Old Sturbridge Village honored documentary filmmaker Ken Burns in 2008 for his commitment to making history accessible to the public. Since then, through the annual Ken Burns Lifetime Achievement Award, he and the Village continue to honor individuals who have made a significant contribution to the preservation of history through the arts.
Ken Burns
Ken Burns made his very first film, "Working in Rural New England," at Old Sturbridge Village in 1975 when he was a senior at Hampshire College. It was the first time he used the famous panning technique that would come to be known as the "Ken Burns Effect." He noted that "it was the first film that I signed my name to... the first film in which I felt I was the author...My professional life began here at Old Sturbridge Village."
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John Williams - 2013 Award
On Thursday, August 15, Old Sturbridge Village and Ken Burns will present the 2013 award to John Williams at a dinner and ceremony sponsored by Fallon Community Health Plan. John Williams has served as music director and laureate conductor of one of the country’s treasured musical institutions, the Boston Pops Orchestra, and has composed the music and served as music director for more than 100 films. He is the recipient of scores of prestigious awards, including the National Medal of Arts, which is the highest award given to artists by the U.S. government. He has also received the Kennedy Center Honor, five Academy Awards, 21 Grammy Awards, four Golden Globes, five Emmys, and numerous gold and platinum records. With 48 Oscar nominations, Williams is the Academy's most nominated living person and the second-most nominated person in the history of the Oscars. Tickets are now available.
Tom Brokaw - 2012 Award
Tom Brokaw's brilliant career as one of the nation's most trusted journalists has earned him the admiration of millions, as well as every major accolade in his craft, including Peabody, Dupont, and Emmy Awards, and lifetime achievement recognition. During his long career with NBC News, he was White House correspondent during Watergate, anchor of the "Today Show," anchor and managing editor of "NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw," and is currently an NBC News Special Correspondent. He is the author of six books, including "The Greatest Generation," one of the most popular nonfiction books of the 20th century. We were proud to present Mr. Brokaw with the 2012 Ken Burns Lifetime Achievement Award on November 27, 2012, at a dinner and ceremony sponsored by Fallon Community Health Plan. See video.
Sam Waterston - 2011 Award
The 2011 award was presented to Sam Waterston. Sam Waterston's brilliant film, stage, and television performances have earned him the admiration of millions, accolades including Emmy, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild Awards, and an Academy Award nomination. Best known as D.A. Jack McCoy on TV's "Law and Order," Waterston also portrayed Abraham Lincoln in the Tony Award-winning play "Abe Lincoln in Illinois," in Gore Vidal's mini-series "Lincoln," and he voiced the role of Lincoln in Ken Burns's acclaimed documentary "The Civil War."
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Doris Kearns Goodwin - 2010 Award
In 2010, Doris Kearns Goodwin, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author and presidential historian, was chosen for the award. Her books "Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln" and "Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream," were New York Times bestsellers and she won the Pulitzer Prize for "No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt: The Home Front in World War II." "I visited Old Sturbridge Village with my own children, so I know how much it inspires young people and helps them connect with their past," Goodwin said.
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Laura Linney - 2009 Award
In 2009, Ken Burns and OSV presented the award to Laura Linney for her Emmy Award-winning portrayal of Abigail Adams in the HBO series "John Adams." To prepare for the role, Linney drew on her experiences in New England -- including her very first field trip to Old Sturbridge Village at age six. She recalled: "Who knew that decades later my memories would help me portray this wonderful woman?"
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