Who was William F. Buckley, Jr.? | The Incomparable Mr. Buckley | American Masters | PBS

Official website: www.pbs.org/americanmasters | #AmericanMastersPBS
Watch the first ten minutes of The Incomparable Mr. Buckley in this sneak preview. Discover how political commentator William F. Buckley, Jr. galvanized the modern conservative movement. The preeminent public intellectual grew up on a sprawling estate in Sharon, Connecticut, where his father's own idea of pedagogy had a lasting impact on his future ideals.
Follow the personal and political journey of conservative writer, strategist, candidate and provocateur William F. Buckley, Jr. See how one of the architects of the modern conservative movement rose to prominence as a public intellectual and influenced generations of politicians-including Ronald Reagan and Barry Goldwater. As founder of the National Review and host of the public affairs program Firing Line for over 30 years, Buckley created new spaces for civic discourse that were accessible to the public.
The Incomparable Mr. Buckley premieres April 5, 2024 at 9/8c on PBS (check local listings), pbs.org/americanmasters and the PBS App.
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Now in its 38th season on PBS, American Masters illuminates the lives and creative journeys of those who have left an indelible impression on our cultural landscape-through compelling, unvarnished stories. Setting the standard for documentary film profiles, the series has earned widespread critical acclaim: 28 Emmy Awards-including 10 for Outstanding Non-Fiction Series and five for Outstanding Non-Fiction Special-two News & Documentary Emmys, 14 Peabodys, three Grammys, two Producers Guild Awards, an Oscar, and many other honors. To further explore the lives and works of more than 250 masters past and present, the American Masters website offers full episodes, film outtakes, filmmaker interviews, the podcast “American Masters: Creative Spark,” educational resources, digital original series and more. The series is a production of The WNET Group.

[@jamescrabtree9240]

This is stellar. I look forward to seeing the complete documentary.

[@richmotroni]

My favorite part about the LAugh-In appearance is when Buckley said, "I was a bit apprehensive coming here, but your producer promised the plane that would take me to Los Angeles would have two right wings."

[@eloisapetermann1823]

🤣🤣🤣

[@EugeneONeill-pf5bj]

William Frank Buckley, his red barrel Parker Jotter usually pressed to his bottom lip, was an extraordinary man with a prolific work ethic and boundless energy who left an indelible mark on the 20th century.

[@kevinmadden1645]

Your dog is greater than Gore Vidal.

[@PDTRUMP]

His voice his brain his jokes and his language was the best

[@WintersWar]

Love to see the full episodes of WFB on Merv Griffin, Carson and Frost.

[@colinmontgomery1956]

It's about time.

[@MapleSyrupPoet]

"I'll be glad to elaborate on them" 😅

[@josephlees54]

Very interesting to see that like Goldwater, Buckley's hardline views changed towards the end of his life. Even regulations he championed in the war on drugs were questionable given some of his later panels at universities, where he was willing to admit that they had overall a wasteful effect. Truly a man willing to change for his time, also someone who saw the opacity of the Civil Rights Movement and was willing to put forward difficult questions very few were willing to address. Undoubtedly a praiseworthy individual, should be reflected on by many modern-day conservatives. I so too appreciate his bipartisanship in his programs regardless of his "snobbish" remarks which hosted anything from Christian Socialists to Segregationist Governors.

[@garibaldicat100]

BUT WHEN IS IT ON PBS LIVE ?! WILLIAM BUCKLEY?!?

[@junkboxxxxxx]

Wealth from the father Religion from the mother

[@roughhabit9085]

Full documentary withdrawn I notice. Good, because it focused on trivial incidences in his life and overlooked the enormous political influence he had on American history.

[@KevinPDunn]

Why was full length doc taken down?

[@BlueBaron3339]

I had no idea of his larger influence. I simply enjoyed his weekly television program because he was such a snob that he amused me. As I recall he became profoundly depressed toward the end of his life. But that would be nothing to how he'd feel were he alive today.

[@kevinmadden1645]

Patrician, not Snob. Huge difference.

[@BlueBaron3339]

@@kevinmadden1645 You might want to examine what your preferred word actually means 😉 And he freely admitted to the other word.

[@kevinmadden1645]

@@BlueBaron3339 Buckley admitted to being a snob? Oh come now!

[@BlueBaron3339]

@@kevinmadden1645 Oh, it wasn't regarded then as it is now. 😊

[@roughhabit9085]

He always assumed his audience were intelligent. That’s the opposite of snobbery in my book.

[@jeshkam]

William F. Buckley Jr. > Gore Vidal

[@Narrowsplice]

Is this available to watch in UK?

[@Sam_Ardern_II]

His show the Firing Line is available on KZbin

[@georgialerangis2123]

Check PBS American Masters, William F Buckley, just recently uploaded to YOU TUBE in USA ... Hopefully also in U.K.

[@TheDavidlloydjones]

Imagine the good that Buckley could have done, starting while still in college, if he had put his intelligence at the service of the civil rights movement...

[@ryanscottlogan8459]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@PirateRadioPodcasts]

LONG time "SKULL & BONES" puppet.

[@roughhabit9085]

Puppet? He was probably President.

[@Castorp-wn7dh]

He lost most of his charisma and authority after firing line with Chomsky in 1969. At least, IMHO.

[@majoroldladyakamom6948]

😢 Just another commercial...

[@peterrollinson-lorimer]

Incomparable - or insufferable?

[@roberttelarket4934]

Insufferable is a perfect description!

[@roughhabit9085]

Insufferable to idealists.

[@Itubedude11]

Buckley was always seated because he had some of the worst posture of anyone born in the twentieth century. Also there's a direct ideological and political line from Buckley to Trump, as much as the "intellectual" or even "marginally literate" (an overlapping Venn diagram) line of Conservatives would like you to forget.

[@CChampion-wc9vj]

That's tendentious nonsense ("...from Buckley to Trump") but it is surely the line we expect PBS to take; there is always an agenda in the programming insensible to liberals because they take for granted it's the unvarnished truth. Nevertheless we shall watch patiently if not painlessly.

[@roughhabit9085]

How can you have some posture?

[@personalrep]

Not at all interested in this drivel.

[@craigyirush3492]

Why are you commenting then?