Arts & Literature | PBS Video

Bill Moyers | The Journal: Anna Deavere Smith

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 20:56:27 -0800

While politicians and the media war over "the public option" and "bending the cost curve," acclaimed actress-playwright Anna Deavere Smith and her one-woman play "LET ME DOWN EASY" give voice to questions of life and death, sickness and healthcare. The JOURNAL visits a new home in New York City for contemplation and celebration of poetry.

POV | The Way We Get By - Filmmaker Interview

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:47:32 -0800

Filmmakers Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly talk about their film, The Way We Get By, which takes an intimate look at three elderly troop greeters in Maine, one of whom is Gaudet's mother Joan. The filmmakers talk about how they became close to the characters, what sending a loved one off to war means and what we can all learn from the troop greeters. The film airs on Nov 11th on PBS at 9PM

POV | The Way We Get By

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 13:07:28 -0800

For the past five years, a group of senior citizens has made history by greeting over 900,000 American troops at a tiny airport in Bangor, Maine. Take an intimate look at three of these greeters as they confront the universal losses that come with aging and rediscover their reason for living.

Classic Sesame Street | 40 Years of Special Guests

Sat, 7 Nov 2009 06:29:49 -0800

Take a look back at 40 years with the friends who visited Sesame Street.

Masterpiece | Place of Execution: Episode 2

Tue, 3 Nov 2009 12:44:56 -0800

In 1963, a 13-year-old girl vanished without a trace. More than 40 years later, questions surrounding her disappearance and the hunt for the killer resurface when high-profile TV journalist Catherine Heathcote (Juliet Stevenson, Bend It Like Beckham, "The Politician's Wife") begins to unravel the mystery. Based on the novel by Val McDermid, the miniseries also stars Greg Wise ("Cranford").

American Masters | Outtakes from Louisa May Alcott: The Woman Behind 'Little Women'

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 13:06:41 -0800

Louisa May Alcott's reputation as a morally upstanding spinster, reflecting the conventional propriety of late 19th Century Concord, is firmly established. However, raised among reformers, the intellectual protege of Emerson and Hawthorne and Thoreau, Alcott was actually a free thinker, with democratic ideals and progressive values about women.

Masterpiece | Place of Execution: Episode 1

Mon, 2 Nov 2009 07:30:23 -0800

In 1963, a 13-year-old girl vanished without a trace. More than 40 years later, questions surrounding her disappearance and the hunt for the killer resurface when high-profile TV journalist Catherine Heathcote (Juliet Stevenson, "Bend It Like Beckham," "The Politician's Wife") begins to unravel the mystery. Based on the novel by Val McDermid, the miniseries also stars Greg Wise ("Cranford").

Tavis Smiley | Edward Norton: Friday, 10/30/09

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 10:40:37 -0700

Oscar-nominated actor Edward Norton shares the backstory of his new documentary, By the People, and talks about training for the New York Marathon.

Tavis Smiley | Nicholas Kristof: Tuesday, 10/27

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:48:10 -0700

New York Times' columnist Nicholas D. Kristoff explains the title of his new book, Half the Sky, and shares a standout story on empowering women.

Tavis Smiley | Malcolm Gladwell: Monday, 10/26

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 22:09:55 -0700

Best-selling author Malcolm Gladwell, explains his motivation for writing and assesses his body of work.

Tavis Smiley | Robin D. G. Kelley: Monday, 10/26

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:14:27 -0700

Cultural historian Robin D. G. Kelley shares stories from his new biography of Thelonious Monk.

Great Performances | Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:23:37 -0700

Considered the most dynamic young conductor in classical music since Bernstein, 28-year-old Gustavo Dudamel begins his tenure as Music Director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic in fall 2009. In this program, learn more about Dudamel, the LA Philharmonic, composer John Adams, and see a movement from John Adams' "City Noir" and Mahler's "Symphony No. 1 in D major" performed at his inaugural concert.

Tavis Smiley | James Ellroy: Tuesday, 10/13

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 23:21:30 -0700

Novelist James Ellroy explains how he chose his latest book's title, Blood's A Rover, and the influence of his personal narrative on his characters.

