Himself - Guest
 
2010 A Hall for Heroes: The Inaugural Hall of Fame Induction of 1939 (TV documentary)
Himself
 
2010 Prime 9 (TV series)
Himself
– Greatest Plays at the Plate (2010) … Himself
 
1994-2009 Charlie Rose (TV series)
Himself - Guest
– Episode dated 30 September 2009 (2009) … Himself - Guest
– Episode dated 25 September 2002 (2002) … Himself - Guest
– Episode dated 14 January 2002 (2002) … Himself - Guest
– Episode dated 8 January 2001 (2001) … Himself - Guest
– Episode dated 9 November 1998 (1998) … Himself - Guest
See all 7 episodes »
 
2009 Today (TV series)
Himself
– Episode dated 25 September 2009 (2009) … Himself
 
2007 Late Night with Conan O'Brien (TV series)
Himself
– Episode dated 1 October 2007 (2007) … Himself
 
2007 Real Time with Bill Maher (TV series)
Himself
– Episode #5.20 (2007) … Himself
 
2007 The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (TV series)
Himself
– Ken Burns (2007) … Himself
 
2007 Budapest to Gettysburg (documentary)
 
2006 Wordplay (documentary)
Himself
 
2005 Last Call with Carson Daly (TV series)
Himself
– Episode dated 3 February 2005 (2005) … Himself
 
2005 The Tony Danza Show (TV series)
Himself
– Episode #1.72 (2005) … Himself
 
2003 100 Years of the World Series (video documentary)
Himself
 
2002-2003 ESPN SportsCentury (TV series documentary)
Himself
– New York Yankees: Part 1 (2003) … Himself
– Yogi Berra (2002) … Himself
– 1988 (2002) … Himself
 
2003 Tribeca Film Festival Presents (TV documentary)
Himself
 
2002 Independent View (TV series documentary)
Himself
 
2002 The Tim McCarver Show (TV series)
Himself - Guest
 
2001 Boston Red Sox: 100 Years of Baseball History (video documentary)
Himself - Interviewee
 
2000 Great Performances (TV series)
Himself
– Chuck Jones: Extremes and In-Betweens - A Life in Animation (2000) … Himself
 
1993 The Making of 'Gettysburg' (video documentary)
Himself - Filmmaker
 
1991 The 17th Annual People's Choice Awards (TV movie)
Himself - Accepting Award for Favourite Mini-Series
 

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Personal Details

Other Works:

Book (with D. C. Ward): "Jazz: A History of America's Music"

Publicity Listings:

3 Interviews  | 5 Articles  | See more »

Alternate Names:

Kenneth Lauren Burns
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Did You Know?

Trivia:

Graduate of Hampshire College in Amherst, MA See more »

Trademark:

The slow zoom in or out, and/or pan right or left has been called "The Ken Burns Effect" due to his powerful use of this technique. While not developed by him, it has been included in iMovie and iPhoto by Apple Computers with the name "Ken Burns Effect" See more »

Star Sign:

Leo