Television's Opening Night: How the Box Was Born

Disclosure

June 2020 •English

An investigation of how Hollywood's fabled stories have deeply influenced how Americans feel about transgender people, and how transgender people have been taught to feel about themselves.

La saga des feuilletons et des séries

January 2020 •French

Missing Presumed Wiped

December 2001 •English

Documentary about the lost episodes of Dad's Army (1968) and their recovery and restoration.

VHS Revolution

August 2017 •French

Using testimonies by pioneers and witnesses of the times, delve into the feverish visual culture the media generated – with far-fetched examples of canine television games, seduction manuals, aerobics class while holding a baby, among others.

Sheldon Leonard's Wonderful Life

January 2011 •English

A loving tribute to a forgotten pioneer of the golden age of television. Starting out as a Runyonesque character actor, Sheldon Leonard went on to produce some of the most beloved and groundbreaking shows of all time, such as The Andy Griffith Show, The Danny Thomas Show, The Dick Van Dyke Show and I Spy. A rare treat, this film is a delightful retrospective of Leonard’s body of work, including priceless clips from his productions— as well as his hilarious appearances on shows such as The Jack Benny Program—and interviews with many of his friends and colleagues, including Mary Tyler Moore, Andy Griffith, Dick Van Dyke, Carl Reiner, Ron Howard and Leonard himself.

Amicalement vôtre : Hollywood au service de sa Majesté

July 2017 •French

The Orange Years: The Nickelodeon Story

November 2018 •English

A journey behind the scenes of the Nickelodeon television network to chronicle its unprecedented success, from its humble origins as a small local channel to its status as an international phenomenon that helped shape an entire generation of children.

Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street

April 2021 •English

Take a stroll down Sesame Street and witness the birth of the most influential children's show in television history. From the iconic furry characters to the classic songs you know by heart, learn how a gang of visionary creators changed the world.

Caesar's Writers

August 1996 •English

On January 24, 1996, at the Writers Guild Theater in Los Angeles, CA, legendary comic Sid Caesar was reunited with nine of his writers from Your Show of Shows and Caesar's Hour. The event was taped for release on PBS and BBC in a 1-hour cut, and later on VHS and DVD in its full 2-hour length. Be prepared to laugh non-stop as the panel, made up of head writer Mel Tolkin, Caesar, Carl Reiner, Aaron Ruben, Larry Gelbart, Mel Brooks, Neil Simon, Danny Simon, Sheldon Keller, and Gary Belkin share stories about their time working on Caesar's shows and offer their insights about writing comedy.

The Story of Soaps

May 2020 •English

This ABC/PEOPLE television special highlights the impact of the soap opera. In today's shifting television landscape, "The Story of Soaps" traces how female creators migrated from radio to television to become the dominant force in daytime for more than three decades. Today, the legacy of the soap opera continues all over prime time and reality t.v. An extensive look is taken at this iconic, impactful genre.

Saturday Night Live in the '90s: Pop Culture Nation

May 2007 •English

A retrospective of "Saturday Night Live" during the 1990's. Includes interviews with the cast and crew as well as hosts. Features memorable sketches and behind the scenes dynamics.

Live from New York: The First 5 Years of Saturday Night Live

February 2005 •English

A retrospective of the first 5 years of Saturday Night Live.

Television Under the Swastika

June 1999 •German

A history of Nazi television programming and technology, from 1935 to 1944.

Televise bude!

May 2014 •Czech

Flexible, powerful, and naive. The fates of three men intersect at the launch of Czechoslovak television broadcasting. Ambitious actor František Filipovský has no idea that his casual improvisation on the theme of "the miser" will go down in history. For Minister of Information Václav Kopecký, it is a moment of great nervousness: will he convince his comrades that television broadcasting is the golden goose of communist propaganda? A young television technician is fascinated by the "remote transmission of images and sound" – he has a job he never dreamed of. But can a person fulfill their dreams in communist Czechoslovakia in the 1950s without getting involved with the regime?

What We Left Behind: Looking Back at Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

October 2018 •English

A documentary exploring the legacy of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the reasons it went from the black sheep of Star Trek to a beloved mainstay of the franchise, and a brainstorm with the original writers on what a theoretical eighth season of the show could look like.

Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession

May 2004 •English

A documentary on the Z Channel, one of the first pay cable stations in the US, and its programming chief, Jerry Harvey. Debuting in 1974, the LA-based channel's eclectic slate of movies became a prime example of the untapped power of cable television.

Eurovision Secrets & Scandals

May 2022 •English

A revelatory documentary uncovering amazing stories about what really goes on behind the scenes at Eurovision. With contributions from former winner Cheryl Baker, former loser Andy Abraham and former host Jan Leeming.

Distress Signals

June 1991 •English

American television programming dominates around the world at the expense of regional cultural voices.

Warren Oates: Across the Border

November 1993 •English

A retrospective of the work of the late actor Warren Oates, with clips from his films and interviews with cast and crew members who worked with him.

Smothered: The Censorship Struggles of the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour

December 2002 •English

The history of the irreverent "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" and the content battles it fought with its television network.