Ken Burns | |
---|---|
Born | Kenneth Lauren Burns July 29, 1953 |
Alma mater | Hampshire College |
Years active | 1981–present |
Spouse(s) |
Amy Stechler (m. 1982–1993)Julie Deborah Brown (m. 2003) |
Kenneth Lauren "Ken" Burns[1] (born July 29, 1953)[1] is an American director and producer of documentary movies. He is known for his style of using archival footage and photographs. Burns is also a historian and writer.[1]
His most widely known documentaries are The Civil War (1990), Baseball (1994), Jazz (2001), The War (2007), The National Parks: America's Best Idea (2009), Prohibition (2011) and The Central Park Five (2012). His movies have been nominated for two Academy Awards, and have won Emmy Awards, among other honors.[1]
Burns was born on July 29, 1953 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York[1] His ancestors owned slaves, and one was a Confederate soldier.[2][3] He studied at Hampshire College.[1] Burns was married to Amy Stechler from 1982 until they divorced in 1993.[1] He married Julie Deborah Brown in 2003, and in 2017 they were still married.[1] Burns said that he is influenced by Shelby Foote and Errol Morris.[4]