Susan Lacy

Susan Lacy is most well known for creating American Masters, the acclaimed PBS biography series profiling artists & visionaries who have helped shape our country’s culture. Susan created the series in 1986 and went on to serve as its Executive Producer for nearly 30 years.

American Masters has garnered unprecedented awards over the years – Susan earned the series 71 Emmy nominations and 28 wins, including a remarkable 10 for Outstanding Non-Fiction Series, in addition to 12 Peabody awards, 3 Grammy awards and a nomination, and an Academy award and 4 nominations.

Susan has also directed multiple award-winning films for the series: Inventing David Geffen, Judy Garland: By Myself, Joni Mitchell: A Woman of Heart and Mind, Leonard Bernstein: Reaching for the Note, Lena Horne: In Her Own Voice, Rod Serling: Submitted for Your Approval. She produced the American Masters films Paul Simon: Born at the Right Time, LennoNYC, and No Direction Home: Bob Dylan.

Susan has received lifetime achievement awards from CINE and the Lincoln Center Institute for the Arts. She served on Television Academy’s governors board for two terms and is currently a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

In 2013, Susan began a new chapter in her long and celebrated career - she made the move from public television to independent filmmaking, with the formation of her own company, Pentimento Productions.

Susan has most recently directed & produced Spielberg, Jane Fonda in Five Acts, Very Ralph, and executive produced The Janes, all for HBO Documentary Films. Spielberg was the first project in her company’s exclusive multi-picture deal with HBO. The film had its world premiere at the New York Film Festival in 2017 and was later nominated for an Emmy. Jane Fonda in Five Acts had its world premiere at Sundance Film Festival in 2018 and its international premiere at Cannes Film Festival. The film was nominated for the 2019 Emmys. Very Ralph had its world premiere at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and aired on HBO in 2019. The Janes had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in 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. Susan 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 have a full-scale premiere on HBO networks in 2025.