Ken Burns

Career Overview

Ken Burns has 89 screen credits in a career dating back to 1962. Signature works include The American Revolution, The National Parks: America's Best Idea, The U.S. and the Holocaust. Explore the interactive character relationship maps on each title page to trace how their roles connect across franchises.

Personal Facts

Known For

Directing

Gender

male

Known Credits

89

Birth Date

1953-07-29

Birth Place

Brooklyn, New York, USA

Known For

• 

  The American Revolution
• 

  The National Parks: America's Best Idea
• 

  The U.S. and the Holocaust
• 

  The War
• 

  Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson
• 

  The Statue of Liberty

Frequent Collaborators

• Adam Arkin (4 collaborations)
• Peter Coyote (3 collaborations)
• Murphy Guyer (3 collaborations)
• Carolyn McCormick (3 collaborations)
• Philip Bosco (2 collaborations)
• Amy Madigan (2 collaborations)
• Tom Hanks (2 collaborations)
• Joe Morton (2 collaborations)
• Keith David (2 collaborations)
• Samuel L. Jackson (2 collaborations)

Credits

• production (22 credits)

  • Henry David Thoreau

    producer

    production
    2026
  • The American Revolution

    executive producer

    production

    - The Most Sacred Thing (May 1780 – Onward) (2025) ... executive producer production

    - The Soul of All America (December 1777 – May 1780) (2025) ... executive producer production

    - Conquer by a Drawn Game (January 1777 – February 1778) (2025) ... executive producer production

    - The Times That Try Men's Souls (July 1776 – January 1777) (2025) ... executive producer production

    - An Asylum for Mankind (May 1775 – July 1776) (2025) ... executive producer production
    2025
  • Homecoming

    executive producer

    production
    2023
  • The U.S. and the Holocaust

    producer

    production

    - The Homeless, Tempest-Tossed (1942 - ) (2022) ... producer production

    - Yearning to Breathe Free (1938 - 1942) (2022) ... producer production

    - The Golden Door (Beginnings - 1938) (2022) ... producer production
    2022
  • East Lake Meadows: A Public Housing Story

    executive producer

    production
    2020
  • The Mayo Clinic

    executive producer

    production
    2018
  • Walden

    executive producer

    production
    2017
  • The Vietnam War

    executive producer

    production

    - The Weight of Memory (March 1973-Onward) (2017) ... producer production

    - A Disrespectful Loyalty (May 1970-March 1973) (2017) ... producer production

    - The History of the World (April 1969-May 1970) (2017) ... producer production

    - The Veneer of Civilization (June 1968-May 1969) (2017) ... producer production

    - Things Fall Apart (January 1968-July 1968) (2017) ... producer production
    2017
  • Defying the Nazis: The Sharps' War

    executive producer

    production
    2016
  • Yosemite — A Gathering of Spirit

    executive producer

    production
    2013
  • Prohibition

    producer

    production

    - A Nation of Hypocrites (2011) ... executive producer production

    - A Nation of Scofflaws (2011) ... executive producer production

    - A Nation of Drunkards (2011) ... executive producer production
    2011
  • The National Parks: America's Best Idea

    producer

    production

    - The Morning of Creation (1946 – 1980) (2009) ... producer production

    - Great Nature (1933 – 1945) (2009) ... producer production

    - Going Home (1920 – 1933) (2009) ... producer production

    - The Empire of Grandeur (1915 – 1919) (2009) ... producer production

    - The Last Refuge (1890 – 1915) (2009) ... producer production
    2009
  • The War

    executive producer

    production

    - A World Without War (2007) ... executive producer production

    - The Ghost Front (2007) ... executive producer production

    - FUBAR (2007) ... executive producer production

    - Pride of Our Nation / A Volunteer Basis (2007) ... executive producer production

