American Masters

Lee Grant on her then-current projects, including directing an episode of American Masters

Susan Lacy on why she felt the need to preserve America's cultural heritage with American Masters on television

Susan Lacy on how American Masters came about after she left American Playhouse

Susan Lacy on the vision behind American Masters which she developed while working on a project at Sundance

Susan Lacy on why she wanted American Masters to air in primetime

Susan Lacy on approaching American Masters like independent film

Susan Lacy on believing in American Masters from the beginning and its success with critics; on her passion for the series

Susan Lacy on the mission behind American Masters and why it's not a typical celebrity biography series

Susan Lacy on the genesis of American Masters and how the idea for the series came to her

Susan Lacy on why there is no host on American Masters and how she wanted each episode to have its own voice

Susan Lacy on coming up with the American Masters title

Susan Lacy on how the subjects for American Masters are chosen

Susan Lacy on programming changes to American Masters after it was cancelled and came back in order to keep ratings up

Susan Lacy on what makes American Masters unique and the requirements for their "masters"- having a significant body of work, but "it's not a formula"

Susan Lacy on the American Masters episodes which one can really learn a lot from, like the Bob Dylan episode "it's a history lesson"

Susan Lacy on the feeling of being in the edit room for the "a-ha!" moments; such as "Reaching for the Note" from the American Masters' on Leonard Bernstein

Susan Lacy on having a few regrets with American Masters

Susan Lacy on the American Masters' on Rod Serling which they framed as a Twilight Zone episode, shot in 35mm black and white

Susan Lacy on the American Masters' on James Baldwin

Susan Lacy on the future of American Masters and the measure of the series' success

Jac Venza on the creation of American Masters