Discover
Ken Burns's four-hour documentary, "Benjamin Franklin," explores the revolutionary life of one of the 18th century's most consequential and compelling personalities, whose work and words unlocked the mystery of electricity and helped create the United States. "Write things worth reading," he said in "Poor Richard's Almanack," "or do things worth the writing." Benjamin Franklin did both.
Original Release
04/04/2022 on PBS
US Release
04/04/2022
Links
Cast
| Name | Character |
|---|
| Peter Coyote | Narrator / Narrator (voice) |
| Mandy Patinkin | Benjamin Franklin / Benjamin Franklin (voice) |
| Josh Lucas | William Franklin / William Franklin (voice) |
| Liam Neeson | Alexander Wedderburn / Ambassador Lord Stormont / Ambassador Lord Stormont (voice) |
| Walter Isaacson | Self, author of 'Benjamin Franklin: An American Life' |
| H.W. Brands | Self, author of 'The First American: The Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin' |
| Joseph Ellis | Self, historian |
| Christopher L. Brown | Self, historian |
| Stacy Schiff | Self, author |
| Joyce Chaplin | Self, historian |
| # | Title | Air Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Join or Die (1706-1774) | Monday, 04 April 2022 |
| 2 | An American (1775-1790) | Tuesday, 05 April 2022 |
| 101 | Franklin And Writing | Thursday, 03 March 2022 |
| 102 | Franklin And Innovation | Tuesday, 08 March 2022 |
| 103 | Benjamin Franklin And American Diplomacy | Monday, 21 March 2022 |
| 104 | Franklin And Revolution | Tuesday, 29 March 2022 |
| 105 | A Discussion With Mandy Patinkin And Michael Douglas | Friday, 01 April 2022 |
Directors
Writers
Cast
| Name | Character |
|---|
| Peter Coyote | Narrator / Narrator (voice) |
| Mandy Patinkin | Benjamin Franklin / Benjamin Franklin (voice) |
| Josh Lucas | William Franklin / William Franklin (voice) |
| Liam Neeson | Alexander Wedderburn / Ambassador Lord Stormont / Ambassador Lord Stormont (voice) |
| Walter Isaacson | Self, author of 'Benjamin Franklin: An American Life' |
| H.W. Brands | Self, author of 'The First American: The Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin' |
| Joseph Ellis | Self, historian |
| Christopher L. Brown | Self, historian |
| Stacy Schiff | Self, author |
| Joyce Chaplin | Self, historian |
| Ellen Cohn | Self, historian |
| Erica Armstrong Dunbar | Self, historian |
| Clay Jenkinson | Self, historian |
| Bernard Bailyn | Self, historian |
| Sheila Kemp | Self, historian |
| Philip Dray | Self |
| Gordon Wood | Self |
| Carolyn McCormick | Deborah Franklin |
| Craig Mellish | Pennsylvania Gazette Subscribers |
| Dave Quay | Daniel Defoe |
Producers
| Name | Role |
|---|
| Ken Burns | Producer |
| Craig Mellish | Producer |
| Emily Mosher | Producer |
| Katy Haas | Producer |
| David P. Schmidt | Producer |
| Will Duncan | Producer |
| Vicky Lee | Producer |
Behind the Scenes
Benjamin Franklin: Exploring A Revolutionary Life
