- As Series Creator and Executive Producer of the acclaimed PBS series, American Masters, Lacy was Executive Producer of our original 16mm film portrait, JAMES BALDWIN: THE PRICE OF THE TICKET. First broadcast in 1989 in honor of Baldwin’s 65th birthday, the film went on to win awards all over the world. Now, Lacy has joined the James Baldwin Project as Executive Producer of the 60-minute digital version of this documentary film classic, to be completed in 2025 in honor of Baldwin’s 100th birthday.
- Lacy’s celebrated career as a documentary filmmaker has had many chapters. After nearly thirty years as American Masters’ Executive Producer (the series she created for PBS in 1986), Lacy formed her own company, Pentimento Productions, in 2013. Focused solely on directing and producing, she recently completed definitive films on the lives of Steven Spielberg, Jane Fonda, and Ralph Lauren, and executive produced THE JANES. These projects are part of Pentimento's exclusive multi-picture deal with HBO. SPIELBERG had its world premiere at New York Film Festival in 2017 and was broadcast on HBO shortly thereafter. The film was nominated for an Emmy—up for “Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special.” JANE FONDA IN FIVE ACTS had its world premiere at Sundance in 2018 and later premiered internationally at Cannes. The film was nominated for the 2019 Emmys. VERY RALPH had its world premiere at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, premiered internationally at the Rome Film Festival, and aired on HBO in 2019. THE JANES had its world premiere at Sundance 2022 and was shortlisted for the 95th Academy Awards. The film won "Best Documentary," "Outstanding Social Issue Documentary," and "Outstanding Direction - Documentary" at the 44th News & Documentary Emmys. Lacy is currently directing a film about the life and work of Billy Joel, which will be her fourth major film under Pentimento’s deal with HBO. The film will premiere on HBO networks in 2024.
- Lacy’s previous films were all part of the American Masters collection. She directed and produced INVENTING DAVID GEFFEN, earning the series the 2013 Emmy for Outstanding Non-Fiction Series as the representative episode. She wrote, produced, and directed JUDY GARLAND: BY MYSELF (Emmy award for writing, Emmy nomination for directing, representative episode for the 2004 Emmy win, Outstanding Non-Fiction Series), JONI MITCHELL: WOMAN OF HEART AND MIND (IDA nomination for Outstanding Documentary), LEONARD BERNSTEIN: REACHING FOR THE NOTE (DGA nomination, representative episode for the 1999 Emmy win, Outstanding Non-Fiction Series), ROD SERLING: SUBMITTED FOR YOUR APPROVAL, and LENA HORNE: IN HER OWN VOICE. She produced the Peabody award-winning films PAUL SIMON: BORN AT THE RIGHT TIME, LENNONYC, and NO DIRECTION HOME: BOB DYLAN.
- Lacy’s own personal honors and achievement awards are too numerous to list here. Suffice it to say that as the Series Creator and Executive Producer of American Masters, she was responsible for the production and national broadcast of more than 215 documentary films about our country’s artistic and cultural giants — those who have made an indelible impact on the American landscape — including the original JAMES BALDWIN: THE PRICE OF THE TICKET. Since 1986, American Masters garnered unprecedented awards and was consistently recognized by television critics as “the best biographical series ever to appear on American television.” We are honored to have her with us on this new Baldwin journey.
Susan Lacy, Executive Producer
James Baldwin: The Price of the Ticket
Original Film for American Masters, 1987-1989
One-Hour Version for James Baldwin Project, 2024-2025
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