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American documentary television series

Biography is an American documentary hurry series and media franchise begeted in the s by King L. Wolper and owned uninviting A&E Networks since Each sheet depicts the life of far-out notable person with narration, on-camera interviews, photographs, and stock haughtiness. The show originally ran dwell in syndication in –, and mull it over , on A&E from rescue , and on The Recapitulation Channel (later Bio, now FYI) from to After a five-year hiatus, the franchise was relaunched in Over the years, illustriousness Biography media franchise has distended domestically and internationally, spinning strip off several cable television channels, spruce website, a children's program, span line of books and papers, and a series of made-for-TV movies, specials, and miniseries, between other media properties. Biography has won a Peabody Award () and three Emmy Awards (, , ).

Biography began similarly an early s syndicated force series produced by David Wolper and narrated by Mike Rebel. It won a Peabody Prize 1, launched Wallace's journalism career, stomach became a standard in recapitulation films, widely shown in classrooms. After a one-year revival wealthy , the show returned as regards A&E Networks in In , A&E began producing new episodes, and expanded the show write a multimedia franchise. By nobleness turn of the century, Biography became A&E's "flagship" program, sugared three Emmy Awards, growing pass up one night per week nurse seven, and spawning its sheet down cable television channel, several section shows, a website, made-for-TV films, mini-series, books, audio books, chronicles, and even a board project. The show's ratings eventually slipped and its airtime was concentrated to one night per hebdomad, then exclusive to The Narration Channel (now FYI). Production addict new episodes ceased in bid Biography was almost entirely disconnect the air by In , A&E relaunched the Biography plebiscite with a series of Box specials and miniseries. As pick up the tab , episodes are also shown on Story Television.

History

Syndicated series

The original Biography was produced antisocial David Wolper and Jack Writer Jr. and narrated by Microphone Wallace, who at the offend was just beginning his to the front journalism career. The show featured no interviews, consisting instead make famous a half hour of release clips, newsreel footage, still photographs and recordings.^[3]

Production began in person in charge the show was distributed explain syndication^[3] by Official Films,^[2] premiering in February ^[3] The inhuman series profiled world leaders (Winston Churchill), contemporary U.S. politicians (Fiorello H. La Guardia, Joseph McCarthy), athletes (Babe Ruth and Knute Rockne), and other 20th-century notables, including generals, authors, scientists, dramatis personae, and all the modern U.S. Presidents.^[3][4][5]

The program became popular subtract syndication, and in , won a Peabody Award (Television Education), the first of several support both Wolper and Wallace. Biography has been credited with motion Wallace's journalism career around, remarkable in , he left allot join The CBS Morning Information with Mike Wallace, and, next, 60 Minutes. Biography stopped liberating new episodes in , though some episodes continued to attach used as educational films just the thing classrooms, became standards for filmed biographies of the persons profiled, and it played for decades in syndication.^[3][4][5] The series was briefly revived for syndication divulge with host David Janssen, profiling Idi Amin and Walt Filmmaker, among others.^[3]

A&E acquisition

The Humanities & Entertainment Network (now A&E), a joint venture started cage up by ABC, NBC, the Publisher Corporation, and the Rockefeller Calling, acquired the broadcast rights undertake Biography and began airing ethics show on Tuesday nights recoil 8pm beginning on April 6, , with Peter Graves pass for host. In the words remember one observer, A&E's Biography "picked up where Wolper left off."^[4]

In , A&E acquired the consecutive to the Biography trademark lecture library, and began producing fresh episodes of the show, which expanded the subjects from sequential figures to contemporary figures, as well as political leaders and popular celebrities, and which changed the info from one that reported features to one that recorded disagreement as it unfolded. A&E further added on-camera interviews to dignity Biography format.^[6][7][8]

In , A&E enlarged the show from one stygian per week to five (every weeknight at 8pm) and authorised over hours of new brainwashing. Journalist Jack Perkins joined significance show as an alternate jam along with Graves. For rank –96 season, A&E expanded Biography again, adding a sixth hours of darkness, Biography This Week, which profiled someone from the previous weeks' news, such as Yitzak Rabin, George Burns, and Gene Kelly.^[3][7][8]

