On Thursday evening, January 11, 1973 at 9:00 p.m., Americans stepped into the home of the Loud family of Santa Barbara, California. Chronicling the lives of its family members, the series made parents Pat and Bill Loud and their five children Lance, Delilah, Grant, Kevin and Michele Loud household names. During the seven months that they lived in front of the camera, viewers watched dramatic life events unfold, including Pat asking for a separation from her husband Bill, and the bohemian New York lifestyle of their gay son, Lance. Unlike most documentaries of its day, AN AMERICAN FAMILY had no host, no interviews, and almost no voice-over narration. Producer Craig Gilbert presented the family’s daily life – as captured by filmmakers Alan Raymond behind the camera, and Susan Raymond covering sound – in the style of cinema verite. It was the most controversial and talked-about television program of its era. Now, 40 years since filming, the original film crew have adapted the 12 hours into this 2-hour compilation of the most memorable and compelling moments of the series. See for yourself why AN AMERICAN FAMILY is one of the 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time (TV Guide, 2002).
An American Family: Anniversary Edition