    - A Deadly Calling (2007) ... executive producer production
    2007
  • Mark Twain

    producer

    production
    2002
  • The West

    executive producer

    production

    - One Sky Above Us (1887-1914) (1996) ... executive producer production

    - Ghost Dance (1887 -1914) (1996) ... executive producer production

    - The Geography Of Hope (1877-1887) (1996) ... executive producer production

    - Fight No More Forever (1874-1877) (1996) ... executive producer production

    - The Grandest Enterprise Under God (1868-1874) (1996) ... executive producer production
    1996
  • Baseball

    executive producer

    production

    - Inning Nine: Home (1994) ... executive producer production

    - Inning Eight: A Whole New Ball Game (1994) ... executive producer production

    - Inning Seven: The Capitol of Baseball (1994) ... executive producer production

    - Inning Six: The National Pastime (1994) ... executive producer production

    - Inning Five: Shadow Ball (1994) ... executive producer production
    1994
  • Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio

    producer

    production
    1991
  • Lindbergh

    producer

    production
    1990
  • Thomas Hart Benton

    producer

    production
    1989
  • The Statue of Liberty

    producer

    production
    1985
  • Huey Long

    producer

    production
    1985
  • The Shakers: Hands to Work, Hearts to God

    producer

    production
    1984

• directing (23 credits)

  • The American Revolution

    director

    directing

    - The Most Sacred Thing (May 1780 – Onward) (2025) ... director directing

    - The Soul of All America (December 1777 – May 1780) (2025) ... director directing

    - Conquer by a Drawn Game (January 1777 – February 1778) (2025) ... director directing

    - The Times That Try Men's Souls (July 1776 – January 1777) (2025) ... director directing

    - An Asylum for Mankind (May 1775 – July 1776) (2025) ... director directing
    2025
  • The U.S. and the Holocaust

    director

    directing

    - The Homeless, Tempest-Tossed (1942 - ) (2022) ... director directing

    - Yearning to Breathe Free (1938 - 1942) (2022) ... director directing

    - The Golden Door (Beginnings - 1938) (2022) ... director directing
    2022
  • The Mayo Clinic

    director

    directing
    2018
  • The Vietnam War

    - Déjà Vu (1858-1961) (2017) ... director directing
    2017
  • Defying the Nazis: The Sharps' War

    director

    directing
    2016
  • The Address

    director

    directing
    2014
  • Yosemite — A Gathering of Spirit

    director

    directing
    2013
  • After the Central Park Five

    director

    directing
    2013
  • Prohibition

    - A Nation of Hypocrites (2011) ... director directing

    - A Nation of Scofflaws (2011) ... director directing

    - A Nation of Drunkards (2011) ... director directing
    2011
  • Baseball: The Tenth Inning

    director

    directing
    2010
  • Seeing, Searching, Being: William Segal

    director

    directing
    2010
  • The National Parks: America's Best Idea

    director

    directing

    - The Morning of Creation (1946 – 1980) (2009) ... director directing

    - Great Nature (1933 – 1945) (2009) ... director directing

    - Going Home (1920 – 1933) (2009) ... director directing

    - The Empire of Grandeur (1915 – 1919) (2009) ... director directing

    - The Last Refuge (1890 – 1915) (2009) ... director directing
    2009
  • The War

    director

    directing

    - A World Without War (2007) ... director directing

    - The Ghost Front (2007) ... director directing

    - FUBAR (2007) ... director directing

    - Pride of Our Nation / A Volunteer Basis (2007) ... director directing

    - A Deadly Calling (2007) ... director directing
    2007
  • Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson

    director

    directing
    2004
  • Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip

    director

    directing
    2003
  • Mark Twain

    director

    directing
    2002
  • Baseball

    - Inning Two: Something Like a War (1994) ... director directing

    - Inning One: Our Game (1994) ... director directing
    1994
  • Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio

    director

    directing
    1991
  • Thomas Hart Benton

    director

    directing
    1989
  • The Statue of Liberty

    director

    directing
    1985
  • Huey Long

    director

    directing
    1985
  • The Shakers: Hands to Work, Hearts to God

    director

    directing
    1984
  • Brooklyn Bridge

    director

    directing
    1981

• creators (3 credits)

  • The American Revolution

    creator

    creators
    2025
  • The U.S. and the Holocaust

    creator

    creators
    2022
  • Prohibition

    creator

    creators
    2011

• actors (27 credits)

  • Ken Burns: One Nation, Many Stories

    actor

    actors
    2024
  • Spirit of Golf

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2023
  • The Unmaking of a College

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2022
  • Ken Burns: Here & There

    Himself

    actor

    actors
    2020
  • Here For A Good Time

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2020
  • Very Ralph

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2019
  • Henry Louis Gates Jr.: Uncovering America

