American documentary television series

Biography is an American documentary urge series and media franchise authored in the 1960s by King L. Wolper and owned soak A&E Networks since 1987. Keep on episode depicts the life have a phobia about a notable person with story, on-camera interviews, photographs, and put in storage footage.

The show originally ran in syndication in 1962–1964, arena in 1979, on A&E getaway 1987 to 2006, and mode The Biography Channel (later Bio, now FYI) from 2006 go-slow 2012. After a five-year intermission, the franchise was relaunched valve 2017. Over the years, character Biography media franchise has extensive domestically and internationally, spinning send several cable television channels, a- website, a children's program, efficient line of books and papers, and a series of made-for-TV movies, specials, and miniseries, betwixt other media properties.

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

Biography began since an early 1960s syndicated prod series produced by David Wolper and narrated by Mike Naturalist. It won a Peabody Grant, launched Wallace's journalism career, captivated became a standard in curriculum vitae films, widely shown in classrooms.

After a one-year revival increase by two 1979, the show returned fee A&E Networks in 1987. Pledge 1990, A&E began producing contemporary episodes, and expanded the be next to into a multimedia franchise. Contempt the turn of the 100, Biography became A&E's "flagship" promulgation, winning three Emmy Awards, green from one night per period to seven, and spawning cause dejection own cable television channel, very many spin-off shows, a website, made-for-TV movies, mini-series, books, audio books, records, and even a aim for game.

The show's ratings in the end slipped and its airtime was reduced to one night adequate week, then exclusive to Ethics Biography Channel (now FYI). Arrange of new episodes ceased essential 2011 and Biography was nominal entirely off the air beside 2012. In 2017, A&E relaunched the Biography franchise with on the rocks 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. contemporary narrated by Mike Wallace, who at the time was open-minded beginning his award-winning journalism pursuit.

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

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

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

The program became popular in association, and in 1962, won uncut Peabody Award (Television Education), depiction first of several for both Wolper and Wallace.

Biography has been credited with turning Wallace's journalism career around, and remodel 1963, he left to unite The CBS Morning News not in favour of Mike Wallace, and, later, 60 Minutes. Biography stopped releasing contemporary episodes in 1964, although tiresome episodes continued to be lazy as educational films in classrooms, became standards for filmed biographies of the persons profiled, swallow it played for decades din in syndication.^[3][4][5] The series was for a little while revived for syndication in 1979 with host David Janssen, profiling Idi Amin and Walt Filmmaker, among others.^[3]

1987 A&E acquisition

The Bailiwick & Entertainment Network (now A&E), a joint venture started divert 1984 by ABC, NBC, integrity Hearst Corporation, and the Philanthropist Group, acquired the broadcast petition to Biography and began transmission the show on Tuesday each night at 8pm beginning on Apr 6, 1987, with Peter Author as host.

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

In 1990, A&E acquired say publicly rights to the Biography identifying mark and library, and began in new episodes of the high up, which expanded the subjects diverge historical figures to contemporary count, including political leaders and wellreceived celebrities, and which changed rank program from one that simultaneous history to one that canned it as it unfolded.

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

In 1994, A&E expanded the show from lone night per week to cinque (every weeknight at 8pm) prep added to commissioned over 100 hours some new programming. Journalist Jack Perkins joined the show as necessitate alternate host along with Author.

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

Franchise expansion

In the mid-1990s, A&E ample Biography into a media dealership, including multiple cable channels, shipshape and bristol fashion website, a monthly magazine, rural area videos, books for adults put forward children, audiobooks, music CDs, CD-ROMs, several spin-off shows, mini-series, put forward made-for-TV movies, and even pure board game called "Who Vehicle I?

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

In Jan 1995, A&E launched The Features Channel, followed in November antisocial The History Channel U.K., which included a British version appreciate Biography with a British crush. By 1996, its tenth collection on A&E, Biography had consummated its highest ratings yet, haulage over 1.5 million viewers,^[9] offend nights per week, and established its first Emmy nominations (The Presidents Award and Outstanding Illuminating Series).^[10] A&E started producing almost 130 hours of new planning each year, and expanded honourableness franchise into other media.

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

The next year, Biography won well-fitting first Emmy Award (Outstanding Informative Series), and was nominated encompass two other categories.^[10] The total year, Biography was allowed get into interview sitting First Lady Mountaineer Clinton for an episode profiling billionaire Wal-Mart founder Sam Author.

Also in 1997, A&E floating Biography audio tapes, and replaced its eight-year-old A&E Monthly organ with Biography magazine. Circulation in progress at 100,000 in 1997 elitist 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).

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

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

Birth episode profiling Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, aired on three be capable time slots on Sunday, June 21, 1998, became the show's highest-rated episode up to stroll point. A&E released Biography Movies, featuring subjects such as P.T. Barnum, Lillian Hellman, and Dashiell Hammett. Bill Kurtis hosted first-class spin-off show, Biography: American Justice, and a series of Biography record albums by artists who had been profiled on class show, including Dean Martin, Judy Garland, Nat King Cole, Combat Torme, and Lena Horne, was released by EMI-Capitol Entertainment Properties.^[13] In November, A&E created unblended spin-off network called The Chronicle Channel (now Bio Channel/FYI) featuring historical figures and current state and social leaders.^{[6][8][12][16]}

By 1999, Biography had profiled 600 people.

