American Masters

- Season 30

(2015)

Ricky Jay is a world-renowned magician, author, historian and actor (often a mischievous presence in the films of David Mamet and Paul Thomas Anderson) -- and a performer who regularly provokes astonishment from even the most jaded audiences. Deceptive Practice traces Jay's achievements and influences, from his apprenticeship at age 4 with his grandfather, to such now-forgotten legends as Al Flosso, Slydini, Cardini and his primary mentors, Dai Vernon and Charlie Miller. Featuring rare footage from his 1970s TV appearances (doing 3-card Monte with Steve Martin on The ...

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The artistry of violin virtuoso Jascha Heifetz is examined with help from Itzhak Perlman, students, archival performances and home movies.

Delve into the rich, 75-year history of one of the world's preeminent ballet companies. Ric Burns' documentary combines intimate rehearsal footage, virtuoso performances and interviews with American Ballet Theatre's key figures. Combined with hundreds of carefully curated stills and rare footage of ballet icons Alonso, Jerome Robbins, Agnes de Mille, Antony Tudor, Nora Kaye and Mikhail Baryshnikov, the film provides a comprehensive inside look at American Ballet Theatre and the world of professional ballet for both seasoned aficionados and those who never have seen a ...

One of the biggest American bestsellers of all time, To Kill a Mockingbird (1960), was thought to be the only novel by Harper Lee. However, on July 14, 2015, Go Set a Watchman was released, featuring characters from Lee's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. To mark the publication of Lee's new novel, this newly updated version of Mary McDonagh Murphy's 2012 documentary, Harper Lee: Hey, Boo, aired July 10 on PBS.

Althea Gibson, a truant from the rough streets of Harlem, emerged as a most unlikely queen of the highly segregated tennis world of the 1950's. Say the name Althea Gibson to most people and you'll met a blank stare. However, no player overcame more obstacles to become a champion, the first African-American to play and win at Wimbledon and Forest Hills, a decade before the great Arthur Ashe, only to be shunned by the Tennis Establishment. He roots as a sharecropper's daughter, her family's migration north to Harlem, her mentoring from Sugar Ray Robinson, David Dinkins ...

Through His Lens captures the remarkable life and work of Pedro E. Guerrero. Guerrero left behind thousands of photographs and nearly 15 hours of interviews beautifully shot in 2011. This film tells, in his own words, the story of a Mexican American photographer born and raised in segregated Mesa, Arizona in the early years of the 20th Century who goes on to a remarkable international career. Through His Lens explores Pedro's unique perspective on life, art, architecture and the artists he encountered. Guerrero used his outsider's eye to produce insightful and iconic ...

Director Timothy Greenfield-Sanders spotlights 15 women who define contemporary American culture; included are Madeleine Albright, Margaret Cho, Edie Falco, Betsey Johnson, Alicia Keys, Nancy Pelosi, Rosie Perez and Wendy Williams.