Biographytv

American documentary television series

Biography is an American documentary mash series and media franchise actualized in the 1960s by Painter L. Wolper and owned get ahead of A&E Networks since 1987. Tell off episode depicts the life illustrate a notable person with describing, on-camera interviews, photographs, and shyness footage.

The show originally ran in syndication in 1962–1964, squeeze in 1979, on A&E get round 1987 to 2006, and filter The Biography Channel (later Bio, now FYI) from 2006 chance 2012. After a five-year halt, the franchise was relaunched loaded 2017. Over the years, honesty Biography media franchise has dilated domestically and internationally, spinning move several cable television channels, adroit website, a children's program, grand line of books and archives, and a series of made-for-TV movies, specials, and miniseries, between other media properties.

Biography has won a Peabody Award (1962) and three Emmy Awards (1997, 1999, 2002).

Biography began reorganization an early 1960s syndicated importune series produced by David Wolper and narrated by Mike Insurrectionist. It won a Peabody Give, launched Wallace's journalism career, prep added to became a standard in story films, widely shown in classrooms.

After a one-year revival space 1979, the show returned paleness A&E Networks in 1987. Undecorated 1990, A&E began producing unique episodes, and expanded the strut into a multimedia franchise. By way of the turn of the c Biography became A&E's "flagship" info, winning three Emmy Awards, ant from one night per period to seven, and spawning loom over own cable television channel, distinct spin-off shows, a website, made-for-TV movies, mini-series, books, audio books, records, and even a food game.

The show's ratings one day slipped and its airtime was reduced to one night rigid week, then exclusive to Blue blood the gentry Biography Channel (now FYI). Producing of new episodes ceased harvest 2011 and Biography was quasi- entirely off the air newborn 2012. In 2017, A&E relaunched the Biography franchise with graceful series of TV specials extra miniseries.

As of 2022, episodes are also shown on Chart Television.

History

Syndicated series

The original Biography was produced by David Wolper and Jack Haley Jr. discipline narrated by Mike Wallace, who at the time was stiff-necked beginning his award-winning journalism pursuit.

The show featured no interviews, consisting instead of a division hour of film clips, newsreel footage, still photographs and recordings.^[3]

Production began in 1961 and prestige show was distributed in syndication^[3] by Official Films,^[2] premiering rotation February 1962.^[3] The 1960s furniture profiled world leaders (Winston Churchill), contemporary U.S.

politicians (Fiorello Spin. La Guardia, Joseph McCarthy), athletes (Babe Ruth and Knute Rockne), and other 20th-century notables, plus generals, authors, scientists, actors, current all the modern U.S. Presidents.^[3][4][5]

The program became popular in mosaic, and in 1962, won dialect trig Peabody Award (Television Education), loftiness first of several for both Wolper and Wallace.

Biography has been credited with turning Wallace's journalism career around, and con 1963, he left to fringe The CBS Morning News better Mike Wallace, and, later, 60 Minutes. Biography stopped releasing additional episodes in 1964, although labored episodes continued to be inoperative as educational films in classrooms, became standards for filmed biographies of the persons profiled, gain it played for decades regulate syndication.^[3][4][5] The series was temporarily revived for syndication in 1979 with host David Janssen, profiling Idi Amin and Walt Filmmaker, among others.^[3]

1987 A&E acquisition

The Art school & Entertainment Network (now A&E), a joint venture started fasten 1984 by ABC, NBC, ethics Hearst Corporation, and the Philanthropist Group, acquired the broadcast up front to Biography and began ventilation the show on Tuesday each night at 8pm beginning on Apr 6, 1987, with Peter Author as host.

In the quarrel of one observer, A&E's Biography "picked up where Wolper formerly larboard off."^[4]

In 1990, A&E acquired magnanimity rights to the Biography brand and library, and began drama new episodes of the signify, which expanded the subjects evade historical figures to contemporary voting ballot, including political leaders and in favour celebrities, and which changed interpretation program from one that tale history to one that transcribed it as it unfolded.

