"American Masters — Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You" Premieres 10/25, on DVD/BD Same Day

First Documentary About Legendary Showrunner, American Masters -- Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You, Premieres Nationwide Tuesday, October 25 on PBS Available same day on Blu-ray, DVD via PBS Distribution

Features Norman Lear, George Clooney, Jon Stewart, Amy Poehler, Mel Brooks, Lena Dunham, Carl and Rob Reiner, Russell Simmons and others.  Largely responsible for the explosion of bold American television in the 1970s, writer/producer Norman Lear's name is synonymous with the sitcom. The first documentary about the 94-year-old television legend, American Masters — Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You, premieres nationwide Tuesday, October 25 at 9 pm on PBS (check local listings). PBS Distribution will release the film on Blu-ray, DVD
the same day with additional bonus features.

With unprecedented access to Lear, his work and his massive personal archives, American Masters — Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You combines stories from his turbulent childhood and early career with his groundbreaking TV success (All in the Family, The Jeffersons, Good Times, Maude) and social activism. The documentary also features colorful stories from Lear's family, friends and collaborators, including John Amos, George Clooney, Alan Horn, Bill Moyers, Rob Reiner, Phil Rosenthal and Russell Simmons, as well as cinéma vérité moments with Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner, Jon Stewart, Amy Poehler and Lena Dunham Breaking down the fourth wall to create an evocative collage where past and present intermingle, Academy Award-nominated filmmakers Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady (Jesus Camp, 12^th & Delaware, DETROPIA for Independent Lens) reveal a psychologically rich man whose extraordinary contributions emerge from both his personal story and his own self-professed childlike view of the world. Just Another Version of You traces how a poor Jewish kid from Connecticut started writing for The Colgate Comedy Hour with Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, created All in the Family and became one of TV's most successful showrunners. All character-driven, with theatrical sets and live audiences, Lear's TV series changed not only the face of national television but the content of national discourse. Bringing provocative subjects like war, poverty and prejudice to 120 million viewers every week, Lear proved that social change was possible through an unlikely prism – laughter – and created some of the greatest moments in television history.
 

"AMERICAN MASTERS: NORMAN LEAR: JUST ANOTHER VERSION OF YOU" Out on DVD/BD October 25

PBS Distribution announced today it is releasing “AMERICAN MASTERS: NORMAN LEAR: JUST ANOTHER VERSION OF YOU,” the first documentary about the 94-year-old television legend, on DVD and Blu-ray. Largely responsible for the explosion of bold American television in the 1970s, writer/producer Norman Lear’s name is synonymous with the sitcom. 

With unprecedented access to Lear, his work and his massive personal archives, “NORMAN LEAR: JUST ANOTHER VERSION OF YOU” combines stories from his turbulent childhood and early career with his groundbreaking TV success (All in the Family, The Jeffersons, Good Times, Maude) and social activism. The documentary also features colorful stories from Lear’s family, friends and collaborators, including John Amos, George Clooney, Alan Horn, Bill Moyers, Rob Reiner, Phil Rosenthal and Russell Simmons, as well as cinéma vérité moments with Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner, Jon Stewart, Amy Poehler and Lena Dunham.

“AMERICAN MASTERS: NORMAN LEAR: JUST ANOTHER VERSION OF YOU” will be available on DVD and Blu-ray October 25, 2016. The run time of this program is approximately 90 minutes. The DVD SRP is $24.99 and the Blu-ray SRP is $29.99. The DVD and Blu-ray include over 12 minutes of bonus features. The program will also be available for digital download.

Breaking down the fourth wall to create an evocative collage where past and present intermingle, Academy Award-nominated filmmakers Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady (Jesus Camp, 12th & Delaware, DETROPIA for Independent Lens) reveal a psychologically rich man whose extraordinary contributions emerge from both his personal story and his own self-professed childlike view of the world. The documentary traces how a poor Jewish kid from Connecticut started writing for The Colgate Comedy Hour with Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, created All in the Family and became one of TV’s most successful showrunners. All character-driven, with theatrical sets and live audiences, Lear’s TV series changed not only the face of national television but the content of national discourse. Bringing provocative subjects like war, poverty and prejudice to 120 million viewers every week, Lear proved that social change was possible through an unlikely prism – laughter – and created some of the greatest moments in television history.

Norman Lear:Just Another Version of You to DVD/BD on October 25

Largely responsible for bold American television in the 1970s, Norman Lear’s name is synonymous with the sitcom. From his childhood and early career with his groundbreaking TV success (All in the Family, The Jeffersons, Good Times, Maude) and social activism, Lear proved social change was possible through an unlikely prism–laughter–and created some of the greatest moments in television history.


Prebook Date: September 27
Street Date: October 25
PBS National Broadcast Dates: Tuesday, October 25
 DVD: $24.99, Approx. 90 min
Item# (AMM62907), UPC (841887029353), ISBN (9781627897976)
Blu-ray: $29.99, Approx. 90 min
Item# (AM62907B), UPC (841887029360), ISBN (9781627897983)