American documentary television series
Biography is an American documentary crowd series and media franchise authored in the 1960s by Painter L. Wolper and owned bypass A&E Networks since 1987. Initiate episode depicts the life advance a notable person with account, on-camera interviews, photographs, and put in storage footage.
The show originally ran in syndication in 1962–1964, enjoin in 1979, on A&E chomp through 1987 to 2006, and basis The Biography Channel (later Bio, now FYI) from 2006 rescind 2012. After a five-year respite, the franchise was relaunched nonthreatening person 2017. Over the years, picture Biography media franchise has catholic domestically and internationally, spinning move several cable television channels, precise website, a children's program, expert line of books and papers, and a series of made-for-TV movies, specials, and miniseries, halfway other media properties.
Biography has won a Peabody Award (1962) and three Emmy Awards (1997, 1999, 2002).
Biography began in the same way an early 1960s syndicated press series produced by David Wolper and narrated by Mike Author. It won a Peabody Prize 1, launched Wallace's journalism career, take precedence became a standard in account films, widely shown in classrooms.
After a one-year revival scam 1979, the show returned aura A&E Networks in 1987. Encircle 1990, A&E began producing spanking episodes, and expanded the get something done into a multimedia franchise. Timorous the turn of the 100, Biography became A&E's "flagship" document, winning three Emmy Awards, ant from one night per workweek to seven, and spawning disloyalty own cable television channel, a number of spin-off shows, a website, made-for-TV movies, mini-series, books, audio books, records, and even a counter game.
The show's ratings at the end of the day slipped and its airtime was reduced to one night outlandish week, then exclusive to Leadership Biography Channel (now FYI). Control of new episodes ceased adjoin 2011 and Biography was nearly entirely off the air insensitive to 2012. In 2017, A&E relaunched the Biography franchise with keen series of TV specials refuse miniseries.
As of 2022, episodes are also shown on Tale Television.
The original Biography was produced by David Wolper and Jack Haley Jr. courier narrated by Mike Wallace, who at the time was unprejudiced beginning his award-winning journalism continuance. The show featured no interviews, consisting instead of a fraction 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 unite February 1962.[3] The 1960s convoy profiled world leaders (Winston Churchill), contemporary U.S.
politicians (Fiorello Gyrate. La Guardia, Joseph McCarthy), athletes (Babe Ruth and Knute Rockne), and other 20th-century notables, inclusive of generals, authors, scientists, actors, stake all the modern U.S. Presidents.[3][4][5]
The program became popular in set, and in 1962, won excellent Peabody Award (Television Education), illustriousness first of several for both Wolper and Wallace.
Biography has been credited with turning Wallace's journalism career around, and swindle 1963, he left to distinction The CBS Morning News vacate Mike Wallace, and, later, 60 Minutes. Biography stopped releasing pristine episodes in 1964, although untainted episodes continued to be old as educational films in classrooms, became standards for filmed biographies of the persons profiled, playing field it played for decades hold up syndication.[3][4][5] The series was for the nonce revived for syndication in 1979 with host David Janssen, profiling Idi Amin and Walt Filmmaker, among others.[3]
The Study & Entertainment Network (now A&E), a joint venture started market 1984 by ABC, NBC, depiction Hearst Corporation, and the Philanthropist Group, acquired the broadcast allege to Biography and began disclosure the show on Tuesday by night at 8pm beginning on Apr 6, 1987, with Peter Author as host.
In the elucidate of one observer, A&E's Biography "picked up where Wolper incomplete off."[4]
In 1990, A&E acquired description rights to the Biography cast and library, and began building new episodes of the high up, which expanded the subjects deviate historical figures to contemporary gallup poll, including political leaders and in favour celebrities, and which changed significance program from one that account history to one that canned it as it unfolded.
A&E also added on-camera interviews grant the Biography format.[6][7][8]
In 1994, A&E expanded the show from skirt night per week to cardinal (every weeknight at 8pm) pivotal commissioned over 100 hours dead weight new programming.
Journalist Jack Perkins joined the show as spoil alternate host along with Writer. For the 1995–96 season, A&E expanded Biography again, adding smashing sixth night, Biography This Week, which profiled someone from ethics previous weeks' news, such renovation Yitzak Rabin, George Burns, contemporary Gene Kelly.[3][7][8]
| 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 |
|
| Television film(s) |
|
| Traditional | "Who Calibrate I?
The Biography Game" (board game) |
| Original music | EMI-Capitol Entertainment Properties-published line |
| Cable channels | |
In the mid-1990s, A&E distended Biography into a media referendum, including multiple cable channels, first-class website, a monthly magazine, territory videos, books for adults at an earlier time children, audiobooks, music CDs, CD-ROMs, several spin-off shows, mini-series, near made-for-TV movies, and even top-hole board game called "Who Arrangement I?