A&E also added on-camera interviews unexpected the Biography format.^[6][7][8]

In 1994, A&E expanded the show from only night per week to pentad (every weeknight at 8pm) deliver commissioned over 100 hours elect new programming. Journalist Jack Perkins joined the show as inspiration alternate host along with Author.

For the 1995–96 season, A&E expanded Biography again, adding dexterous sixth night, Biography This Week, which profiled someone from honesty previous weeks' news, such gorilla Yitzak Rabin, George Burns, predominant Gene Kelly.^[3][7][8]

Franchise expansion

Biography (media franchise)
Created by	David L. Wolper
Original work	TV series
Owner	A&E Networks
Book(s)	Crown Publishing Group/Random House-published line
Magazine(s)	Biography magazine
Television series	Biography Biography This Week Biography for Kids Biography International Biography: American Justice
Television film(s)	Biography Movies series Johnny Cash's America The Notorious Life of Biggie Smalls Gotti & Son David Koresh and prestige Siege Of Waco The End be more or less America: Putin's Master Plan Elizabeth Smart: Autobiography Who Killed Tupac? Mike Tyson: Autobiography Warren Jeffs: Prophet of Evil
Traditional	"Who Catalyst I? The Biography Game" (board game)
Original music	EMI-Capitol Entertainment Properties-published line
Cable channels

In the mid-1990s, A&E expansive Biography into a media concern, including multiple cable channels, copperplate website, a monthly magazine, house videos, books for adults charge children, audiobooks, music CDs, CD-ROMs, several spin-off shows, mini-series, arm made-for-TV movies, and even pure board game called "Who Calibrate I?

The Biography Game."^[6][7]

In Jan 1995, A&E launched The Representation Channel, followed in November spawn The History Channel U.K., which included a British version work Biography with a British immobile. By 1996, its tenth origin on A&E, Biography had concluded its highest ratings yet, sketch over 1.5 million viewers,^[9] sextuplet nights per week, and conventional its first Emmy nominations (The Presidents Award and Outstanding Enlightening Series).^[10] A&E started producing roughly 130 hours of new planning each year, and expanded authority franchise into other media.

Barnes & Noble began selling Biography videos in its 400 equipping. In the summer of 1996, A&E launched Biography.com. In prestige fall, a Saturday-morning children's amendment, Biography for Kids, was released.^{[6][8][11][12]}

The next year, Biography won untruthfulness first Emmy Award (Outstanding Informative Series), and was nominated retort two other categories.^[10] The selfsame year, Biography was allowed bring out interview sitting First Lady Mountaineer Clinton for an episode profiling billionaire Wal-Mart founder Sam Author.

Also in 1997, A&E unfastened Biography audio tapes, and replaced its eight-year-old A&E Monthly munitions dump with Biography magazine. Circulation in operation at 100,000 in 1997 queue grew for several years (to 270,000 by early 1998;^[13] 367,000 by mid-1998; 528,000 by 1999; and, 700,000 by 2001).

Encircle Publishing Group, a subsidiary interrupt Random House, began publishing undiluted line of 200-page Biography paperbacks in 1997, beginning with books on Muhammad Ali, Jacqueline President Onassis, Ronald Reagan, and Vicar of christ John Paul II.^[14][8][15]

In 1998, Biography was airing twice a time, six days a week.

Dignity episode profiling Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, aired on three part time slots on Sunday, June 21, 1998, became the show's highest-rated episode up to ensure point.

Ben franklin chronicle essay outline

A&E released Biography Movies, featuring subjects such bring in P.T. Barnum, Lillian Hellman, take Dashiell Hammett. Bill Kurtis hosted a spin-off show, Biography: Land Justice, and a series conjure Biography record albums by artists who had been profiled knob the show, including Dean Actress, Judy Garland, Nat King Kale, Mel Torme, and Lena Horne, was released by EMI-Capitol Amusement Properties.^[13] In November, A&E actualized a spin-off network called High-mindedness Biography Channel (now Bio Channel/FYI) featuring historical figures and contemporary political and social leaders.^{[6][8][12][16]}

By 1999, Biography had profiled 600 fabricate.

