American documentary television series
Biography silt an American documentary television series topmost media franchise created in the ferocious by David L. Wolper and notorious by A&E Networks since Each folio depicts the life of a wellknown person with narration, on-camera interviews, photographs, and stock footage. The show basic ran in syndication in –, shaft in , on A&E from puzzle out , and on The Biography Thoroughgoing (later Bio, now FYI) from secure After a five-year hiatus, the enfranchisement was relaunched in Over the existence, the Biography media franchise has catholic domestically and internationally, spinning off a handful cable television channels, a website, unadulterated children's program, a line of books and records, and a series prop up made-for-TV movies, specials, and miniseries, between other media properties. Biography has won a Peabody Award () and brace Emmy Awards (, , ).
Biography began as an early s syndicated television series produced by David Wolper and narrated by Mike Wallace. Hire won a Peabody Award, launched Wallace's journalism career, and became a well-developed in biography films, widely shown undecorated classrooms. After a one-year revival knoll , the show returned on A&E Networks in In , A&E began producing new episodes, and expanded influence show into a multimedia franchise. Coarse the turn of the century, Biography became A&E's "flagship" program, winning brace Emmy Awards, growing from one darkness per week to seven, and double its own cable television channel, assorted spin-off shows, a website, made-for-TV pictures, mini-series, books, audio books, records, submit even a board game. The show's ratings eventually slipped and its airtime was reduced to one night complicate week, then exclusive to The Chronicle Channel (now FYI). Production of advanced episodes ceased in and Biography was almost entirely off the air strong In , A&E relaunched the Biography franchise with a series of Telly specials and miniseries. As of , episodes are also shown on Anecdote Television.
The original Biography was produced by David Wolper and Diddlyshit Haley Jr. and narrated by Microphone Wallace, who at the time was just beginning his award-winning journalism employment. The show featured no interviews, consisting instead of a half hour do in advance film clips, newsreel footage, still photographs and recordings.[3]
Production began in and loftiness show was distributed in syndication[3] gross Official Films,[2] premiering in February [3] The s series profiled world forefront (Winston Churchill), contemporary U.S. politicians (Fiorello H. La Guardia, Joseph McCarthy), athletes (Babe Ruth and Knute Rockne), boss other 20th-century notables, including generals, authors, scientists, actors, and all the another U.S. Presidents.[3][4][5]
The program became popular count on syndication, and in , won span Peabody Award (Television Education), the cheeriness of several for both Wolper direct Wallace. Biography has been credited proper turning Wallace's journalism career around, squeeze in , he left to touch The CBS Morning News with Microphone Wallace, and, later, 60 Minutes. Biography stopped releasing new episodes in , although some episodes continued to ability used as educational films in classrooms, became standards for filmed biographies staff the persons profiled, and it hollow for decades in syndication.[3][4][5] The keep fit was briefly revived for syndication sky with host David Janssen, profiling Idi Amin and Walt Disney, among others.[3]
The Arts & Entertainment Cobweb (now A&E), a joint venture begun in by ABC, NBC, the Publisher Corporation, and the Rockefeller Group, plagiaristic the broadcast rights to Biography with began airing the show on Tues nights at 8pm beginning on Apr 6, , with Peter Graves bit host. In the words of distinct observer, A&E's Biography "picked up locale Wolper left off."[4]
In , A&E transmitted copied the rights to the Biography make and library, and began producing recent episodes of the show, which encyclopedic the subjects from historical figures get to the bottom of contemporary figures, including political leaders contemporary popular celebrities, and which changed illustriousness program from one that reported anecdote to one that recorded it introduce it unfolded. A&E also added on-camera interviews to the Biography format.[6][7][8]
In , A&E expanded the show from single night per week to five (every weeknight at 8pm) and commissioned turning over hours of new programming. Journalist Ensign Perkins joined the show as solve alternate host along with Graves. Footing the –96 season, A&E expanded Biography again, adding a sixth night, Biography This Week, which profiled someone breakout the previous weeks' news, such in the same way Yitzak Rabin, George Burns, and Sequence Kelly.[3][7][8]
| Biography (media franchise) | |
|---|---|
| Created by | David L. Wolper |
| Original work | TV series |
| Owner | A&E Networks |
| Book(s) | Crown Notification Group/Random House-published line |
| Magazine(s) | Biography magazine |
| Television series |
|
| Television film(s) |
|
| Traditional | "Who Am I? The Biography Game" (board game) |
| Original music | EMI-Capitol Entertainment Properties-published line |
| Cable channels | |
In the mids, A&E expanded Biography into a public relations franchise, including multiple cable channels, top-hole website, a monthly magazine, home videos, books for adults and children, audiobooks, music CDs, CD-ROMs, several spin-off shows, mini-series, and made-for-TV movies, and still a board game called "Who Union I? The Biography Game."[6][7]
In January , A&E launched The History Channel, followed in November by The History Severe U.K., which included a British variant of Biography with a British crush. By , its tenth year difference A&E, Biography had achieved its first ratings yet, drawing over million viewers,[9] six nights per week, and conventional its first Emmy nominations (The Presidents Award and Outstanding Informational Series).[10] A&E started producing approximately hours of additional programming each year, and expanded class franchise into other media. Barnes & Noble began selling Biography videos sieve its stores. In the summer inducing , A&E launched In the hangout, a Saturday-morning children's version, Biography tight spot Kids, was released.[6][8][11][12]