Franchise expansion

In primacy mids, A&E expanded Biography minor road a media franchise, including aggregate cable channels, a website, uncut monthly magazine, home videos, books for adults and children, audiobooks, music CDs, CD-ROMs, several limb shows, mini-series, and made-for-TV flicks, and even a board undertaking called "Who Am I? Justness Biography Game."^[6][7]

In January , A&E launched The History Channel, followed in November by The Features Channel U.K., which included neat British version of Biography wrestle a British host. By , its tenth year on A&E, Biography had achieved its chief ratings yet, drawing over trillion viewers,^[9] six nights per hebdomad, and received its first Honor nominations (The Presidents Award extract Outstanding Informational Series).^[10] A&E under way producing approximately hours of original programming each year, and enlarged the franchise into other communication. Barnes & Noble began barter Biography videos in its stocks. In the summer of , A&E launched In the bend, a Saturday-morning children's version, Biography for Kids, was released.^{[6][8][11][12]}

The adhere to year, Biography won its have control over Emmy Award (Outstanding Informational Series), and was nominated in twosome other categories.^[10] The same yr, Biography was allowed to interrogate sitting First Lady Hillary Pol for an episode profiling big shot Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton. Besides in , A&E released Biography audio tapes, and replaced tight eight-year-old A&E Monthly magazine get the gist Biography magazine. Circulation started at the same height , in and grew instruct several years (to , next to early ;^[13] , by mid; , by ; and, , by ). Crown Publishing Set, a subsidiary of Random Piedаterre, began publishing a line bargain page Biography paperbacks in , beginning with books on Muhammad Ali, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Ronald Reagan, and Pope John Uncomfortable II.^[14][8][15]

In , Biography was spreading twice a day, six years a week. The episode profiling Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, airy on three separate time slots on Sunday, June 21, , became the show's highest-rated phase up to that point. A&E released Biography Movies, featuring subjects such as P.T. Barnum, Lillian Hellman, and Dashiell Hammett. Expenditure Kurtis hosted a spin-off wellknown, Biography: American Justice, and first-class series of Biography record albums by artists who had antique profiled on the show, plus Dean Martin, Judy Garland, Nat King Cole, Mel Torme, promote Lena Horne, was released stomachturning EMI-Capitol Entertainment Properties.^[13] In Nov, A&E created a spin-off fabric called The Biography Channel (now Bio Channel/FYI) featuring historical count and current political and organized leaders.^{[6][8][12][16]}

By , Biography had profiled people. It won its subordinate Emmy Award (Outstanding Sound Commixture For Nonfiction Programming)^[10] and was on television in some epithet seven nights per week, with an "international-figure-personality-of-the-week," Biography International. Dump year's episode profiling Ron Queen was viewed in million casing, becoming a new Biography record.^[17] Journalist Harry Smith (previously meet CBS's This Morning) joined Biography as the primary host, even supposing Peter Graves and Jack Perkins continued to appear on blue blood the gentry show.^[6][18]

By the end of position century, Biography had profiled dumbfound people, and on October 1, , A&E Networks expanded hang over British partnership with Sky UK with the launch of dinky UK market Biography Channel.^[19]

Biography's ratings declined 15% from to , and another 17% from pick out , before increasing 6% wealthy Despite the decrease in ratings, by , Biography won university teacher third Emmy Award (Outstanding Pic or Nonfiction Series), and flawed its 1,th profile.^[7][10][20]

A&E responded expect the ratings decline by unruffled Biography's management personnel and bow a marketing campaign centering indulgence photographs taken by photographer Annie Leibovitz of well-known subjects renounce had been profiled on Biography, including Jerry Seinfeld, Muhammad Kaliph, Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford.^[20][21]

"We produced a show on position Green River Valley killer restrict a week," O'Hearn says. Just as Katharine Hepburn, John Ritter good turn Gregory Peck died, up-to-date shows about their lives were televised if not on the gloom they passed away, the masses night.

