KB
Ken Burns
Actor, Director, Producer, Writer, Additional CreditsBorn July 29, 1953 (72 years)
Ken Burns (born 1953) is a highly 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, the latter often movingly read by seasoned professional actors in a deliberate attempt to get away from a "Great Man" approach to history. Like most non-fiction filmmakers, Burns wears many hats on his projects, often serving as writer, cinematographer, editor and music director in addition to producing and directing. He achieved his apotheosis with The Civil War (1990), a phenomenally popular 11-hour documentary that won two Emmys and broke all previous ratings records for public TV. The series' companion coffee table book--priced at a hefty $50--sold more than 700,000 copies. The audio version, narrated by Burns, was also a major best-seller. In the final accounting, "The Civil War" became the first documentary to gross over $100 million. Not surprisingly, it has become perennial fund-raising programming for public TV stations around the country. Burns arrived upon the scene with the Oscar-nominated Brooklyn Bridge (1981), a nostalgic chronicle of the construction of the fabled edifice. The film was more widely seen when rebroadcast on PBS the following year. Though Burns has made other nonfiction films for theatrical release, notably an acclaimed and ambiguous portrait of Depression-era Louisiana governor Huey Long (1985), PBS would prove to be his true home. He cast a probing eye on such American subjects as The Statue of Liberty (1985), The Congress (1988) (PBS), painter Thomas Hart Benton (1988) (PBS) and early radio with Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio (1991) (PBS). Burns returned to long-form documentary with his most ambitious project to date, an 18-hour history of Baseball (1994), which aired on PBS in the fall of 1994. He approached the national pastime as a template for understanding changes in modern American society. Ironically, this was the only baseball on the air at the time, as the players and owners were embroiled in a bitter strike.
Known For
Ken Burns Filmography
| 2016 | Jackie Robinson (TV Series) · as Director |
| 2015 | Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies (TV Series) · as Producer |
| 2014 | The Roosevelts: An Intimate History (TV Series) · as Producer |
| 2014 | MasterClass (TV Series) |
| 2007 | The War (TV Series) · as Director |
| 2005 | This Week (TV Series) |
| 2001 | Jazz (TV Series) · as Director |
| 1994 | Baseball (TV Series) · as Director |
| 1993 | Gettysburg · as Hancock's Aide |
| 1989 | The Simpsons (TV Series) · as Ken Burns (voice) |
| 2024 | Hasan Minhaj Doesn't Know (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2024 | In the Know (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2023 | The American Buffalo (TV Series) · as Self - Filmmaker |
| 2022 | 'Tis the Season: The Holidays on Screen · as Self - Commentator |
| 2022 | Who's Talking To Chris Wallace (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2022 | The Unmaking of a College · as Self |
| 2021 | The Problem With Jon Stewart (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2021 | Back On The Record with Bob Costas (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2021 | Ken Burns: Here and There · as Himself |
| 2020 | The ReidOut (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2020 | Peacock Presents: The At-Home Variety Show Featuring Seth MacFarlane (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2020 | Velshi (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2019 | Very Ralph · as Self |
| 2019 | Country Music: Live at the Ryman - A Concert Celebrating the Film by Ken Burns · as Self - Director-Producer |
| 2018 | To Dine For with Kate Sullivan (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2018 | Amanpour and Company (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2018 | Firing Line with Margaret Hoover (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2017 | The Beat with Ari Melber (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2017 | Deadline: White House with Nicolle Wallace (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2017 | Ken Burns: America's Storyteller · as Self - Director |
| 2015 | MTP Daily (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2015 | The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2015 | Difficult People (TV Series) · as Ken Burns |
| 2015 | The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore (TV Series) · as Self - Panelist |
