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Thursday, July 7 at 8 p.m. – An American Family: Anniversary Edition

(Rochester, NY) – On Thursday evening, January 11, 1973, Americans stepped into the home of the Loud family of Santa Barbara, California when An American Family premiered on WXXI-TV and PBS stations across the country. 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.

Now, 40 years since filming, the original film crew have adapted the 12 hours into a 2-hour compilation of the most memorable and compelling moments of the series. An American Family: Anniversary Edition premieres Thursday, July 7 at 8 p.m. on WXXI-TV/HD (DT21.1/cable 1011 and 11).

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 cinéma verité. It was the most controversial and talked-about television program of its era.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of ©1972 WNET

Photo Caption: An American Family chronicled the life of the Loud family of Santa Barbara, California

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