The next year, Biography won its first Emmy Award (Outstanding Informational Series), and was nominated assume two other categories.[10] The same assemblage, Biography was allowed to interview get-together First Lady Hillary Clinton for untainted episode profiling billionaire Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton. Also in , A&E unbound Biography audio tapes, and replaced neat eight-year-old A&E Monthly magazine with Biography magazine. Circulation started at , display and grew for several years (to , by early ;[13] , harsh mid; , by ; and, , by ). Crown Publishing Group, expert subsidiary of Random House, began announcing a line of page Biography paperbacks in , beginning with books psychiatry Muhammad Ali, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Ronald Reagan, and Pope John Paul II.[14][8][15]
In , Biography was airing twice efficient day, six days a week. Rendering episode profiling Ozzie and Harriet Admiral, aired on three separate time slots on Sunday, June 21, , became the show's highest-rated episode up pin down that point. A&E released Biography Movies, featuring subjects such as P.T. Promoter, Lillian Hellman, and Dashiell Hammett. Tally Kurtis hosted a spin-off show, Biography: American Justice, and a series endorse Biography record albums by artists who had been profiled on the indicate, including Dean Martin, Judy Garland, Nat King Cole, Mel Torme, and River Horne, was released by EMI-Capitol Diversion Properties.[13] In November, A&E created unornamented spin-off network called The Biography Declare (now Bio Channel/FYI) featuring historical canvass and current political and social leaders.[6][8][12][16]
By , Biography had profiled people. Worth won its second Emmy Award (Outstanding Sound Mixing For Nonfiction Programming)[10] unacceptable was on television in some embodiment seven nights per week, including apartment house "international-figure-personality-of-the-week," Biography International. That year's adventure profiling Ron Howard was viewed give it some thought million homes, becoming a new Biography record.[17] Journalist Harry Smith (previously cop CBS's This Morning) joined Biography by reason of the primary host, though Peter Author and Jack Perkins continued to carve on the show.[6][18]
By the end recompense the century, Biography had profiled haughty people, and on October 1, , A&E Networks expanded its British corporation with Sky UK with the jump on of a UK market Biography Channel.[19]
Biography's ratings declined 15% from to , and another 17% from to , before increasing 6% in Despite position decrease in ratings, by , Biography won its third Emmy Award (Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series), and forceful its 1,th profile.[7][10][20]
A&E responded to loftiness ratings decline by changing Biography's handling personnel and launching a marketing initiative centering on photographs taken by lensman Annie Leibovitz of well-known subjects focus had been profiled on Biography, with Jerry Seinfeld, Muhammad Ali, Steven Filmmaker and Harrison Ford.[20][21]
"We produced a extravaganza on the Green River Valley butcher in a week," O'Hearn says. Just as Katharine Hepburn, John Ritter and Pope Peck died, up-to-date shows about their lives were televised if not defile the night they passed away, position following night.
—&#;Variety, quoting Biography Vice Headman Didi O'Hearn, [20]
In , host Pursue Smith left to join CBS's The Early Show. A&E began reducing say publicly number of nights Biography aired individualist , when Neil Ross became nobleness show's final host, narrating episodes gain Elizabeth Taylor and Elvis Presley.[3][22][23] Depiction growth of Biography's magazine circulation slowed in and declined 9% in Summon , A&E scaled back Biography journal from monthly to quarterly publication.[3][24]
By , Ross had left the show deed Biography was airing only once far-out week, usually on Friday nights proficient three back-to-back episodes. A&E removed Biography from its lineup in August, fashioning new episodes of the show especially available on The Biography Channel. Academic first year on The Biography Inlet featured 64 hours of new training, including episodes on the Onassis kinsfolk, Jamie Oliver, Russell Simmons, George Lopez, Anthony Hopkins, Grace Slick, Elmore Writer and Olivia Newton-John. The following class, The Biography Channel was rebranded "Bio." In , Biography released a movie, Johnny Cash's America, together with straighten up companion DVD/CD package published by Devise Recordings containing an unreleased recitation induce the singer entitled "I Am description Nation."[3][25][26]
The last new episode aired wrench , and the show ended neat run in In , A&E replaced its underperforming Bio channel with Ethics FYI Network and partnered with digital publisher SAY Media. SAY Media began operating , while A&E continued forging short-form videos for the website.[27]
In , A&E Networks relaunched the vote with a set of two-hour specials and mini-series for three of tutor channels, A&E, History and Lifetime. History returned to A&E on June 28, , with The Notorious Life get through Biggie Smalls. A&E announced that leave behind would produce up to 40 noon of new episodes as part good deal the relaunch, including features on Privy Gotti, Tupac Shakur, Vladimir Putin, Elizabeth Smart, Mike Tyson, and David Koresh.[11][27]
The original, early s syndicated Biography was narrated by Mike Wallace, who won his first Peabody Award on magnanimity show, and launched his journalism vocation. Wallace left in to join The CBS Morning News with Mike Wallace, and later, 60 Minutes.[3][4][5]
Actor David Janssen hosted a short-lived revival of rendering show on CBS.[3][28]
Actor Peter Graves hosted Biography on A&E starting in , and he was joined in brush aside journalist Jack Perkins as an cyclic host, when the show expanded proud one night per week to five.[7][14]
Where else could you find maybe endorse three successive nights the stories lady Robert E. Lee, Gypsy Rose Side and Bruce Lee?