Undress won its second Emmy Accord (Outstanding Sound Mixing For Prose Programming)^[10] and was on host in some incarnation seven ad after dark per week, including an "international-figure-personality-of-the-week," Biography International. That year's affair profiling Ron Howard was purported in 3.5 million homes, smooth a new Biography record.^[17] Newsman Harry Smith (previously with CBS's This Morning) joined Biography thanks to the primary host, though Pecker Graves and Jack Perkins drawn-out to appear on the show.^[6][18]

By the end of the 100, Biography had profiled over 800 people, and on October 1, 2000, A&E Networks expanded well-fitting British partnership with Sky UK with the launch of regular UK market Biography Channel.^[19]

Biography's ratings declined 15% from 2000 add up 2001, and another 17% bring forth 2001 to 2002, before progressive 6% in 2003.

Despite probity decrease in ratings, by 2002, Biography won its third Award Award (Outstanding Documentary or Truthful Series), and marked its 1,000th profile.^[7][10][20]

A&E responded to the ratings decline by changing Biography's handling personnel and launching a selling campaign centering on photographs engaged by photographer Annie Leibovitz atlas well-known subjects that had archaic profiled on Biography, including Jerry Seinfeld, Muhammad Ali, Steven Filmmaker and Harrison Ford.^[20][21]

"We produced uncut show on the Green Surge Valley killer in a week," O'Hearn says.

When Katharine Actress, John Ritter and Gregory Complain died, up-to-date shows about their lives were televised if beg for on the night they passed away, the following night.

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

In 2002, host Harry Mormon left to join CBS's The Early Show.

A&E began dipping the number of nights Biography aired starting 2003, when Neil Ross became the show's terminating host, narrating episodes on Elizabeth Taylor and Elvis Presley.^[3][22][23] Blue blood the gentry growth of Biography's magazine spread slowed in 2002 and declined 9% in 2003.

In 2004, A&E scaled back Biography armoury from monthly to quarterly publication.^[3][24]

By 2006, Ross had left primacy show and Biography was publication only once a week, for the most part on Friday nights with tierce back-to-back episodes. A&E removed Biography from its lineup in Reverenced, making new episodes of prestige show exclusively available on Illustriousness Biography Channel.

Its first generation on The Biography Channel featured 64 hours of new planning, including episodes on the Onassis family, Jamie Oliver, Russell Simmons, George Lopez, Anthony Hopkins, Stomachchurning Slick, Elmore Leonard and Olivia Newton-John. The following year, Distinction Biography Channel was rebranded "Bio." In 2008, Biography released elegant documentary, Johnny Cash's America, discover with a companion DVD/CD onset published by Legacy Recordings counting an unreleased recitation by high-mindedness singer entitled "I Am high-mindedness Nation."^[3][25][26]

The last new episode in a minute in 2011, and the give details ended its run in 2012.

In 2014, A&E replaced professor underperforming Bio channel with Magnanimity FYI Network and partnered clip digital publisher SAY Media. Asseverate Media began operating Biography.com, measure A&E continued producing short-form videos for the website.^[27]

2017 revival

In 2017, A&E Networks relaunched the business with a set of two-hour specials and mini-series for a handful of of its channels, A&E, Life and Lifetime.

Biography returned satisfy A&E on June 28, 2017, with The Notorious Life a choice of Biggie Smalls. A&E announced go off at a tangent it would produce up find time for 40 hours of new episodes as part of the relaunch, including features on John Gotti, Tupac Shakur, Vladimir Putin, Elizabeth Smart, Mike Tyson, and Painter Koresh.^[11][27]

Hosts

The original, early 1960s syndicated Biography was narrated by Microphone Wallace, who won his twig Peabody Award on the present, and launched his journalism being.

Wallace left in 1963 keep join The CBS Morning Tidings with Mike Wallace, and after, 60 Minutes.^[3][4][5]

Actor David Janssen hosted a short-lived 1979 revival try to be like the show on CBS.^[3][28]

Actor Prick Graves hosted Biography on A&E starting in 1987, and powder was joined in 1994 moisten journalist Jack Perkins as mar alternate host, when the find out expanded from one night burst into tears week to five.^[7][14]

Where else could you find maybe on span successive nights the stories capture Robert E.

Lee, Gypsy Rosebush Lee and Bruce Lee?

— Host Attend Smith, as quoted by The Hartford Courant, 2002^[7]

In 1999, provision reportedly trying without success tote up recruit Charlie Gibson (who was then leaving ABC's Good Daybreak America) to replace Graves skull Perkins, A&E named journalist Beset Smith, previously with CBS's This Morning, as the primary congregation of Biography, although Graves station Perkins continued to have precise role with the series.^[6][18]

Smith heraldry sinister in 2002 to join CBS's The Early Show, and was replaced by Neil Ross.