    Self - Director and Producer

    actor

    actors
    2019
  • The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

    - Anne Hathaway, Josh Johnson (2026) ... Self actor actors

    - Demi Moore, Ken Burns (2025) ... Self - Guest actor actors

    - Zoe Saldaña, Ken Burns (2024) ... Self - Guest actor actors

    - Ana de Armas, Ken Burns, Sudan Archives (2022) ... Self - Guest actor actors

    - John C. Reilly, Mandy Patinkin, Ken Burns (2022) ... Self - Guest actor actors
    2015
  • OETA's On the Record: Ken Burns

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2014
  • The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

    - Jessica Chastain, Alanis Morissette, Ken Burns (2023) ... Self - Guest actor actors
    2014
  • Yosemite — A Gathering of Spirit

    Narrator (Voice)

    actor

    actors
    2013
  • Plimpton! Starring George Plimpton as Himself

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2012
  • The Mindy Project

    - Christmas (2014) ... Ken Burns actor actors
    2012
  • Finding Your Roots

    - Our American Storytellers (2014) ... Self actor actors
    2012
  • A Hall for Heroes: The Inaugural Hall of Fame Induction of 1939

    actor

    actors
    2010
  • Wordplay

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2006
  • The Colbert Report

    - Grimmy (2014) ... Self (uncredited) actor actors

    - Ken Burns (2011) ... Self actor actors

    - Ken Burns (2010) ... Self actor actors

    - Ken Burns (2009) ... Self actor actors

    - Ken Burns (2005) ... Self actor actors
    2005
  • The Tony Danza Show

    - Episode 72 (2005) ... Self actor actors
    2004
  • Chuck Jones: Extremes and In-Betweens - A Life in Animation

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2000
  • The View

    - Episode 124 (2026) ... Self actor actors
    1997
  • The Daily Show

    - Ken Burns (2014) ... Self actor actors

    - Ken Burns (2007) ... Self actor actors
    1996
  • Late Show with David Letterman

    - Jennifer Garner, Ken Burns, Chaka Khan (2007) ... Self - Guest actor actors
    1993
  • Late Night with Conan O'Brien

    - Kevin James, Teri Polo, Ken Burns (2003) ... Self - Guest actor actors
    1993
  • The Simpsons

    - Thirst Trap: A Corporate Love Story (2023) ... Ken Burns (voice) actor actors

    - Woo-Hoo Dunnit? (2019) ... Ken Burns (voice) actor actors
    1989
  • 60 Minutes

    - Counting the Vote, Operation Warp Speed, Ken Burns (2020) ... Self actor actors
    1968
  • The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

    - Episode 12 (1992) ... Self actor actors
    1962
  • Today

    - Tom Hanks, Ken Burns, Jeffrey Toobin (2007) ... Self actor actors
    1952

• writing (4 credits)

  • The Mayo Clinic

    writer

    writing
    2018
  • After the Central Park Five

    writer

    writing
    2013
  • Baseball: The Tenth Inning

    writer

    writing
    2010
  • Baseball

    writer

    writing

    - Inning Nine: Home (1994) ... writer writing

    - Inning Eight: A Whole New Ball Game (1994) ... writer writing

    - Inning Seven: The Capitol of Baseball (1994) ... writer writing

    - Inning Six: The National Pastime (1994) ... writer writing

    - Inning Five: Shadow Ball (1994) ... writer writing
    1994

• crew (5 credits)

  • Interstellar

    thanks

    crew
    2014
  • Yosemite — A Gathering of Spirit

    cinematography

    crew
    2013
  • The Statue of Liberty

    cinematography

    crew
    1985
  • The Shakers: Hands to Work, Hearts to God

    cinematography

    crew
    1984
  • Brooklyn Bridge

    cinematography

    crew
    1981

• camera (4 credits)

  • Mark Twain

    director of photography

    camera
    2002
  • Baseball

    director of photography

    camera

    - Inning Nine: Home (1994) ... director of photography camera

    - Inning Eight: A Whole New Ball Game (1994) ... director of photography camera

    - Inning Seven: The Capitol of Baseball (1994) ... director of photography camera

    - Inning Six: The National Pastime (1994) ... director of photography camera

    - Inning Five: Shadow Ball (1994) ... director of photography camera
    1994
  • Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio

    director of photography

    camera
    1991
  • Brooklyn Bridge

    director of photography

    camera
    1981

• sound (1 credits)

  • Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio

    music director

    sound
    1991