| 2015 | MLB Network Presents (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2014 | The Rich Eisen Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2014 | OETA's On the Record: Ken Burns · as Self |
| 2014 | Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2014 | Late Night with Seth Meyers (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2014 | The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2012 | Plimpton! Starring George Plimpton as Himself · as Himself |
| 2012 | The Mindy Project (TV Series) · as Ken Burns |
| 2012 | Katie (2012) (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2012 | Finding Your Roots (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2012 | CBS Mornings (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2012 | CBS Mornings (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2010 | Overheard (TV Series) · as Self - Interviewee |
| 2009 | Baseball's Seasons (TV Series) · as Self - Filmmaker |
| 2009 | Prime 9 (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2007 | Craft in America (TV Series) · as Himself |
| 2007 | Morning Joe (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2006 | Doc Talk (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2006 | Wordplay · as Self |
| 2005 | The Colbert Report (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2004 | George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2004 | The Tony Danza Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2004 | Tavis Smiley (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2003 | 100 Years of the World Series · as Self |
| 2003 | Clifford's Puppy Days (TV Series) · as Ken Burns |
| 2003 | Real Time with Bill Maher (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2003 | Jimmy Kimmel Live! (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2003 | Tribeca Film Festival Presents · as Self |
| 2002 | Last Call with Carson Daly (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2001 | Boston Red Sox: 100 Years of Baseball History · as Self - Interviewee |
| 2000 | |
| 1999 | SportsCentury (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1998 | Fox and Friends (USA) (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1996 | The Daily Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1993 | Late Night with Conan O'Brien (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1993 | The Making of 'Gettysburg' · as Self - Filmmaker |
| 1992 | Late Show with David Letterman (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1992 | Reliable Sources (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1992 | Inside Politics (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1991 | Charlie Rose (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1991 | The 17th Annual People's Choice Awards · as Self - Accepting Award For Favourite Mini-Series |
| 1984 | Jeopardy! (TV Series) · as Self - Clue Giver |
| 1980 | CNN Special Report (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1979 | CBS Sunday Morning With Jane Pauley (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1979 | This Old House (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1976 | Live from Lincoln Center (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1975 | PBS News (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1975 | Good Morning America (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1971 | Great Performances (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1968 | 60 Minutes (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1962 | The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1954 | Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1952 | Today (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2025 | The American Revolution (2025) (TV Series) |
| 2024 | Leonardo da Vinci (TV Series) |
| 2023 | The American Buffalo (TV Series) |
| 2022 | The U.S. and the Holocaust (TV Series) |
| 2022 | Benjamin Franklin (2022) (TV Series) |
| 2021 | Muhammad Ali (TV Series) |
| 2021 | Hemingway (2021) (TV Series) |
| 2019 | Country Music (TV Series) |
| 2018 | |
| 2017 | The Vietnam War (2017) (TV Series) |
| 2016 | |
| 2016 | Jackie Robinson (TV Series) |
| 2014 | The Roosevelts: An Intimate History (TV Series) |
| 2014 | |
| 2012 | The Dust Bowl (TV Series) |
| 2012 | |
| 2011 | Prohibition (TV Series) |
| 2010 | |
| 2010 | Baseball: The Tenth Inning (TV Series) |
| 2010 | |
| 2009 | The National Parks: America's Best Idea (TV Series) |
| 2007 | The War (TV Series) |
| 2004 | |
| 2003 | |
| 2002 | Mark Twain (TV Series) |
| 2001 | |
| 2001 | Jazz (TV Series) |
