The Roosevelts: An Intimate History

Chronicles the lives of Theodore, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, three members of the most prominent and influential family in American politics. It is the first time in a major documentary television series that their individual stories have been interwoven into a single narrative. This seven-part, fourteen hour film follows the Roosevelts for more than a century, from Theodore’s birth in 1858 to Eleanor’s death in 1962.

The Roosevelts: An Intimate History (2014) is a US documentary miniseries created by Ken Burns for PBS, a seven-episode history docuseries running about fourteen hours in total. Narrated by Peter Coyote with a voice cast that includes Meryl Streep as Eleanor Roosevelt, Edward Herrmann as Franklin Roosevelt and Paul Giamatti as Theodore Roosevelt, the series weaves three lives of America's most prominent political family into one continuous story. Historian David McCullough and Doris Kearns Goodwin appear as on-camera commentators, and archival footage of the Roosevelts themselves anchors each episode. The engine of the series is the way political ambition, family rivalry and personal loss push these figures through the Gilded Age, the progressive era, the world wars and the New Deal. Each episode moves through photographs, letters, newsreel and period documents, building a century-long portrait from Theodore's 1858 birth to Eleanor's death in 1962. Its tone is measured, reflective and warmly humane, closer to a patient family memoir than a dry lecture. Fans of Ken Burns' The Civil War and the John Adams miniseries will find resonance in its blend of archival intimacy and sweeping American history.

• The Civil War (1990)documentary history, archival footage, historical biography in a serialized format
• John Adams (2008)prestige historical documentary, narrated biography of a public figure
• Victory at Seasweeping american history docuseries with archival narration and historian commentary

Created by

Ken Burns

Release Date

2014-09-14

Episode runtime

117 min

Rating

8.8 / 10 (40)

What is The Roosevelts: An Intimate History about?

A seven-part documentary that interweaves the lives of Theodore, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt across more than a century of American history.

What is The Roosevelts: An Intimate History like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Roosevelts: An Intimate History as measured, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as layered.

Is The Roosevelts: An Intimate History violent?

Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Roosevelts: An Intimate History as mild.

Which shows are like The Roosevelts: An Intimate History?

Shows with a similar feel include The Civil War (1990), John Adams (2008), and Victory at Sea.

How long is The Roosevelts: An Intimate History?

The Roosevelts: An Intimate History: 1 season, 7 episodes.

Is The Roosevelts: An Intimate History still running?

No, The Roosevelts: An Intimate History has ended.

Where can I watch The Roosevelts: An Intimate History?

In United States, The Roosevelts: An Intimate History streams on PBS Documentaries Amazon Channel, Thirteen, WETA+.