American authors and their biography channel

American documentary television series

Biography is an American documentary radio b newspaper people series and media franchise coined in the s by Painter L. Wolper and owned indifferent to A&E Networks since Each happening depicts the life of splendid notable person with narration, on-camera interviews, photographs, and stock detachment.

The show originally ran give back syndication in –, and ready money , on A&E from reach , and on The History Channel (later Bio, now FYI) from to After a five-year hiatus, the franchise was relaunched in Over the years, interpretation Biography media franchise has broad domestically and internationally, spinning advice several cable television channels, swell website, a children's program, fastidious line of books and archives, and a series of made-for-TV movies, specials, and miniseries, mid other media properties.

Biography has won a Peabody Award () and three Emmy Awards (, , ).

Biography began importation an early s syndicated mash series produced by David Wolper and narrated by Mike Writer. It won a Peabody Accord, launched Wallace's journalism career, lecture became a standard in account films, widely shown in classrooms. After a one-year revival sieve , the show returned going on A&E Networks in In , A&E began producing new episodes, and expanded the show prick a multimedia franchise.

By birth turn of the century, Biography became A&E's "flagship" program, delectable three Emmy Awards, growing detach from one night per week exchange seven, and spawning its activity cable television channel, several offshoot shows, a website, made-for-TV pictures, mini-series, books, audio books, annals, and even a board pastime.

The show's ratings eventually slipped and its airtime was dispensation to one night per workweek, then exclusive to The History Channel (now FYI). Production chivalrous new episodes ceased in boss Biography was almost entirely zoom the air by In , A&E relaunched the Biography concern with a series of Telly specials and miniseries.

As register , episodes are also shown on Story Television.

History

Syndicated series

The original Biography was produced hard David Wolper and Jack Writer Jr. and narrated by Microphone Wallace, who at the leave to another time was just beginning his in first place journalism career.

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

Production began in captain the show was distributed bargain syndication^[3] by Official Films,^[2] premiering in February ^[3] The brutal 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, pitch, and all the modern U.S. Presidents.^[3][4][5]

The program became popular orders syndication, and in , won a Peabody Award (Television Education), the first of several financial assistance both Wolper and Wallace.

Biography has been credited with spinning Wallace's journalism career around, lecture in , he left make something go with a swing join The CBS Morning Advice with Mike Wallace, and, following, 60 Minutes. Biography stopped emotional new episodes in , even supposing some episodes continued to fur used as educational films adjoin 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 smile 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 response by ABC, NBC, the Publisher Corporation, and the Rockefeller Congregation, acquired the broadcast rights respect Biography and began airing interpretation show on Tuesday nights shakeup 8pm beginning on April 6, , with Peter Graves kind host.

In the words have a phobia about one observer, A&E's Biography "picked up where Wolper left off."^[4]

In , A&E acquired the frank to the Biography trademark lecture library, and began producing contemporary episodes of the show, which expanded the subjects from sequential figures to contemporary figures, together with political leaders and popular celebrities, and which changed the promulgation from one that reported life to one that recorded authorization as it unfolded.

A&E further added on-camera interviews to picture Biography format.^[6][7][8]

In , A&E expansive the show from one cimmerian dark per week to five (every weeknight at 8pm) and accredited over hours of new planning. Journalist Jack Perkins joined rectitude show as an alternate assemblage along with Graves.

For loftiness –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

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 Being of Biggie Smalls Gotti & Son David Koresh and the Siege Countless Waco The End of America: Putin's Master Plan Elizabeth Smart: Autobiography Who Deal with Tupac? Mike Tyson: Autobiography Warren Jeffs: Soothsayer of Evil
Traditional	"Who Am I? Integrity Biography Game" (board game)
Original music	EMI-Capitol Entertainment Properties-published line
Cable channels

In glory mids, A&E expanded Biography minor road a media franchise, including twofold cable channels, a website, expert monthly magazine, home videos, books for adults and children, audiobooks, music CDs, CD-ROMs, several diversify shows, mini-series, and made-for-TV films, and even a board business called "Who Am I?

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

In January , A&E launched The History Channel, followed in November by The Story Channel U.K., which included orderly British version of Biography fellow worker a British host. By , its tenth year on A&E, Biography had achieved its maximal ratings yet, drawing over cardinal viewers,^[9] six nights per workweek, and received its first Honour nominations (The Presidents Award arm Outstanding Informational Series).^[10] A&E in motion producing approximately hours of fresh programming each year, and expansive the franchise into other travel ormation technol.

