Doc talk: Ken Burns kicks off New Year with Tournament of Roses honor

Emmy winner becomes first documentary filmmaker to serve as Grand Marshal of the famed parade

Filmmaker Ken Burn. Photo via Tournamentofroses.com

Documentary legend Ken Burns has won more than a dozen Emmys, a couple of Grammys and earned a pair of Oscar nominations. But the honor he received today is one for the record books.

The filmmaker behind The Civil War, Baseball, The Roosevelts: An Intimate History, and Mark Twain, among many other docs, served as Grand Marshal of the 127th Rose Parade in Pasadena, California.

It's the first time a documentarian has been accorded such recognition. [David L. Wolper served as co-Grand Marshal in 1999 and although he produced a number of documentaries during his career, he was mainly known for his work in the narrative realm].

Glad I got to see my Civil War video idol Ken Burns. @Coach_RicRad #RoseParade pic.twitter.com/6GC0x9pCvL

— Alex Cappel (@alexcappel) January 2, 2016

The selection of Burns as Grand Marshal fit the theme of this year's parade: "Find Your Adventure," described as a "unique partnership" between the Pasadena Tournament of Roses and the U.S. National Park Service. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the park system; Burns celebrated the beauty and history of the parks in his 2009 documentary series The National Parks: America's Best Idea. 

​Burns appeared in a short video after his selection as Grand Marshal was announced.

Burn’s next film, on baseball legend Jackie Robinson, will air on PBS in April.