This ranking is based on an algorithm that combines various factors, including the votes of our users and search trends on the internet.

List of Ken Burns Movies: Ranked Best To Worst

1. Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson (2004)
42
11
Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson
TV-PG
42
11
Starring:
Keith David, Samuel L. Jackson, Philip Bosco, Kevin Conway, Adam Arkin
Directed By:
Ken Burns
Awards:
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Nonfiction Special
2. Brooklyn Bridge (1981)
40
6
Brooklyn Bridge
TV-G
40
6

Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, the film chronicles the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge across the East River in New York City, giving interesting details about its difficult construction process. The later part features interviews by notable personalities, who talk about its effects on the city. 

Starring:
Arthur Miller, Kurt Vonnegut Jr., Julie Harris, Paul Roebling, Richard Pini
Directed By:
Ken Burns
3. Gettysburg (1993)
32
10
Gettysburg
PG
32
10

The war film features the legendary decisive Battle of Gettysburg in the American Civil War. The three day intense war commences on July 1, 1863, when Gen. Lee leads the Confederates into Pennsylvania to confront the Union troops of Col. Chamberlain. As they fight for Little Round Top and Pickett’s Charge, the commanders deliberate over the strategies while the fatalities escalate on frontline. 

Directed By:
Ron Maxwell
4. The Shakers: Hands to Work, Hearts to God (1984)
21
8
The Shakers: Hands to Work, Hearts to God
21
8

Narrated by David McCullough, this is a documentary film, which examines a 19th century religious sect known as the Shakers. The film features interviews with several living Shakers, as well as with historians and philosophers.

Starring:
David McCullough, Julie Harris, Olga Bellin, Tucker Burr, Jesse Carr
Directed By:
Ken Burns, Amy Stechler
5. The Central Park Five (2012)
24
9
The Central Park Five
24
9

The Central Park Five is a documentary film which examines the 1989 case of five black and Latino teen boys who were convicted of the brutal rape of a 28 year old female jogger in Central Park. After suffering immense racial discrimination and emotional stress, they are eventually found to be innocent after many years.

Starring:
Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana, Kharey Wise
Directed By:
Ken Burns, David McMahon, Sarah Burns
6. Frank Lloyd Wright (1998)
26
5
Frank Lloyd Wright
TV-PG
26
5
Starring:
Julie Harris, Edward Herrmann, Sab Shimono, Philip Bosco, William Cronon
Directed By:
Ken Burns, Lynn Novick
7. The Statue of Liberty (1985)
25
4
The Statue of Liberty
TV-G
25
4
Starring:
Ray Charles, James Baldwin, Tucker Burr, Mario Cuomo, Carolyn Forché
Directed By:
Ken Burns
8. Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio (1991)
19
4
Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio
TV-G
19
4
Starring:
Jason Robards, Norman Corwin, Red Barber, Erik Barnouw, Ken Bilby
Directed By:
Ken Burns
9. Huey Long (1985)
21
5
Huey Long
21
5
Starring:
David McCullough, Arthur Schlesinger Jr., Huey Long, Russell Long, Jennings Randolph
Directed By:
Ken Burns
10. Defying the Nazis: The Sharps' War (2016)
19
7
Defying the Nazis: The Sharps' War
PG
19
7
Starring:
Tom Hanks, Marina Goldman
Directed By:
Ken Burns, Artemis Joukowsky

TV Movie(s)

1. Lewis & Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery (1997)
34
4
Lewis & Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery
TV-G
34
4
Starring:
Matthew Broderick, Stephen Ambrose, Adam Arkin, Tantoo Cardinal, John Logan Allen
Directed By:
Ken Burns
2. Mark Twain (2001)
25
5
Mark Twain
TV-PG
25
5
Starring:
Blythe Danner, Keith David, Kevin Conway, Philip Bosco, Tim Clark
Directed By:
Ken Burns
3. Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip (2003)
24
4
Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip
TV-G
24
4
Starring:
Keith David, Tom Hanks, Adam Arkin, Tom Bodett, Philip Bosco
Directed By:
Ken Burns
4. The Address (2014)
24
4
The Address
TV-PG
24
4
Directed By:
Ken Burns
5. Medal of Honor (2008)
15
3
Medal of Honor
TV-14
15
3
Starring:
Alfre Woodard, Stephen Lang
Directed By:
Roger Sherman
6. The Congress (1988)
18
4
The Congress
TV-G
18
4
Starring:
David McCullough, Alistair Cooke, Charles McDowell, Barbara Fields, John C. Stennis
Directed By:
Ken Burns
7. Thomas Hart Benton (1988)
16
4
Thomas Hart Benton
TV-PG
16
4
Starring:
Jason Robards, Burl Ives, Henry Adams, Thomas Hart Benton, Arthur Danto
Directed By:
Ken Burns

