
When Dustin Hoffman first told his family he wanted to act, the response was: 'You can’t, you’re not good-looking enough.' Despite that initial response, Hoffman went on to become one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, and here we look back on a career that started with the huge 1967 hit The Graduate and saw him winning Oscars for Kramer vs Kramer and Rain Man. \n\nMoments from interviews conducted on a range of BBC shows over the years help to tell the story of Dustin Hoffman and his films and to build a picture of the man who a director once described as 'one of a kind and he's not one character. There is no Dustin Hoffman. He is many, many people'.
Source: BBC 2
Psycho
Celia Imrie takes a journey in the BBC’s archives to tell the story of one of the most acclaimed films of all time, Alfred Hitchcock’s groundbreaking 1960 horror, Ps ...
11-12-2025
BBC 2
Westerns
Once upon a time in the cinema, about one fifth of all Hollywood releases were cowboy films, and the Western dominated so much that it seemed that every major star would pull on ...
22-11-2025
BBC 2
John Mills
A look back at television appearances made over the years by the Oscar-winning actor Sir John Mills, capturing the milestones of his life and career.
13-11-2025
BBC 2
Series 1: 17. Richard Burton
A retrospective look at television appearances made over the years by Oscar nominated Hollywood icon Richard Burton, capturing the milestones and highlights of his life and career.
13-11-2025
BBC 2
Series 2: 5. Noel Coward
A retrospective look at television appearances made over the years by award-winning actor Noel Coward, with interviews from the archive and classic clips capturing the milestone ...
11-11-2025
BBC 2
John Wayne
A retrospective look at television appearances made over the years by Hollywood legend John Wayne, capturing the milestones and highlights of his life and career.
19-10-2025
BBC 2
Robert Redford
The career of Robert Redford is examined in this exploration of the BBC archives, which includes rarely-seen interviews. Narrated by Sylvia Syms.
09-10-2025
BBC 2
Psycho
Celia Imrie takes a journey in the BBC’s archives to tell the story of one of the most acclaimed films of all time, Alfred Hitchcock’s groundbreaking 1960 horror, Ps ...
11-12-2025
BBC 2
Series 1: 7. Dirk Bogarde
A retrospective look at television appearances made over the years by Hollywood legend Dirk Bogarde, capturing the milestones and highlights of his life and career.
28-03-2021
BBC 2
David Niven
A retrospective look at television appearances made over the years by Oscar-winning actor David Niven, capturing the milestones and highlights of his life and career.
17-12-2020
BBC 2
Spartacus
Celia Imrie tells the story of the 1960 epic Spartacus, starring Kirk Douglas, revealing how the film, which was then the most expensive of all time, made it onto the big screen ...
07-06-2025
BBC 2
John Wayne
A retrospective look at television appearances made over the years by Hollywood legend John Wayne, capturing the milestones and highlights of his life and career.
19-10-2025
BBC 2
War Stories
Celia Imrie takes us on a journey through the BBC’s archives for an in-depth look at the continuing power and importance of war films. It’s an exploration which take ...
03-01-2022
BBC 2
Jane Fonda
As double-Oscar winner Jane Fonda approaches her 80th birthday, Sylvia Syms explores the BBC archives for a look back at the life of one of Hollywood's most successful and contr ...
06-04-2020
BBC 2
Dames
Celia Imrie takes a look at some of the leading ladies who’ve proved time and again, year after year, that they are amongst the very best of British talent. These are our ...
08-12-2024
BBC 2
Alec Guinness
A retrospective look at television appearances made over the years by Alec Guinness, capturing the milestones and highlights of his life and career.
05-06-2024
BBC 2
Film’s Family Favourites
From Harry Potter, Mary Poppins and Paddington to Indiana Jones, E.T. and Back to the Future – join Celia Imrie as we go bobbing along through the beautiful, briny BBC arc ...
17-07-2022
BBC 2