Episode 1
Leonard Bernstein: Reaching for the Note
1h 30m
Chronicle of the achievements of the noted composer and conductor of popular and classical music.
Where to watch American Masters
TV series
American Masters
1986TV-1440 seasons7.0 / 10
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 an indelible impression on the cultural landscape of the United States.
Availability
Not streaming in United States
Checked Sep 1, 2026
American Masters premiered June 23, 1986. We don't have a confirmed streaming, rental or purchase option yet.
Synopsis
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 an indelible impression on the cultural landscape of the United States.
Season 13 episodes
Choose an episode, then use the watch options above for the show.
Episode 2
The Line King: Al Hirschfeld
1h 30m
An in-depth look at the famous art and caricatures of Al Hirschfeld.
Where to watch American Masters
Episode 3
Paul Robeson: Here I Stand
1h 30m
Documentary about the life of Paul Robeson: actor, scholar, and rights activist.
Episode credits
Guest stars Tony Benn
Episode 4
Robert Rauschenberg: Inventive Genius
1h 30m
The boundaries broken by the innovative experimental artist.
Where to watch American Masters
Episode 5
The Lives of Lillian Hellman
1h 30m
The politics and writings of the noted 20th century woman.
Where to watch American Masters
Episode 6
Dashiell Hammett: Detective, Writer
1h 30m
A profile of an author as mysterious as some of his well-known detective stories.
Where to watch American Masters
Episode 7
Yours for a Song: The Women of Tin Pan Alley
1h 30mfinale
A story of the women who created some of Broadway's most memorable songs.
Where to watch American MastersEpisode information updated Sep 3, 2026
Available now in United States
What to watch instead
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More about American Masters
Cast
Scarlett JohanssonSelf
Goran VišnjićRobert Capa (voice)
Patsy ClineSelf (archive footage)
Maya AngelouSelf
Sidney LumetSelf
Oprah WinfreySelf
CommonSelf
Bill ClintonSelfCredits
- Created by
- Susan Lacy
Production details
- Status
- Returning Series
- Series type
- Documentary
- Episodes
- 315
- Original language
- English
Networks & production
PBSUnited States
Eagle Rock EntertainmentUnited Kingdom
ThirteenUnited States
Themes
artbiographypeople