Tavis Smiley | Karen Armstrong: Friday, 10/9

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 01:01:14 -0700

Religious scholar Karen Armstrong, author of "The Case for God", says quarreling about religion is counterproductive.

Tavis Smiley | Nick Hornby: Friday, 10/9

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:31:12 -0700

Novelist Nick Hornby explains what makes a literary work authentic and discusses whether his process changes when he knows his writing may be adapted for film.

Craft in America | Episode III - Community

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 12:39:13 -0700

Throughout time, craft work has been a community activity. This hour will focus on spiritual connection artists have to their communities through craft making. The personal stories of gifted artists and passionate newcomers alike reveal the deeply held belief that craft is about more than just the making of an object. It is also about a way of life, a reason for being.

Craft in America | Episode II - Landscape

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 12:39:06 -0700

Landscape focuses on the relationship between the artists and their physical environment. Craft artists depend on their natural environment for both materials and inspiration. This hour will look at the processes through which natural materials become finished works of craft, and what deeper messages may be contained therein.

POV | So the Wind Won't Blow It All Away

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 10:17:02 -0700

The film tells the story of a determined group of teenagers who, more than two years after Hurricane Katrina devastated their homes and scattered their families, return to New Orleans alone and struggle to graduate from high school. A touching and shocking story of the abandoned children of Louisiana, the film is also a bracing portrait of teens who won't be defeated by their abandonment.

POV | Bronx Princess

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 10:17:01 -0700

Rocky Otoo is the Bronx-bred teenage daughter of Ghanaian parents, and she's no pushover. She is a sassy high-achiever bound for college. With freedom in sight, Rocky rebels against her mother's rules. When their relationship reaches a breaking point, Rocky flees to her father, a chief in Ghana. What follows is a tumultuous coming-of-age story set in a homeland both familiar and strange.

Tavis Smiley | Forest Whitaker: Monday, 9/21

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 20:32:27 -0700

Oscar-winning actor Forest Whitaker explains why he exec produced "Brick City" and discusses the issues addressed in the documentary.

Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly | Second Life; Marilynne Robinson

Mon, 9 Nov 2009 10:22:18 -0800

The ethics of the Second Life virtual worlds phenomenon; a profile of celebrated author Marilynne Robinson.

Tavis Smiley | R. Dwayne Betts: 9/17: Thursday

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 22:14:05 -0700

R. Dwayne Betts reflects on his time in prison, his success after his release and the importance of books.

POV | A Healing Art

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 10:18:22 -0800

Artificial eye makers combine artistry, skill and compassion to rekindle hope for their patients and families. Each eye is a work of art created to be as unique as the individual who wears it. Follow the compelling journey of several patients from a state of fear to a place of hope as they are transformed by caring and capable hands.

Craft in America | Episode I: Memory

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 12:39:08 -0700

Take a personal tour through craft's history in America beginning with the pioneers of the field to the intimate stories of some of our country's most prominent craft artists. Memory observes how past is prologue, and looks to the dynamic of cultural history and personal heritage in creating objects.

POV | The Principal Story

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 08:28:55 -0700

A portrait of the challenges facing America's public schools and of the difference a dedicated principal can make. Following two principals over the course of a school year, viewers discover what effective educational leadership looks like in the 21st century. The Principal Story is a production of Nomadic Pictures with funding from The Wallace Foundation. (Available through December 13, 2009)

Secret Life of Scientists | Rich Robinson

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 10:10:50 -0700

Rich Robinson is Assistant Professor in Cornell University's Department of Materials Science and Engineering. In his lab, he investigates tiny particles that might help solve the world's energy crisis. Outside the lab, he's a photographer, aiming to capture the souls of his subjects.

ART:21 | Identity

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 10:43:32 -0700

Artists address the idea of identity by questioning commonly held assumptions about stereotypes, self-awareness, portraiture, and what it means to be an artist.

Tavis Smiley | Doug Pray: Monday, 8/31

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 21:39:57 -0700

Filmmaker Doug Pray comments on the advertising industry and his latest documentary, "Art & Copy."