| 1999 | |
| 1998 | |
| 1998 | Frank Lloyd Wright (TV Series) |
| 1997 | |
| 1997 | |
| 1997 | Thomas Jefferson (TV Series) |
| 1994 | Baseball (TV Series) |
| 1991 | |
| 1990 | The Civil War (TV Series) |
| 1989 | |
| 1989 | |
| 1985 | |
| 1985 | |
| 1984 | |
| 1981 |
| 2025 | The American Revolution (2025) (TV Series) · as Executive Producer |
| 2024 | Leonardo da Vinci (TV Series) · as Executive Producer |
| 2023 | The American Buffalo (TV Series) |
| 2022 | The U.S. and the Holocaust (TV Series) |
| 2022 | Hiding in Plain Sight: Youth Mental Illness (TV Series) · as Executive Producer |
| 2022 | Benjamin Franklin (2022) (TV Series) |
| 2021 | Muhammad Ali (TV Series) · as Executive Producer |
| 2021 | Hemingway (2021) (TV Series) |
| 2020 | The Gene: An Intimate History (TV Series) |
| 2020 | |
| 2019 | College Behind Bars (TV Series) · as Executive Producer |
| 2019 | Country Music (TV Series) · as Executive Producer |
| 2019 | Country Music: Live at the Ryman - A Concert Celebrating the Film by Ken Burns · as Executive Producer |
| 2018 | The Mayo Clinic, Faith, Hope and Science · as Executive Producer |
| 2017 | The Vietnam War (2017) (TV Series) · as Executive Producer |
| 2016 | Defying the Nazis: The Sharps' War · as Executive Producer |
| 2016 | Jackie Robinson (TV Series) · as Executive Producer |
| 2015 | Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies (TV Series) |
| 2014 | The Roosevelts: An Intimate History (TV Series) · as Executive Producer |
| 2014 | |
| 2012 | The Dust Bowl (TV Series) |
| 2011 | Prohibition (TV Series) · as Executive Producer |
| 2010 | Baseball: The Tenth Inning (TV Series) |
| 2010 | Seeing, Searching, Being: William Segal · as Executive Producer |
| 2009 | The National Parks: America's Best Idea (TV Series) |
| 2008 | Medal of Honor · as Executive Producer |
| 2007 | The War (TV Series) · as Executive Producer |
| 2004 | |
| 2003 | |
| 2002 | Mark Twain (TV Series) |
| 2001 | |
| 2001 | Jazz (TV Series) |
| 1999 | |
| 1998 | Frank Lloyd Wright · as Executive Producer |
| 1998 | Frank Lloyd Wright (TV Series) |
| 1997 | |
| 1997 | Lewis & Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery · as Executive Producer |
| 1997 | Thomas Jefferson (TV Series) |
| 1996 | The West (TV Series) · as Executive Producer |
| 1994 | Baseball (TV Series) · as Executive Producer |
| 1991 | |
| 1990 | The Civil War (TV Series) · as Executive Producer |
| 1989 | |
| 1989 | |
| 1988 | American Experience (TV Series) · as Co-Producer |
| 1987 | Biography (TV Series) · as Executive Producer |
| 1985 | |
| 1985 | |
| 1984 | |
| 1981 |
| 2021 | Muhammad Ali (TV Series) |
| 2018 | |
| 2014 | The Roosevelts: An Intimate History (TV Series) |
| 2014 | |
| 2012 | The Central Park Five · as Screenplay |
| 2010 | |
| 2010 | Baseball: The Tenth Inning (TV Series) |
| 1994 | Baseball (TV Series) |
| 1990 | The Civil War (TV Series) |
| 2024 | Leonardo da Vinci (TV Series) · as Created By |
| 2023 | The American Buffalo (TV Series) · as Created By |
| 2015 | Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies (TV Series) · as Written By |
| 2012 | The Central Park Five · as Executive Producer: Florentine Films |
| 2010 | Baseball: The Tenth Inning (TV Series) · as Director Of Photography |
| 2009 | The National Parks: America's Best Idea (TV Series) · as Cinematographer |
| 2003 | Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip · as Cinematographer |
| 2001 | Mark Twain · as Director Of Photography |
| 2001 | Jazz (TV Series) · as Cinematographer |
| 1999 | Not for Ourselves Alone: The Story of Elizabeth Cady Stanton & Susan B. Anthony (TV Series) · as Cinematographer |
| 1998 | Frank Lloyd Wright · as Cinematographer |
| 1997 | Lewis & Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery · as Cinematographer |
| 1997 | |
| 1997 | Thomas Jefferson (TV Series) · as Cinematographer |
| 1994 | Baseball (TV Series) · as Director Of Photography |
| 1991 | Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio · as Director Of Photography |
| 1991 | Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio · as Music Director |
| 1991 | Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio · as Additional |
| 1990 | The Civil War (TV Series) · as Director Of Photography |
| 1989 | Thomas Hart Benton · as Cinematographer |
| 1989 | The Congress · as Cinematographer |
| 1985 | The Statue of Liberty · as Cinematographer |
| 1985 | Huey Long · as Cinematographer |
| 1984 | The Shakers: Hands to Work, Hearts to God · as Cinematographer |
| 1981 | Brooklyn Bridge · as Director Of Photography |