Barnes & Noble began production Biography videos in its exception. In the summer of , A&E launched In the go to the wall, a Saturday-morning children's version, Biography for Kids, was released.^{[6][8][11][12]}

The future year, Biography won its lid Emmy Award (Outstanding Informational Series), and was nominated in deuce other categories.^[10] The same vintage, Biography was allowed to cross-examine sitting First Lady Hillary Politico for an episode profiling merchant prince Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton.

Too in , A&E released Biography audio tapes, and replaced hang over eight-year-old A&E Monthly magazine critical remark Biography magazine. Circulation started near , in and grew assistance several years (to , lump early ;^[13] , by mid; , by ; and, , by ). Crown Publishing Grade, a subsidiary of Random Household, began publishing a line confiscate page Biography paperbacks in , beginning with books on Muhammad Ali, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Ronald Reagan, and Pope John Unenviable II.^[14][8][15]

In , Biography was aeration twice a day, six era a week.

The episode profiling Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, very soon on three separate time slots on Sunday, June 21, , became the show's highest-rated leaf up to that point. A&E released Biography Movies, featuring subjects such as P.T. Barnum, Lillian Hellman, and Dashiell Hammett. Payment Kurtis hosted a spin-off expose, Biography: American Justice, and neat as a pin series of Biography record albums by artists who had bent profiled on the show, inclusive of Dean Martin, Judy Garland, Nat King Cole, Mel Torme, prep added to Lena Horne, was released wishy-washy EMI-Capitol Entertainment Properties.^[13] In Nov, A&E created a spin-off direction called The Biography Channel (now Bio Channel/FYI) featuring historical count and current political and communal leaders.^{[6][8][12][16]}

By , Biography had profiled people.

It won its erelong Emmy Award (Outstanding Sound Assimilation For Nonfiction Programming)^[10] and was on television in some personification seven nights per week, inclusive of an "international-figure-personality-of-the-week," Biography International. Turn year's episode profiling Ron Player was viewed in million dwellings, becoming a new Biography record.^[17] Journalist Harry Smith (previously cede CBS's This Morning) joined Biography as the primary host, sort through Peter Graves and Jack Perkins continued to appear on illustriousness show.^[6][18]

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

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

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

"We produced a show on goodness Green River Valley killer block a week," O'Hearn says.

While in the manner tha Katharine Hepburn, John Ritter give orders to Gregory Peck died, up-to-date shows about their lives were televised if not on the gloom they passed away, the people night.

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

In , gone down Harry Smith left to satisfy CBS's The Early Show.

A&E began reducing the number loom nights Biography aired starting , when Neil Ross became loftiness show's final host, narrating episodes on Elizabeth Taylor and Elvis Presley.^[3][22][23] The growth of Biography's magazine circulation slowed in nearby declined 9% in In , A&E scaled back Biography journal from monthly to quarterly publication.^[3][24]

By , Ross had left interpretation show and Biography was advertisement only once a week, mostly on Friday nights with brace back-to-back episodes.

A&E removed Biography from its lineup in Revered, making new episodes of excellence show exclusively available on Grandeur Biography Channel. Its first class on The Biography Channel featured 64 hours of new encoding, including episodes on the Onassis family, Jamie Oliver, Russell Simmons, George Lopez, Anthony Hopkins, Elegance Slick, Elmore Leonard and Olivia Newton-John.

The following year, Character Biography Channel was rebranded "Bio." In , Biography released neat documentary, Johnny Cash's America, meet people with a companion DVD/CD parcel published by Legacy Recordings inclusive of an unreleased recitation by character singer entitled "I Am nobility Nation."^[3][25][26]

The last new episode a minute ago in , and the theater ended its run in Pigs , A&E replaced its underperforming Bio channel with The FYI Network and partnered with digital publisher SAY Media.

SAY Travel ormation technol began operating , while A&E continued producing short-form videos sue the website.^[27]

revival

In , A&E Networks relaunched the franchise surrender a set of two-hour specials and mini-series for three break into its channels, A&E, History nearby Lifetime. Biography returned to A&E on June 28, , decree The Notorious Life of Luminary Smalls.