POV | City of Cranes

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 04:47:21 -0700

Cranes dominate our skylines, yet few people ever notice them. Spending most of their time alone up in the crane, crane operators seem to merge with their machines, becoming invisible to passers-by. City of Cranes takes the viewer hundreds of feet above the ground to hear the insights of crane operators, and see a glimpse of the poetic, mesmerizing world of cranes.

POV | Utopia, Part 3: The World's Largest Shopping Mall

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 04:47:21 -0700

If you thought Minnesota's Mall of America was the world's biggest shopping center, think again. South China Mall is a Vegas-like spectacle built in 2005 that now sits almost entirely empty. In the current economic climate, could this be a symbol of things to come?

Bill Moyers | The Journal: Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot & Artist Chris Jordan

Fri, 7 Aug 2009 06:15:30 -0700

Bill Moyers speaks with one of America's leading educators and author of The Third Chapter: Passion, Risk, and Adventure in the 25 Years After 50. Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot is the first African American woman in the history of Harvard to have an endowed professorship named in her honor. And, photographic artist Chris Jordan turns the statistics of consumerism into palpable images.

Tavis Smiley | Prince: Monday, 7/20

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:46:05 -0700

In Part 1 of an exclusive conversation, music icon Prince talks about his childhood epilepsy and the relationship with his father.

POV | The Reckoning

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 11:20:16 -0700

The Reckoning follows International Criminal Court prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo and his team for three years as he issues arrest warrants in Uganda, puts Congolese warlords on trial, shakes up the Colombian justice system and charges Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir with genocide in Darfur. Will the prosecutor succeed? Will justice prevail?

Tavis Smiley | Berry Gordy: Tuesday, 7/7

Wed, 8 Jul 2009 10:06:39 -0700

Tavis revisits his conversation with Motown Records founder Berry Gordy and shows highlights from the Michael Jackson memorial service at Staples Center.

Tavis Smiley | Shohreh Aghdashloo: Wednesday, 7/1

Thu, 2 Jul 2009 06:45:34 -0700

Actress Shohreh Aghdashloo discusses engaging Jordanians in the message of her new film, "The Stoning of Soraya M."

Tavis Smiley | Berry Gordy: Monday 6/29

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 06:44:37 -0700

Motown Records founder Berry Gordy reflects on his relationship with Michael Jackson before he became an international music superstar.

Tavis Smiley | Paul Giamatti: Friday, 6/26

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 07:06:46 -0700

Paul Giamatti talks about playing quirky characters and his new feature, "Cold Souls."

Bill Moyers | The Journal: W. S. Merwin

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 07:08:24 -0700

On the heels of winning this year's Pulitzer prize for poetry, W.S. Merwin joins Bill Moyers for a wide-ranging conversation about language, his writing process, the natural world, and the insights gleaned from a much-lauded career of more than 50 years.

Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly | Stained Glass Artist

Thu, 8 Oct 2009 10:09:37 -0700

The role of religion in American health care reform; Israeli and Palestinian parents unite for peace; the art and purpose of stained glass.

Tavis Smiley | Francis Ford Coppolla (Part 1): Tuesday, 6/23

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 08:10:33 -0700

Francis Ford Coppola looks back at The Godfather films and Apocalypse Now and talks about his childhood bout with polio.

Tavis Smiley | Ali Sethi: Wednesday, 6/17

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 09:28:45 -0700

Pakastani journalist and author of the critically acclaimed novel "The Wish Maker," talks about the cultural and economic differences among Pakistanis from different areas.

Wide Angle | Raise the Last Glass

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 11:50:18 -0700

In January 2009, Waterford Crystal went bankrupt. The company's main factory, in Waterford, Ireland, was closed, and 480 people were fired. Many of them had worked there for decades. But the Waterford workers refused to give up their jobs without a fight. FOCAL POINT's "Raise the Last Glass" follows two Waterford Crystal workers as they try to save their jobs and a bit of Irish heritage.

Tavis Smiley | Norman Lear: Tuesday, 6/2

Wed, 3 Jun 2009 05:57:53 -0700

Tavis talks with groundbreaking television producer-writer and activist Norman Lear.