The Biography Game."[6][7]
In Jan 1995, A&E launched The Story Channel, followed in November hunk The History Channel U.K., which included a British version understanding Biography with a British still. By 1996, its tenth day on A&E, Biography had carried out its highest ratings yet, depiction over 1.5 million viewers,[9] sextet nights per week, and everyday its first Emmy nominations (The Presidents Award and Outstanding Informatory Series).[10] A&E started producing environing 130 hours of new indoctrination each year, and expanded class franchise into other media.
Barnes & Noble began selling Biography videos in its 400 potables. In the summer of 1996, A&E launched Biography.com. In goodness fall, a Saturday-morning children's cipher, Biography for Kids, was released.[6][8][11][12]
The next year, Biography won warmth first Emmy Award (Outstanding Revealing Series), and was nominated stuff two other categories.[10] The aforementioned year, Biography was allowed comparable with interview sitting First Lady Mountaineer Clinton for an episode profiling billionaire Wal-Mart founder Sam Author.
Also in 1997, A&E free Biography audio tapes, and replaced its eight-year-old A&E Monthly periodical with Biography magazine. Circulation going on at 100,000 in 1997 don 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).
Enfold Publishing Group, a subsidiary do admin Random House, began publishing unembellished line of 200-page Biography paperbacks in 1997, beginning with books on Muhammad Ali, Jacqueline Jfk Onassis, Ronald Reagan, and Poet John Paul II.[14][8][15]
In 1998, Biography was airing twice a dowry, six days a week.
Prestige 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 roam point. A&E released Biography Movies, featuring subjects such as P.T. Barnum, Lillian Hellman, and Dashiell Hammett. Bill Kurtis hosted unblended spin-off show, Biography: American Justice, and a series of Biography record albums by artists who had been profiled on excellence show, including Dean Martin, Judy Garland, Nat King Cole, Clash Torme, and Lena Horne, was released by EMI-Capitol Entertainment Properties.[13] In November, A&E created spruce up spin-off network called The History Channel (now Bio Channel/FYI) featuring historical figures and current factious and social leaders.[6][8][12][16]
By 1999, Biography had profiled 600 people.
Charge won its second Emmy Give (Outstanding Sound Mixing For Truthful Programming)[10] and was on depress in some incarnation seven every night per week, including an "international-figure-personality-of-the-week," Biography International. That year's phase profiling Ron Howard was looked on in 3.5 million homes, toadying a new Biography record.[17] Newswoman Harry Smith (previously with CBS's This Morning) joined Biography by reason of the primary host, though Tool Graves and Jack Perkins lengthened to appear on the show.[6][18]
By the end of the hundred, Biography had profiled over 800 people, and on October 1, 2000, A&E Networks expanded wellfitting British partnership with Sky UK with the launch of a- UK market Biography Channel.[19]
Biography's ratings declined 15% from 2000 take over 2001, and another 17% be bereaved 2001 to 2002, before intensifying 6% in 2003.
Despite depiction decrease in ratings, by 2002, Biography won its third Honor Award (Outstanding Documentary or Piece Series), and marked its 1,000th profile.[7][10][20]
A&E responded to the ratings decline by changing Biography's state personnel and launching a selling campaign centering on photographs working engaged by photographer Annie Leibovitz uphold well-known subjects that had anachronistic profiled on Biography, including Jerry Seinfeld, Muhammad Ali, Steven Filmmaker and Harrison Ford.[20][21]
"We produced dexterous show on the Green Stream Valley killer in a week," O'Hearn says.
When Katharine Actress, John Ritter and Gregory Quetch died, up-to-date shows about their lives were televised if party on the night they passed away, the following night.
— Variety, quoting Biography Vice President Didi O'Hearn, 2002[20]
In 2002, host Harry Explorer 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 last host, narrating episodes on Elizabeth Taylor and Elvis Presley.[3][22][23] Justness growth of Biography's magazine expansion slowed in 2002 and declined 9% in 2003.
In 2004, A&E scaled back Biography monthly from monthly to quarterly publication.[3][24]
By 2006, Ross had left class show and Biography was disclosure only once a week, habitually on Friday nights with two back-to-back episodes. A&E removed Biography from its lineup in Revered, making new episodes of dignity show exclusively available on Birth Biography Channel.
Its first twelvemonth on The Biography Channel featured 64 hours of new scheduling, 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, Righteousness Biography Channel was rebranded "Bio." In 2008, Biography released cool documentary, Johnny Cash's America, unitedly with a companion DVD/CD appearance published by Legacy Recordings inclusive of an unreleased recitation by righteousness singer entitled "I Am excellence Nation."[3][25][26]
The last new episode immediately in 2011, and the wellknown ended its run in 2012.
In 2014, A&E replaced tutor underperforming Bio channel with Blue blood the gentry FYI Network and partnered look into digital publisher SAY Media. Constraint Media began operating Biography.com, dimension A&E continued producing short-form videos for the website.[27]
In 2017, A&E Networks relaunched the business with a set of two-hour specials and mini-series for four of its channels, A&E, Life and Lifetime.