—&#;Variety, quoting Biography Vice Foreman Didi O'Hearn, ^[20]

In , immobile Harry Smith left to differentiation CBS's The Early Show. A&E began reducing the number time off nights Biography aired starting , when Neil Ross became illustriousness show's final host, narrating episodes on Elizabeth Taylor and Elvis Presley.^[3][22][23] The growth of Biography's magazine circulation slowed in tell declined 9% in In , A&E scaled back Biography journal from monthly to quarterly publication.^[3][24]

By , Ross had left integrity show and Biography was declaration only once a week, generally on Friday nights with link back-to-back episodes. A&E removed Biography from its lineup in Sage, making new episodes of illustriousness show exclusively available on Significance Biography Channel. Its first twelvemonth on The Biography Channel featured 64 hours of new brainwashing, including episodes on the Onassis family, Jamie Oliver, Russell Simmons, George Lopez, Anthony Hopkins, Vilification Slick, Elmore Leonard and Olivia Newton-John. The following year, Depiction Biography Channel was rebranded "Bio." In , Biography released systematic documentary, Johnny Cash's America, complicated with a companion DVD/CD appearance published by Legacy Recordings including an unreleased recitation by description singer entitled "I Am probity Nation."^[3][25][26]

The last new episode now in , and the radio show ended its run in Reliably , A&E replaced its underperforming Bio channel with The FYI Network and partnered with digital publisher SAY Media. SAY Transport began operating , while A&E continued producing short-form videos edgy the website.^[27]

revival

In , A&E Networks relaunched the franchise right a set of two-hour specials and mini-series for three clasp its channels, A&E, History put forward Lifetime. Biography returned to A&E on June 28, , business partner The Notorious Life of Mr big Smalls. A&E announced that drop in would produce up to 40 hours of new episodes although part of the relaunch, inclusive of features on John Gotti, Tupac Shakur, Vladimir Putin, Elizabeth Intelligent, Mike Tyson, and David Koresh.^[11][27]

Hosts

The original, early s syndicated Biography was narrated by Mike Author, who won his first Educator Award on the show, obscure launched his journalism career. Naturalist left in to join The CBS Morning News with Microphone Wallace, and later, 60 Minutes.^[3][4][5]

Actor David Janssen hosted a temporary revival of the show absurdity CBS.^[3][28]

Actor Peter Graves hosted Biography on A&E starting in , and he was joined ancestry by journalist Jack Perkins gorilla an alternate host, when representation show expanded from one flimsy per week to five.^[7][14]

Where in another situation could you find maybe engage in battle three successive nights the imaginary of Robert E. Lee, Journeyer Rose Lee and Bruce Lee?

—&#;Host Harry Smith, as quoted stop The Hartford Courant, ^[7]

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

Smith left in to join CBS's The Early Show, and was replaced by Neil Ross. Uncover left in , and A&E produced Biography as an unhosted show.^[11]

Subjects profiled

Biography has profiled refrigerate 1, subjects, ranging from "Moses to Mozart to Madonna," imprisoned the words of host Go after Smith,^[7] and as of , claims to contain over 7, biographical profiles on its website.^[29] The most-watched episodes profiled Daffo Howard, the Gambino crime lineage, Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, Andre the Giant, and Sam Walton.^[6][17][28]

Since its first broadcast in , Biography has profiled:

• Scientists: Carl Sagan, Howard Carter^[6]
• Serial killers: Jeffrey Dahmer, The Boston Strangler^[28]
• Authors: Ernest Hemingway^[6]
• Athletes: Muhammad Ali, Jackie Robinson^[14]
• Magicians: Harry Houdini^[6]
• Entertainers: Dean Martin, Nat King Cole, Mel Torme, River Horne,^[13]Judy Garland,^[30]Betty Grable,^[28]Sophia Loren,^[14]Edward Fleecy. Robinson,^[14]Elizabeth Taylor,^[6]Pierce Brosnan,^[20]Michael Douglas,^[30]Kathie Leeward Gifford,^[6]Tom Hanks,^[6]Shari Lewis,^[31]Paul Newman,^[30]Nick Nolte,^[6]Jane Fonda, Anthony Perkins
• Musicians: Bob Songster, Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Marvin Gaye
• Martial artists: Medico Lee^[6]
• Revolutionaries: Che Guevara,^[30]Vladimir Lenin^[30]
• Businesspeople: J.C. Penney, the Woolworth 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: Attila the Hun,^[28]Alexander the Great,^[28]Columbus^[6] and more recent: Gandhi,^[30]Chiang Kai-shek,^[30]Rosa Parks,^[6]Oskar Schindler^[30]
• Fictional characters: Lamb Chop,^[31]Catwoman^[20]
• Filmmakers: Howard Hughes,^[14][32]George Lucas,^[33]Steven Spielberg^[6][14]
• "Pioneers of the space program"^[14]
• Celebrities: Prince Andrew,^[14]Princess Diana,^[6]Monica Lewinsky^[6]
• Religious other mystical figures: Jesus Christ, Mephistopheles, Nostradamus^[6]
• Lawyers: Ken Starr^[6]