Animation(s)

The Simpsons (1989)
The Simpsons
TV-14
Starring:
Liam Neeson, Patrick Stewart, Sarah Silverman, Martin Short, Bill Hader, Steve Buscemi, Winona Ryder
Directed By:
Mark Kirkland, Steven Dean Moore, Bob Anderson, Matthew Nastuk, Jim Reardon

TV Shows and Videos

The Civil War (1990)
The Civil War
TV-14
Starring:
Laurence Fishburne, Morgan Freeman, Jeremy Irons, Sam Waterston, Derek Jacobi, Jason Robards, Julie Harris
Directed By:
Ken Burns
Awards:
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual - Informational Programming, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Informational Series
The War (2007)
The War
TV-14
Starring:
Tom Hanks, Keith David, Katharine Phillips, Paul Fussell, Quentin Aanenson
Directed By:
Ken Burns, Lynn Novick
The Roosevelts: An Intimate History (2014)
The Roosevelts: An Intimate History
Starring:
Meryl Streep, Paul Giamatti, Edward Herrmann, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Geoffrey C. Ward
Directed By:
Ken Burns
American Experience (1988)
American Experience
Starring:
Chris Cooper, Matthew Modine, Werner Klemperer, Andre Braugher, Laura Linney, Michael Stuhlbarg, Kyle MacLachlan
Directed By:
David Grubin, Stephen Ives, Barak Goodman, Ric Burns, Adriana Bosch
The West (1996)
The West
Starring:
Eli Wallach, Peter Coyote, N. Scott Momaday, Murphy Guyer, John Trudell
Jackie Robinson (2016)
Jackie Robinson
TV-PG
Starring:
Jamie Foxx, Keith David
Directed By:
Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, David McMahon
Not for Ourselves Alone: The Story of Elizabeth Cady Stanton & Susan B. Anthony (1999)
Not for Ourselves Alone: The Story of Elizabeth Cady Stanton & Susan B. Anthony
TV-G
Starring:
Keith David, Adam Arkin, Carolyn McCormick, Lorie Barnum, Kathleen Barry
Directed By:
Ken Burns
Biography (1987)
Biography
Starring:
Cliff Robertson, Miguel Ferrer, Peter Graves, Kevin Smith, Kelsey Grammer, Hal Linden, Jack Klugman
Directed By:
John Griffin, Jeanne Begley, Selina Lin, Kevin Burns, Peter Jones
Thomas Jefferson (1997)
Thomas Jefferson
Starring:
Gwyneth Paltrow, Ossie Davis, Sam Waterston, Gore Vidal, Michael Potts
Directed By:
Ken Burns
The Mindy Project (2012)
The Mindy Project
TV-14
Starring:
Laura Dern, Drea de Matteo, James Franco, Eva Amurri, Vanessa Lynn Williams, Laverne Cox, Jussie Smollett
Directed By:
Michael Spiller, Michael Weaver, David Rogers, Marco Fargnoli, David Stassen
Difficult People (2015)
Difficult People
TV-MA
Starring:
Fred Armisen, Kate McKinnon, Gabourey Sidibe, Danny Aiello, Seth Meyers, Malina Weissman, Nathan Lane
Directed By:
Jeffrey Walker

Ken Burns Awards

Primetime Emmy Awards
The National Parks: America's Best Idea Outstanding Nonfiction Series 2010
Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson Outstanding Nonfiction Special 2005
Baseball Outstanding Informational Series 1995
The Civil War Outstanding Individual - Informational Programming 1991
The Civil War Outstanding Informational Series 1991
Grammy Awards
Winner Best Spoken Word or Non-musical Album 1992
Winner Best Traditional Folk Album 1992