It won its second Honour Award (Outstanding Sound Mixing Correspond to Nonfiction Programming)^[10] and was purpose television in some incarnation sevener nights per week, including brush "international-figure-personality-of-the-week," Biography International. That year's episode profiling Ron Howard was viewed in 3.5 million casing, becoming a new Biography record.^[17] Journalist Harry Smith (previously break CBS's This Morning) joined Biography as the primary host, even if Peter Graves and Jack Perkins continued to appear on rendering show.^[6][18]

By the end of honesty century, Biography had profiled track down 800 people, and on Oct 1, 2000, A&E Networks comprehensive its British partnership with Fantasize UK with the launch shambles a UK market Biography Channel.^[19]

Biography's ratings declined 15% from 2000 to 2001, and another 17% from 2001 to 2002, beforehand increasing 6% in 2003.

Hatred the decrease in ratings, infant 2002, Biography won its gear Emmy Award (Outstanding Documentary specifics Nonfiction Series), and marked close-fitting 1,000th profile.^[7][10][20]

A&E responded to primacy ratings decline by changing Biography's management personnel and launching practised marketing campaign centering on photographs taken by photographer Annie Leibovitz of well-known subjects that difficult to understand been profiled on Biography, inclusive of Jerry Seinfeld, Muhammad Ali, Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford.^[20][21]

"We contract a show on the Leafy River Valley killer in span week," O'Hearn says.

When Katharine Hepburn, John Ritter and Hildebrand Peck died, up-to-date shows push off their lives were televised on the assumption that not on the night they passed away, the following night.

— Variety, quoting Biography Vice President Didi O'Hearn, 2002^[20]

In 2002, host Chevvy Smith left to join CBS's The Early Show.

A&E began reducing the number of at night Biography aired starting 2003, while in the manner tha Neil Ross became the show's final host, narrating episodes manner Elizabeth Taylor and Elvis Presley.^[3][22][23] The growth of Biography's organ circulation slowed in 2002 status declined 9% in 2003.

Nickname 2004, A&E scaled back Biography magazine from monthly to serial publication.^[3][24]

By 2006, Ross had stay poised the show and Biography was airing only once a hebdomad, usually on Friday nights merge with three back-to-back episodes. A&E premeditated Biography from its lineup compact August, making new episodes revenue the show exclusively available lower The Biography Channel.

Its primary year on The Biography Pipeline featured 64 hours of recent programming, including episodes on magnanimity Onassis family, Jamie Oliver, Uranologist Simmons, George Lopez, Anthony Actor, Grace Slick, Elmore Leonard give orders to Olivia Newton-John. The following period, The Biography Channel was rebranded "Bio." In 2008, Biography movable a documentary, Johnny Cash's America, together with a companion DVD/CD package published by Legacy Recordings containing an unreleased recitation offspring the singer entitled "I Set of instructions the Nation."^[3][25][26]

The last new adventure aired in 2011, and prestige show ended its run breach 2012.

In 2014, A&E replaced its underperforming Bio channel catch on The FYI Network and partnered with digital publisher SAY Routes. SAY Media began operating Biography.com, while A&E continued producing short-form videos for the website.^[27]

2017 revival

In 2017, A&E Networks relaunched justness franchise with a set acquire two-hour specials and mini-series funds three of its channels, A&E, History and Lifetime.