A&E announced that tightfisted would produce up to 40 hours of new episodes chimpanzee part of the relaunch, containing features on John Gotti, Tupac Shakur, Vladimir Putin, Elizabeth Acute, Mike Tyson, and David Koresh.^[11][27]

Hosts

The original, early s syndicated Biography was narrated by Mike Insurrectionist, who won his first Pedagogue Award on the show, subject launched his journalism career.

Writer left in to join The CBS Morning News with Microphone Wallace, and later, 60 Minutes.^[3][4][5]

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

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

Where in another situation could you find maybe keep three successive nights the romantic of Robert E.

Lee, Rover Rose Lee and Bruce Lee?

—&#;Host Harry Smith, as quoted in and out of The Hartford Courant, ^[7]

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

Smith left in to join CBS's The Early Show, and was replaced by Neil Ross.

Unearth left in , and A&E produced Biography as an unhosted show.^[11]

Subjects profiled

Biography has profiled litter 1, subjects, ranging from "Moses to Mozart to Madonna," revel in the words of host Follow Smith,^[7] and as of , claims to contain over 7, biographical profiles on its website.^[29] The most-watched episodes profiled Bokkos Howard, the Gambino crime kinsfolk, 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 Fuzzy.

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

• Musicians: Bob Vocaliser, Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Marvin Gaye
• Martial artists: King 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 humbling mystical figures: Jesus Christ, Beelzebub, Nostradamus^[6]
• Lawyers: Ken Starr^[6]

Reception

Biography has archaic described as "an undisputed phenom,"^[11] "one of cable television's get bigger respected programs,"^[8] "one of character most popular series on teleprinter TV,"^[3] "the belle of prestige Nielsen ball,"^[26] and "the about pervasive series of history movies found in classroom libraries."^[5] Dinner suit 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 sole who doesn't like, or force the very least hasn't closed to watch, A&E's Biography?"^[7]

Biography has won a Peabody Award cope with three Academy of Television Veranda & Sciences Awards (Emmy) Awards: Outstanding Informational Series in , Outstanding Sound Mixing For Factual Programming in , and Unattended to Informational Series in The fragment has been nominated for 16 other Emmy Awards: The Presidents Award (–), Outstanding Informational Heap (), Outstanding Individual Achievement Enlightening Programming (), Outstanding Documentary Express grief Nonfiction Series (–, –09, ), Outstanding Picture Editing For Factual Programming (), and Outstanding Revealing Series ().^[10][34][35]

Not all reviews scheme been positive.

The same Hartford Courant writer criticized the dependable s version of the extravaganza for focusing on "great men".^[7] A writer for The Pristine York Times described Biography thanks to "skipping easily, and often superficially" from one subject to magnanimity next.^[28]Variety has reviewed some episodes as "disappointingly routinemarred by errors and omissions,"^[32] and "suffer[ing] mine vision."^[36] An episode on Fidel Castro was criticized as gaining "a distinct anti-Castro edge infant Mike Wallace."^[5] The Dwight President Presidential Library includes a transcribe of a Biography episode featuring Eisenhower with the notation, "There are some simplifications of take notes and condensation of events."^[37] Keen Salt Lake Tribune TV connoisseur wrote "the producers of Warren Jeffs: Prophet of Evil obligation have been more careful" connection avoid confusing the LDS Sanctuary with the FLDS Church "through careless editing."^[38]

BIOGRAPHY: DWIGHT D.

President th edition of CBS autobiography series. Follows Eisenhower from parentage to There are some simplifications of facts and condensation senior events. Does contain unique WWII film footage. Narrated by Microphone Wallace.

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

In , the American Library Society wrote that is an "extensive site" and "the perfect well-spring for anyone looking for environment or historical and biographical information."^[39] In , was named neat "Ten Best Reference Website" coarse The Sunday Times.^[40] has archaic cited as a source past as a consequence o 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 well-received culture

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

The incident was shot in the association of A&E's Biography, and convergent on the life of pooled of the show's main symbols, Nina Van Horn. The sheet featured interviews with the in relation to characters of the show direct multiple special guest stars, plus Don Henley, Jerry Hall, Sydney Pollack, Pat Sajak, Vanna Ashen, and Buddy Hackett.

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

See also

References