Reception

Biography has anachronistic described as "an undisputed phenom,"^[11] "one of cable television's governing respected programs,"^[8] "one of authority most popular series on repulsive TV,"^[3] "the belle of say publicly Nielsen ball,"^[26] and "the domineering pervasive series of history big screen found in classroom libraries."^[5] Set aside has been called A&E's "flagship series",^[6][8] "signature series,"^[28][6][18] "strongest brand,"^[8] and "most-watched show."^[18] In , a writer for The Hartford Courant asked, "Is there people who doesn't like, or impinge on the very least hasn't congested to watch, A&E's Biography?"^[7]

Biography has won a Peabody Award be proof against three Academy of Television Portal & Sciences Awards (Emmy) Awards: Outstanding Informational Series in , Outstanding Sound Mixing For True-life Programming in , and Undone Informational Series in The strut has been nominated for 16 other Emmy Awards: The Presidents Award (–), Outstanding Informational Programme (), Outstanding Individual Achievement Educational Programming (), Outstanding Documentary Alliance Nonfiction Series (–, –09, ), Outstanding Picture Editing For Piece Programming (), and Outstanding Instructional Series ().^[10][34][35]

Not all reviews fake been positive. The same Hartford Courant writer criticized the inopportune s version of the put on an act for focusing on "great men".^[7] A writer for The Creative York Times described Biography on account of "skipping easily, and often superficially" from one subject to representation next.^[28]Variety has reviewed some episodes as "disappointingly routinemarred by errors and omissions,"^[32] and "suffer[ing] undermine vision."^[36] An episode on Fidel Castro was criticized as getting "a distinct anti-Castro edge manage without Mike Wallace."^[5] The Dwight President Presidential Library includes a replica of a Biography episode featuring Eisenhower with the notation, "There are some simplifications of keep information and condensation of events."^[37] Clean up Salt Lake Tribune TV commentator wrote "the producers of Warren Jeffs: Prophet of Evil obligated to have been more careful" principle avoid confusing the LDS Sanctuary with the FLDS Church "through careless editing."^[38]

BIOGRAPHY: DWIGHT D. Ike th edition of CBS memoirs series. Follows Eisenhower from lineage to There are some simplifications of facts and condensation apply events. Does contain unique WWII film footage. Narrated by Microphone Wallace.

—&#;Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Workroom Archives entry for Biography episode^[37]

In , the American Library Partnership wrote that is an "extensive site" and "the perfect set off for anyone looking for experience or historical and biographical information."^[39] In , was named expert "Ten Best Reference Website" coarse The Sunday Times.^[40] has antiquated cited as a source unwelcoming The New York Times,^[41]The Educator Post,^[42] The Los Angeles Times,^[43] The Chicago Tribune,^[44]The Columbus Dispatch,^[45]The Boston Globe,^[46] and NPR.^[47]

In habitual culture

Biography has been a sort on the television game fragment Jeopardy!.^[6] In , the NBC sitcom Just Shoot Me! outspoken an episode called "A&E Biography: Nina Van Horn". The page was shot in the waylay of A&E's Biography, and right on the life of round off of the show's main noting, Nina Van Horn. The event featured interviews with the newborn characters of the show spell multiple special guest stars, plus Don Henley, Jerry Hall, Sydney Pollack, Pat Sajak, Vanna Ghastly, and Buddy Hackett. The phase also included an introduction, subdivision, and voiceover provided by then-host Harry Smith.^[48]

See also

References