Glenn Kirschbaum is a double Emmy Award-winning producer and writer whose career in non-fiction television and documentary filmmaking is defined by a commitment to moral clarity and message-driven storytelling. Over his career, Kirschbaum has overseen dozens of hours of television programming for networks including The History Channel, A&E, Discovery, The Travel Channel, The Weather Channel, and HGTV. Recognizing a major cultural shift in audience preferences, Kirschbaum notes that while the word "documentary" was once viewed as dry or appealing to younger viewers, non-fiction films have grown in popularity as audiences seek out authentic truth in an unpredictable world.
Glenn Kirschbaum and Jeanne Pepper in the PeppTalks Studios October 2026
Kirschbaum’s landmark production, "Adolf Hitler: Man and Myth," earned two national Emmy Awards: a News & Documentary Award for Outstanding Historical/Cultural Programming and a Daytime Emmy Award for Best Writing. While producing the film, Kirschbaum traveled across America and Europe to interview Holocaust survivors, Nazi hunter Simon Wiesenthal, and surviving members of Hitler’s inner circle. A key moment from the film was an interview with Abe Foxman, former National Director of the Anti-Defamation League, who stated: "The crematoria at Auschwitz did not begin with bricks. They began with words. And it was the absence of words, the fact that nobody stood up and said, 'That’s not true. It’s a lie. It’s idiots' that also allowed those words to build crematoria." This statement became Kirschbaum’s guiding principle across all subsequent projects. Reflecting on the 1989 film’s original conclusion—that a Holocaust could not occur in America due to its diversity—Kirschbaum has observed how misinformation spread across social media can be accepted as truth by people from all backgrounds, underscoring the vital role of truth-focused media.
In addition to historical programming, Kirschbaum focuses on films designed to raise awareness and foster social connection. He served as writer for the acclaimed 92-minute biographical documentary "Remembering Gene Wilder," directed by Ron Frank. The film celebrates the iconic actor’s life, comedic genius, and body of work, while bringing vital public awareness to Alzheimer’s disease through partnerships and support from pharmaceutical companies, Alzheimer's organizations, the Alzheimer's Association, and the BrightFocus Foundation. Kirschbaum’s script expertly weaves together archival footage, home movies, Wilder’s audiobook narration, and interviews with famous collaborators—including Mel Brooks, Alan Alda, Carol Kane, Rain Pryor, Harry Connick Jr., and Wilder’s wife, Karen Wilder. The film went on to win widespread festival acclaim, including Best Overall Documentary at the Newport Beach Film Festival and multiple Audience Awards across the country.
Looking ahead, Kirschbaum and his creative partner are preparing a documentary centered on the unexpected friendship between Muhammad Ali and Howard Cosell, exploring the bond between a Black Muslim athlete and a White Jewish broadcaster to address themes of unity in a divided world.
Beyond his work behind the camera, Kirschbaum serves on the Board of Directors for The Lange Foundation, a pet adoption and animal welfare organization based in Los Angeles. Through its Intervention Program, representatives stationed outside Los Angeles County shelters assist pet owners en route to surrendering animals, offering support and funding necessary services to keep pets out of shelters and in loving homes. For Kirschbaum, providing direct aid to animals and pet owners offers immediate, fulfilling community impact alongside the long-term process of documentary filmmaking.