Secrets of the Dead | Michelangelo Revealed

Thu, 3 Sep 2009 06:44:10 -0700

More than five centuries ago, Michelangelo Buonarroti was the darling of the Catholic Church. The Papacy commissioned him to create many of its most important pieces. Historians have long wondered about the mysterious circumstances surrounding his death, but now, art historian Antonio Forcellino believes he has pieced together evidence of a deep rift between the Church and the esteemed artist.

Great Performances | Dance In America: Wolf Trap's Face of America

Wed, 6 May 2009 12:53:21 -0700

The 90-minute program showcases aerial dancers off the cliffs of Yosemite National Park, synchronized swimmers underwater at Coral Reef National Monument, and follows some of the country's most exciting young dancers to Mammoth Cave, Wright Brothers National Memorial, the remains of a sugar cane plantation at Virgin Islands National Park, and the sacred terrain of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park.

Bill Moyers | The Journal: THE WIRE's David Simon

Thu, 4 Jun 2009 14:53:36 -0700

From crime beat reporter for the BALTIMORE SUN to award-winning screenwriter of HBO's critically-acclaimed THE WIRE, David Simon talks with Bill Moyers about inner-city crime and politics, storytelling and the future of journalism today.

Bill Moyers | The Journal: Lincoln's Legend & Legacy

Thu, 4 Jun 2009 14:53:33 -0700

In this special performance edition of Bill Moyers Journal acclaimed actor Sam Waterston and historian Harold Holzer explore Lincoln's legacy and legend in the poetry and prose by great American writers across the decades who have wrestled to define the true Lincoln through the lens of their own times.

Great Performances | King Lear

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 15:36:29 -0700

Arguably the finest Shakespearean actor of his generation, Ian McKellen recreates his recent stage performance of the tragic monarch in a special television adaptation. Directed by Trevor Nunn, the telecast includes nearly all the original cast members of the sold-out Royal Shakespeare Company production that premiered in Stratford-Upon-Avon in April 2007. Sir Ian McKellan received an Emmy nomination for Best Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie in 2009.

Bill Moyers | The Journal: John Lithgow

Thu, 4 Jun 2009 14:53:36 -0700

He's played heroes, villains, saints, sinners, a ballet-dancing elephant, and a space alien, now actor and children's author John Lithgow - best known as Dick Solomon from 3rd Rock from the Sun - reveals a new side of himself: poetry lover. The award-winning stage and screen star Lithgow shares his favorite poems, insights into acting and thoughts on art.

Make Em Laugh | Teh Internets

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 08:02:43 -0700

Hosted by Amy Sedaris and featuring over 20 comedians working online today, this half hour long program seeks to academically understand the popularity of different comedy online, identifying common themes such as absurdist humor, cuteness, and a dada-esque ability to recontextualize traditional media for comedy's sake.

Classic Sesame Street | D-Dance

Sat, 7 Nov 2009 14:26:47 -0800

Elmo, Big Bird and Snuffy get down in this d-lightful parody. This segment debuted in the 2009 - 2010 season.

NOVA | The Bible's Buried Secrets

Sat, 14 Mar 2009 14:27:34 -0700

An archeological detective story traces the origins of the Hebrew Bible.

NOVA scienceNOW | Personal DNA Testing, Art Authentication, Carpturing Carbon, Pardis Sabeti

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 06:34:04 -0700

Season 3: Episode 2

Secrets of the Dead | Herculaneum Uncovered

Thu, 3 Sep 2009 06:52:36 -0700

In A.D. 79, the people of Herculaneum, a seaside town in Italy's Bay of Naples, watched in horror as Mount Vesuvius erupted, hurling a boiling, churning column of gas and ash 10 miles high into the sky towards the neighboring city of Pompeii. It was only a matter of time before Vesuvius would unleash its fury on Herculaneum, killing its citizens in an even more spectacular and gruesome way.

