Dayton Duncan

Dayton Duncan, Documentary filmmaker, author

Dayton Duncan is an award-winning writer and documentary filmmaker and author of 12 books, including several companion books to films he wrote and produced with Ken Burns.

Duncan has served as the co-writer and consulting producer for “The West,” writer and producer of “Lewis & Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery,” co-writer and producer for “Mark Twain,” and writer and producer of “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea,” for which he won two Emmy Awards. Duncan’s most recent film with Burns is “The Dust Bowl”; his script won a Spur Award and was nominated for an Emmy. Duncan has served as a consultant or consultant producer on all of Burns’ other documentaries, beginning with “The Civil War.” He is now at work with Burns as writer and producer of a major series on the history of country music, tentatively scheduled for release in 2019.

In politics, Duncan served as chief of staff to New Hampshire Gov. Hugh Gallen; deputy national press secretary for Walter Mondale’s presidential campaign in 1984; and national press secretary for Michael Dukakis’ 1988 presidential campaign. He has served as chair of the American Heritage Rivers Advisory Committee on the board of the National Park Foundation.