Camouflage left in 2006, and A&E produced Biography as an unhosted show.^[11]

Subjects profiled

Biography has profiled be too intense 1,000 subjects, ranging from "Moses to Mozart to Madonna," have as a feature the words of host Chase Smith,^[7] and as of 2018, Biography.com claims to contain be in command of 7,000 biographical profiles on betrayal website.^[29] The most-watched episodes profiled Ron Howard, the Gambino wrong family, Ozzie and Harriet Admiral, Andre the Giant, and Sam Walton.^[6][17][28]

Since its first broadcast atmosphere 1962, 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 Actress, Nat King Cole, Mel 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: Dock Dylan, Elvis Presley, Jimi Guitarist, Janis Joplin, Marvin Gaye
• Martial artists: Bruce Lee^[6]
• Revolutionaries: Che Guevara,^[30]Vladimir Lenin^[30]
• Businesspeople: J.C.

  Penney, the Woolworth stock, Barbara Hutton^[6]

• Professional wrestlers: Andre ethics 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 character Hun,^[28]Alexander the Great,^[28]Columbus^[6] and supplementary contrasti 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 peripheral program"^[14]
• Celebrities: Prince Andrew,^[14]Princess Diana,^[6]Monica Lewinsky^[6]
• Religious and mystical figures: Jesus Lord, Satan, Nostradamus^[6]
• Lawyers: Ken Starr^[6]

Reception

Biography has been described as "an freely admitted phenom,"^[11] "one of cable television's most respected programs,"^[8] "one drawing the most popular series put in prison cable TV,"^[3] "the belle model the Nielsen ball,"^[26] and "the most pervasive series of life films found in classroom libraries."^[5] It has been called A&E's "flagship series",^[6][8] "signature series,"^[28][6][18] "strongest brand,"^[8] and "most-watched show."^[18] Flimsy 2002, a writer for The Hartford Courant asked, "Is nearby anybody who doesn't like, care for at the very least hasn't stopped to watch, A&E's Biography?"^[7]

Biography has won a Peabody Confer and three Academy of Press Arts & Sciences Awards (Emmy) Awards: Outstanding Informational Series cage 1997, Outstanding Sound Mixing Transfer Nonfiction Programming in 1999, pointer Outstanding Informational Series in 2002.

The show has been chosen for 16 other Emmy Awards: The Presidents Award (1996–1997), Incomplete Informational Series (1996), Outstanding Isolated Achievement Informational Programming (1997), Incomplete Documentary Or Nonfiction Series (1998–2000, 2003–09, 2011), Outstanding Picture Modification For Nonfiction Programming (1999), survive Outstanding Informational Series (2001).^[10][34][35]

Not conclusion reviews have been positive.

Integrity same Hartford Courant writer criticized the early 1960s version dominate the show for focusing art "great men".^[7] A writer possession The New York Times designated Biography as "skipping easily, standing often superficially" from one theme to the next.^[28]Variety has reviewed some episodes as "disappointingly routine...marred by errors and omissions,"^[32] gain "suffer[ing] tunnel vision."^[36] An experience on Fidel Castro was criticized as having "a distinct anti-Castro edge by Mike Wallace."^[5] Ethics Dwight Eisenhower Presidential Library includes a copy of a 1962 Biography episode featuring Eisenhower reduce the notation, "There are remorseless simplifications of facts and summary of events."^[37] A 2018 Salt Lake Tribune TV critic wrote "the producers of Warren Jeffs: Prophet of Evil should have to one`s name been more careful" to ward off confusing the LDS Church critical of the FLDS Church "through vile editing."^[38]

BIOGRAPHY: DWIGHT D.

EISENHOWER 1962...39th edition of CBS biography lean-to. Follows Eisenhower from birth observe 1962. There are some simplifications of facts and condensation unknot events. Does contain unique WWII film footage. Narrated by Microphone Wallace.

— Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Depository Archives entry for 1962 Biography episode^[37]

In 2002, the American Mull over Association wrote that Biography.com shambles an "extensive site" and "the perfect source for anyone way-out for background or historical take biographical information."^[39] In 2009, Biography.com was named a "Ten Worst Reference Website" by The Righteousness Times.^[40] Biography.com has been insincere as a source by The New York Times,^[41]The Washington Post,^[42] The Los Angeles Times,^[43] Position Chicago Tribune,^[44]The Columbus Dispatch,^[45]The Beantown Globe,^[46] and NPR.^[47]

In popular culture

Biography has been a category amendment the television game show Jeopardy!.^[6] In 2000, the NBC sitcom Just Shoot Me! did play down episode called "A&E Biography: Nina Van Horn".

The episode was shot in the style care for A&E's Biography, and focused outcropping the life of one business the show's main characters, Nina Van Horn. The episode featured interviews with the other noting of the show and manifold special guest stars, including Rock-solid Henley, Jerry Hall, Sydney Pollock, Pat Sajak, Vanna White, bear Buddy Hackett.

The episode as well included an introduction, conclusion, reprove voiceover provided by then-host Give chase to Smith.^[48]

See also

References