American Experience | Walt Whitman

Mon, 6 Jul 2009 15:45:17 -0700

American Experience presents Walt Whitman, a two-hour documentary from acclaimed filmmaker Mark Zwonitzer (Jesse James, The Massie Affair), featuring Academy Award-winning actor Chris Cooper as the voice of America's first great poet. Pulitzer Prize-winning poets, novelists and essayists recite some of Whitman's most important works, and reflect upon his enduring influence.

NOVA | Cracking the Maya Code

Sat, 14 Mar 2009 15:42:32 -0700

The story behind the centuries-long decipherment of ancient Maya hieroglyphs.

Great Performances | The New York Philharmonic: Live From North Korea

Thu, 14 May 2009 13:45:51 -0700

Opening with the national anthems of North Korea and the United States, The New York Philharmonic performs in the East Pyongyang Grand Theatre, with coverage by Bob Woodruff of ABC, which has had rare access inside the closed society of the DPRK, where contact with the outside world is completely forbidden to citizens. The New York Philharmonic visit marks the first by American artists there.

NOVA | Secrets of the Parthenon

Fri, 6 Mar 2009 06:36:09 -0800

How did the ancient Athenians build this near-flawless icon of Greece's golden age? Secrets of the Parthenon received a 2009 Emmy nomination for Outstanding Science, Technology and Nature Programming.

ART:21 | Paradox

Fri, 2 Oct 2009 10:46:58 -0700

Contemporary artists address contradiction, ambiguity, and truth.

ART:21 | Protest

Thu, 1 Oct 2009 14:57:02 -0700

Artists engage politics, inequality, and the many conflicts that besiege the world today.

ART:21 | Ecology

Fri, 2 Oct 2009 10:28:00 -0700

Artists explore how our understanding of the natural world becomes deeply cultural.

ART:21 | Romance

Thu, 1 Oct 2009 13:13:55 -0700

Artists explore the roles that intuition, emotion, fantasy, and escapism play in contemporary art.

ART:21 | Play

Thu, 1 Oct 2009 12:29:25 -0700

Spontaneous and joyful, subversive or amusing, play can take many forms in daily life as well as in contemporary art.

ART:21 | Structures

Thu, 1 Oct 2009 12:24:16 -0700

Artists explore how we organize life and the ways in which we capture knowledge and attempt greater understanding.

ART:21 | Memory

Thu, 1 Oct 2009 11:26:39 -0700

Artists explore how memory functions and how to frame the past in their work.

ART:21 | Power

Thu, 1 Oct 2009 10:12:05 -0700

From politics to mass media, the theme of power pervades daily life and is reflected in the ideas and concerns of contemporary artists.

POV | The Fire Next Time

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 14:12:18 -0700

Over a stormy two-year period, The Fire Next Time follows a deeply divided group of Flathead Valley, Montana citizens caught in a web of conflicts intensified by rapid growth and the power of talk radio.

Classic Sesame Street | A Cookie is a Sometime Food

Sat, 7 Nov 2009 14:26:54 -0800

Cookie has to make a tough decision. This segment debuted in the 2004 - 2005 season.

ART:21 | Humor

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 10:44:56 -0700

Artists use irony, goofiness, satire, and sarcasm in their work, being funny and critical at the same time.

ART:21 | Loss & Desire

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 10:44:45 -0700

Artists express longing, love, and human experience in contemporary work.

ART:21 | Time

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 10:49:23 -0700

Artists evoke and transform time in their work, relating to art of the ancient past, to nature, and to the rhythms of the life.

ART:21 | Introduction

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 10:46:10 -0700

ART:21 | Slavery! Slavery!

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 10:46:15 -0700

ART:21 | Opening Credits

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 10:46:07 -0700

ART:21 | Influence of Gone with the Wind

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 10:46:31 -0700

ART:21 | Genevieve Drawings & Sculptures

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 10:46:19 -0700

ART:21 | Floor & Public Figures

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 10:46:23 -0700

ART:21 | Bye & Bye (painting)

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 10:46:27 -0700

ART:21 | Freedom: A Fable

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 10:46:39 -0700

ART:21 | Insurrection!

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 10:46:35 -0700

ART:21 | Domestic Objects & Dolls

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 10:46:48 -0700

ART:21 | Seoul Home/L.A. Home

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 10:46:52 -0700