American Masters - Season 39

Learn about jazz virtuoso and screen superstar Hazel Scott, the first Black American to have their own television show. An early civil rights pioneer, she faced down the Red Scare at the risk of losing her career and was a champion for equality. The film features interviews with Mickey Guyton, Tracie Thoms, Amanda Seales, and Sheryl Lee Ralph as the voice of Hazel Scott.

Take an intimate look into the life of Liza Minnelli, the iconic actress best known for her Oscar-winning performance in Cabaret. Following in the footsteps of her mother, the legendary Judy Garland, Minnelli used her boundless raw talent to overcome hardship and build her own legacy, with support from mentors like Kay Thompson, Fred Ebb, Charles Aznavour, Halston and Bob Fosse.

Explore the work of cartoonist Art Spiegelman and the impact of his Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novel Maus, about his parents' survival of the Holocaust. A defender of free speech, Spiegelman has spoken out as book bans spread across the country.

Trace the rise of iconic singer-songwriter Janis Ian, a fearless voice in folk music and gay rights advocate whose groundbreaking songs include "Society's Child" (1966), which tackles interracial love and her searing anthem about bullying "At Seventeen" (1976). Despite backlash, Ian continues to use her music to challenge societal norms and speak her truth. 

Discover the life and work of Hannah Arendt, one of the most influential political writers of the 20th century. She transformed her time as a political prisoner and refugee during World War II into daring insights about the human condition, the refugee crisis and totalitarianism. Her warnings about a crisis in American democracy during McCarthyism and Watergate continue to resonate today.

Discover how celebrated cookbook writer Marcella Hazan shaped Italian cuisine in America. Arriving in New York having never cooked, challenged by a disabled right arm, she soon inspired millions of home cooks with the glories of Italian cuisine. Features interviews with Jacques Pépin, Danny Meyer, Lidia Bastianich, Hazan's widower and writing partner Victor Hazan, and their son Giuliano Hazan. 

Take an intimate look at the life of actress Marlee Matlin as she shares her story in her native American Sign Language. At 21 years old, Matlin became the first Deaf actor to win an Academy Award, and she became an outspoken champion of Deaf rights. With four Emmy nominations and major roles in "The West Wing"and the Oscar-winning "CODA," the film explores Matlin's life as she reclaims her own story. 

Celebrate the life and career of legendary actor Dick Van Dyke on his 100th birthday. Known for films like "Bye Bye Birdie," "Mary Poppins," "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang," TV show "Diagnosis Murder"and his classic CBS sitcom, Van Dyke has delighted audiences on screen and stage for eight decades. Featuring never-before-seen footage, photos and home movies that detail Van Dyke's extraordinary showbiz legacy.