His love for parks began at the age of nine when his family took a vacation to the Badlands, Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, Dinosaur National Monument, and Rocky Mountain National Park. America’s Best Idea won two Emmys – one for best nonfiction series and one for best writing!ĭuncan first had the idea to showcase the story of the National Park system while on a cross-country vacation with his children in 1998.

Duncan wrote and co-produced the 12-hour mini-series in which the birth of national parks is traced from the mid-1800s and follows the evolution of park creation over the course of 150 years.

National Recreation Trails (NRT) Databaseĭayton Duncan has been a writer and filmmaker for over 20 years and is Ken Burns’ producing partner for The National Parks: America’s Best Idea documentary.

Not for Ourselves Alone: The Story of Elizabeth Cady Stanton & Susan B.

Lewis & Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery (1997).

Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio (1991).

The Shakers: Hands to Work, Hearts to God (1984).

He and his wife Dianne have two children. He was also involved in Burns' series The Civil War, Baseball and Jazz.ĭayton co-wrote Stephen Ives's Erik Barnouw Award-winning documentary series The West.ĭuncan is a resident of Walpole, New Hampshire. In 1998, President Clinton appointed him chair of the American Heritage Rivers Advisory Committee and Secretary of Interior Bruce Babbitt appointed him as a director of the National Park Foundation.ĭayton wrote and co-produced the Ken Burns-directed documentaries Lewis & Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery, Mark Twain, Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip, Country Music and The National Parks: America's Best Idea. In 1984, he served as deputy national press secretary for Walter Mondale's presidential campaign, and in 1988, as national press secretary for Michael Dukakis's presidential campaign. He is best known for his collaborations with documentary maker Ken Burns.īorn and raised in Indianola, Iowa, Duncan graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1971 with a degree in German literature and was also a fellow at Harvard's Shorenstein Center for Press, Politics and Public Policy.ĭuncan served as Chief of Staff to New Hampshire governor Hugh Gallen until the latter's death in 1982. Dayton Duncan (born September 3, 1949) is an American screenwriter, producer and former political aide.

The national parks dayton duncan