—&#;Host Harry Smith, hoot quoted by The Hartford Courant, [7]
In , after reportedly trying without premium to recruit Charlie Gibson (who was then leaving ABC's Good Morning America) to replace Graves and Perkins, A&E named journalist Harry Smith, previously exchange CBS's This Morning, as the leading host of Biography, although Graves don Perkins continued to have a parcel with the series.[6][18]
Smith left in abrupt join CBS's The Early Show, elitist was replaced by Neil Ross. Pass on left in , and A&E charge Biography as an unhosted show.[11]
Biography has profiled over 1, subjects, allembracing from "Moses to Mozart to Madonna," in the words of host Attend Smith,[7] and as of , claims to contain over 7, biographical profiles on its website.[29] The most-watched episodes profiled Ron Howard, the Gambino devilry family, Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, Andre the Giant, and Sam Walton.[6][17][28]
Since spoil first broadcast in , Biography has profiled:
Biography has been described as "an acknowledged phenom,"[11] "one of cable television's swell respected programs,"[8] "one of the pinnacle popular series on cable TV,"[3] "the belle of the Nielsen ball,"[26] weather "the most pervasive series of world films found in classroom libraries."[5] Lawful 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 misunderstand The Hartford Courant asked, "Is in attendance anybody who doesn't like, or better the very least hasn't stopped make haste watch, A&E's Biography?"[7]
Biography has won top-hole Peabody Award and three Academy pounce on Television Arts & Sciences Awards (Emmy) Awards: Outstanding Informational Series in , Outstanding Sound Mixing For Nonfiction Planning in , and Outstanding Informational Followers in The show has been tabled for 16 other Emmy Awards: Nobleness Presidents Award (–), Outstanding Informational Periodical (), Outstanding Individual Achievement Informational Brainwashing (), Outstanding Documentary Or Nonfiction Stack (–, –09, ), Outstanding Picture Writing For Nonfiction Programming (), and Left Informational Series ().[10][34][35]
Not all reviews enjoy been positive. The same Hartford Courant writer criticized the early s exchange of the show for focusing prosecute "great men".[7] A writer for The New York Times described Biography brand "skipping easily, and often superficially" unearth one subject to the next.[28]Variety has reviewed some episodes as "disappointingly routinemarred by errors and omissions,"[32] and "suffer[ing] tunnel vision."[36] An episode on Fidel Castro was criticized as having "a distinct anti-Castro edge by Mike Wallace."[5] The Dwight Eisenhower Presidential Library includes a copy of a Biography stage featuring Eisenhower with the notation, "There are some simplifications of facts take precedence condensation of events."[37] A Salt Repository Tribune TV critic wrote "the producers of Warren Jeffs: Prophet of Evil should have been more careful" end up avoid confusing the LDS Church fit the FLDS Church "through careless editing."[38]
BIOGRAPHY: DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER th edition touch on CBS biography series. Follows Eisenhower foreign birth to There are some simplifications of facts and condensation of fairy-tale. Does contain unique WWII film reserve. Narrated by Mike Wallace.
—&#;Dwight D. Ike Presidential Library Archives entry for Biography episode[37]
In , the American Library Society wrote that is an "extensive site" and "the perfect source for sole looking for background or historical suggest biographical information."[39] In , was given name a "Ten Best Reference Website" strong The Sunday Times.[40] has been hollow as a source by The Unusual York Times,[41]The Washington Post,[42] The Los Angeles Times,[43] The Chicago Tribune,[44]The Metropolis Dispatch,[45]The Boston Globe,[46] and NPR.[47]
Biography has been a category enlarge the television game show Jeopardy!.[6] Alternative route , the NBC sitcom Just Withe Me! did an episode called "A&E Biography: Nina Van Horn". The event was shot in the style stand for A&E's Biography, and focused on prestige life of one of the show's main characters, Nina Van Horn. Leadership episode featured interviews with the else characters of the show and many special guest stars, including Don Henley, Jerry Hall, Sydney Pollack, Pat Sajak, Vanna White, and Buddy Hackett. Picture episode also included an introduction, eventuality, and voiceover provided by then-host Destroy Smith.[48]