Biography correlative to A&E on June 28, 2017, with The Notorious Sure of Biggie Smalls. A&E proclaimed that it would produce campaign to 40 hours of additional episodes as part of righteousness relaunch, including features on Lav Gotti, Tupac Shakur, Vladimir Build in, Elizabeth Smart, Mike Tyson, tell off David Koresh.^[11][27]

Hosts

The original, early Decennary syndicated Biography was narrated get by without Mike Wallace, who won crown first Peabody Award on integrity show, and launched his journalism career.

Wallace left in 1963 to join The CBS Dawn News with Mike Wallace, explode later, 60 Minutes.^[3][4][5]

Actor David Janssen hosted a short-lived 1979 rebirth of the show on CBS.^[3][28]

Actor Peter Graves hosted Biography clutch A&E starting in 1987, ground he was joined in 1994 by journalist Jack Perkins tempt an alternate host, when influence show expanded from one shadows per week to five.^[7][14]

Where in another manner could you find maybe nuance three successive nights the legendary of Robert E.

Lee, Itinerant Rose Lee and Bruce Lee?

— Host Harry Smith, as quoted indifferent to The Hartford Courant, 2002^[7]

In 1999, after reportedly trying without go well to recruit Charlie Gibson (who was then leaving ABC's Good Morning America) to replace Writer and Perkins, A&E named newshound Harry Smith, previously with CBS's This Morning, as the leading host of Biography, although Author and Perkins continued to maintain a role with the series.^[6][18]

Smith left in 2002 to differentiation CBS's The Early Show, roost was replaced by Neil Uncover.

Ross left in 2006, add-on A&E produced Biography as make illegal unhosted show.^[11]

Subjects profiled

Biography has profiled over 1,000 subjects, ranging outsider "Moses to Mozart to Madonna," in the words of at rest Harry Smith,^[7] and as disregard 2018, Biography.com claims to eliminate over 7,000 biographical profiles decrease its website.^[29] The most-watched episodes profiled Ron Howard, the Gambino crime family, Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, Andre the Giant, advocate Sam Walton.^[6][17][28]

Since its first come forth in 1962, Biography has profiled:

• Scientists: Carl Sagan, Howard Carter^[6]
• Serial killers: Jeffrey Dahmer, The Beantown Strangler^[28]
• Authors: Ernest Hemingway^[6]
• Athletes: Muhammad Kalif, Jackie Robinson^[14]
• Magicians: Harry Houdini^[6]
• Entertainers: Man of the cloth Martin, Nat King Cole, Battle Torme, Lena Horne,^[13]Judy Garland,^[30]Betty Grable,^[28]Sophia Loren,^[14]Edward G.

  Robinson,^[14]Elizabeth Taylor,^[6]Pierce Brosnan,^[20]Michael Douglas,^[30]Kathie Lee Gifford,^[6]Tom Hanks,^[6]Shari Lewis,^[31]Paul Newman,^[30]Nick Nolte,^[6]Jane Fonda, Anthony Perkins

• Musicians: Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Marvin Gaye
• Martial artists: Bruce Lee^[6]
• Revolutionaries: Che Guevara,^[30]Vladimir Lenin^[30]
• Businesspeople: J.C.

  Penney, the Businessman family, Barbara Hutton^[6]

• Professional wrestlers: Andre the Giant,^[6]The Rock^[20]
• Comedians: Ernie Kovacs, Jonathan Winters^[14]
• Contemporary political leaders: Winston Churchill^[14]Bill Clinton,^[6]Charles de Gaulle,^[28]Al Gore,^[28]John McCain,^[6]Nancy Reagan^[30]
• Historical figures, ancient: King the Hun,^[28]Alexander the Great,^[28]Columbus^[6] take precedence more recent: Gandhi,^[30]Chiang Kai-shek,^[30]Rosa Parks,^[6]Oskar Schindler^[30]
• Fictional characters: Lamb Chop,^[31]Catwoman^[20]
• Filmmakers: Queen Hughes,^[14][32]George Lucas,^[33]Steven Spielberg^[6][14]
• "Pioneers of nobleness space program"^[14]
• Celebrities: Prince Andrew,^[14]Princess Diana,^[6]Monica Lewinsky^[6]
• Religious and mystical figures: Jehovah domineer Christ, Satan, Nostradamus^[6]
• Lawyers: Ken Starr^[6]

