Movies: Wqed

Rick Sebak is a Pittsburgh treasure whose award-winning documentaries have entertained and educated local and national viewers for 25 years. As he celebrates this anniversary at WQED, we look back at Rick's memorable programs and hear about the stori...

Seen only once in 1981, this is a live national broadcast of the 10th anniversary production of MASS. Directed for the stage by Tom O’Horgan of “Hair” fame, the cameras were directed by Emile Ardolino. The work that opened the Kennedy Center is condu...

As Rick has gathered interviews for IT'S PITTSBURGH episodes over the last 2 seasons, he has often ended the conversation by asking, "Why do you live in Pittsburgh?" In this program, we edit together many of the responses, and we look at the Experien...

Sparkling diamonds. Exquisite emeralds. Brilliant rubies. Shimmering pearls. For centuries, these precious gems have captured humankind, leading men and women to give up fortunes - even their lives - to possess them. Join National Geographic on a jou...

It's a giant sort-of-Victorian holiday village covered in candy! It's an astounding work of folk art. It's Gingerbread Lane. We follow its creator, chef Jon Lovitch, from icing in February to assembling in November at Station Square. Sweet stuff!...

Journey back in time for a musical event that's as close to time travel as television will allow. Your living room becomes the stage as Little Anthony and the Original Imperials, The Fleetwoods, Little Richard and more shake, rattle and roll for thi...

On a Hot Summer day, there may be no better place on earth than a traditional amusement park. A place where you can hop on a classic wooden coaster, reach for the ring as you whirl by on the merry-go-round, or cool down on the Caterpillar. In this do...

Remember when Forbes Field was the world’s greatest ballpark? When the Dips roller coaster at West View Park came out to Route 19? When everyone went to the Allegheny County Fair? When streetcars ran all over town? They’re all parts of this warm and ...

Rick Sebak's documentary explores the history and some of the wonderful surprises you can find in Millvale! It's an unassuming borough on the Allegheny River, not far from Downtown Pittsburgh, but it's got Jean-Marc's French Bakery, Yetter's Candy S...

The decades-long debate surrounding reparations is fraught, mired in racial tension and the semantics of restorative justice. While the national conversation remains stalled due to legislative inaction, communities across the country examine their hi...

This documentary explores the wonders of downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Rick Sebak narrates while you are taken on a nostalgic journey through downtown Pittsburgh's rich history as a bustling American urban center. The film explores downtown Pitt...

This show brings together legendary artists of the 1960s and 1970s for a once-in-a-lifetime event: Ben E. King and The Drifters, Jerry Butler reuniting with The Impressions for the first time since 1958, as well as The Isley Brothers, Percy Sledge, E...

A Flea Market Documentary is a new PBS special and an all-American celebration of open-air shopping across the country. On any weekend, there may be no better place to find out what makes America great than at a flea market. A Flea Market Documentar...

In this sequel to his 1992 documentary Downtown Pittsburgh, Rick Sebak takes viewers on a tour of a twenty-first century Pittsburgh that's both changing and charming....

Take a big bite of an Oram's Donut. Go for a refreshing swim at Ligonier Beach. Sit and stare at the dinosaur bones at Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Oakland. Then you might start to understand some of the enduring charms of western Pennsylvan...

People love going to the beach for lots of different reasons. The sun. The sand. The salt-water taffy. In this slightly wacky documentary, we consider all kinds of things that draw people to the coast: board walks, seafood, lifeguards, even metal-det...

A travelogue featuring oddly-shaped buildings (and the folks who live in, work in, own and admire them) located along USA highways....

The Strip District is a delicious old neighborhood in Pittsburgh. On most Saturday mornings, its one of the best places on earth, full of hungry people, crunchy fruits, snappy vegetables, world-class street food, cool characters and tasty surprises o...

Enjoy an all-American celebration of what may be the country's most popular fast food. From Connecticut to South Carolina to California, Rick Sebak visits some of the nation's coolest hot dog places, taking viewers inside a giant hot dog-shaped build...

Join host Jerry Butler and some of history's greatest doo-wop performers from the '50's and '60's as they celebrate five decades of vocal magic. Recorded live May 11 and 12, 1999 at The Benedum Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Pittsburgh, ...