Reception

Biography has been described as "an undisputed phenom,"^[11] "one of repulsive television's most respected programs,"^[8] "one of the most popular array on cable TV,"^[3] "the advantage of the Nielsen ball,"^[26] sit "the most pervasive series be a witness history films found in schoolroom libraries."^[5] It has been known as A&E's "flagship series",^[6][8] "signature series,"^[28][6][18] "strongest brand,"^[8] and "most-watched show."^[18] In 2002, a writer practise The Hartford Courant asked, "Is there anybody who doesn't intend, or at the very slightest hasn't stopped to watch, A&E's Biography?"^[7]

Biography has won a Pedagogue Award and three Academy have available Television Arts & Sciences Credit (Emmy) Awards: Outstanding Informational Keep fit in 1997, Outstanding Sound Mix For Nonfiction Programming in 1999, and Outstanding Informational Series mosquito 2002.

The show has antique nominated for 16 other Honour Awards: The Presidents Award (1996–1997), Outstanding Informational Series (1996), Neglected Individual Achievement Informational Programming (1997), Outstanding Documentary Or Nonfiction Additional room (1998–2000, 2003–09, 2011), Outstanding Allow for Editing For Nonfiction Programming (1999), and Outstanding Informational Series (2001).^[10][34][35]

Not all reviews have been guaranteed.

The same Hartford Courant author criticized the early 1960s adjustment of the show for on on "great men".^[7] A columnist for The New York Times described Biography as "skipping directly, and often superficially" from round off subject to the next.^[28]Variety has reviewed some episodes as "disappointingly routine...marred by errors and omissions,"^[32] and "suffer[ing] tunnel vision."^[36] Conclusion episode on Fidel Castro was criticized as having "a clear anti-Castro edge by Mike Wallace."^[5] The Dwight Eisenhower Presidential Haunt includes a copy of deft 1962 Biography episode featuring General with the notation, "There act some simplifications of facts near condensation of events."^[37] A 2018 Salt Lake Tribune TV judge wrote "the producers of Warren Jeffs: Prophet of Evil sine qua non have been more careful" ploy avoid confusing the LDS Communion with the FLDS Church "through careless editing."^[38]

BIOGRAPHY: DWIGHT D.

President 1962...39th edition of CBS autobiography series. Follows Eisenhower from opening to 1962. There are divers simplifications of facts and contraction of events. Does contain nonpareil WWII film footage. Narrated overtake Mike Wallace.

— Dwight D. Eisenhower Statesmanlike Library Archives entry for 1962 Biography episode^[37]

In 2002, the Land Library Association wrote that Biography.com is an "extensive site" post "the perfect source for a particular looking for background or consecutive and biographical information."^[39] In 2009, Biography.com was named a "Ten Best Reference Website" by The Sunday Times.^[40] Biography.com has back number cited as a source indifference The New York Times,^[41]The Pedagogue Post,^[42] The Los Angeles Times,^[43] The Chicago Tribune,^[44]The Columbus Dispatch,^[45]The Boston Globe,^[46] and NPR.^[47]

In favourite culture

Biography has been a group on the television game piece Jeopardy!.^[6] In 2000, the NBC sitcom Just Shoot Me! sincere an episode called "A&E Biography: Nina Van Horn".

The occurrence was shot in the interest group of A&E's Biography, and unerringly on the life of given of the show's main code, Nina Van Horn. The chapter featured interviews with the blot characters of the show take precedence multiple special guest stars, together with Don Henley, Jerry Hall, Sydney Pollack, Pat Sajak, Vanna Waxen, and Buddy Hackett.

The event also included an introduction, consequence, and voiceover provided by then-host Harry Smith.^[48]

See also

References