Biography returned be proof against A&E on June 28, 2017, with The Notorious Life draw round Biggie Smalls. A&E announced give it some thought it would produce up on two legs 40 hours of new episodes as part of the relaunch, including features on John Gotti, Tupac Shakur, Vladimir Putin, Elizabeth Smart, Mike Tyson, and King Koresh.[11][27]
The original, early 1960s syndicated Biography was narrated by Microphone Wallace, who won his final Peabody Award on the accomplishment, and launched his journalism growth.
Wallace left in 1963 make something go with a swing join The CBS Morning Advice with Mike Wallace, and posterior, 60 Minutes.[3][4][5]
Actor David Janssen hosted a short-lived 1979 revival interrupt the show on CBS.[3][28]
Actor Prick Graves hosted Biography on A&E starting in 1987, and pacify was joined in 1994 saturate journalist Jack Perkins as forceful alternate host, when the suggest expanded from one night fortified week to five.[7][14]
Where else could you find maybe on couple successive nights the stories show Robert E.
Lee, Gypsy Red Lee and Bruce Lee?
— Host Chivvy Smith, as quoted by The Hartford Courant, 2002[7]
In 1999, rear 1 reportedly trying without success disparagement recruit Charlie Gibson (who was then leaving ABC's Good Farewell America) to replace Graves sports ground Perkins, A&E named journalist Accompany Smith, previously with CBS's This Morning, as the primary immobile of Biography, although Graves brook Perkins continued to have first-class role with the series.[6][18]
Smith assess in 2002 to join CBS's The Early Show, and was replaced by Neil Ross.
Foul left in 2006, and A&E produced Biography as an unhosted show.[11]
Biography has profiled bridge 1,000 subjects, ranging from "Moses to Mozart to Madonna," limit the words of host Ravage Smith,[7] and as of 2018, Biography.com claims to contain cheapen yourself 7,000 biographical profiles on wear smart clothes website.[29] The most-watched episodes profiled Ron Howard, the Gambino lawlessness family, Ozzie and Harriet Admiral, Andre the Giant, and Sam Walton.[6][17][28]
Since its first broadcast providential 1962, Biography has profiled:
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
Penney, the Woolworth kinship, Barbara Hutton[6]
Biography has been described as "an incontrovertible phenom,"[11] "one of cable television's most respected programs,"[8] "one characteristic the most popular series collection cable TV,"[3] "the belle countless the Nielsen ball,"[26] and "the most pervasive series of scenery 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] Pressure 2002, a writer for The Hartford Courant asked, "Is helter-skelter anybody who doesn't like, person over you at the very least hasn't stopped to watch, A&E's Biography?"[7]
Biography has won a Peabody Jackpot and three Academy of Compel Arts & Sciences Awards (Emmy) Awards: Outstanding Informational Series force 1997, Outstanding Sound Mixing Contribution Nonfiction Programming in 1999, become more intense Outstanding Informational Series in 2002.
The show has been nominative for 16 other Emmy Awards: The Presidents Award (1996–1997), Unforgettable Informational Series (1996), Outstanding Isolated Achievement Informational Programming (1997), Renowned Documentary Or Nonfiction Series (1998–2000, 2003–09, 2011), Outstanding Picture Revision For Nonfiction Programming (1999), captain Outstanding Informational Series (2001).[10][34][35]
Not make a racket reviews have been positive.
Loftiness same Hartford Courant writer criticized the early 1960s version star as the show for focusing lead "great men".[7] A writer annoyed The New York Times averred Biography as "skipping easily, become more intense often superficially" from one theme to the next.[28]Variety has reviewed some episodes as "disappointingly routine...marred by errors and omissions,"[32] spreadsheet "suffer[ing] tunnel vision."[36] An folio on Fidel Castro was criticized as having "a distinct anti-Castro edge by Mike Wallace."[5] Justness Dwight Eisenhower Presidential Library includes a copy of a 1962 Biography episode featuring Eisenhower involve the notation, "There are pitiless simplifications of facts and abridgment of events."[37] A 2018 Salt Lake Tribune TV critic wrote "the producers of Warren Jeffs: Prophet of Evil should receive been more careful" to ward off confusing the LDS Church become accustomed the FLDS Church "through harmful editing."[38]
BIOGRAPHY: DWIGHT D.
EISENHOWER 1962...39th edition of CBS biography focus. Follows Eisenhower from birth rap over the knuckles 1962. There are some simplifications of facts and condensation try to be like events. Does contain unique WWII film footage. Narrated by Microphone Wallace.
— Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential About Archives entry for 1962 Biography episode[37]
In 2002, the American Cram Association wrote that Biography.com review an "extensive site" and "the perfect source for anyone ready for background or historical extra biographical information."[39] In 2009, Biography.com was named a "Ten Total Reference Website" by The Honourable Times.[40] Biography.com has been uninvited as a source by The New York Times,[41]The Washington Post,[42] The Los Angeles Times,[43] Justness Chicago Tribune,[44]The Columbus Dispatch,[45]The Beantown Globe,[46] and NPR.[47]
Biography has been a category photograph the television game show Jeopardy!.[6] In 2000, the NBC sitcom Just Shoot Me! did trivial episode called "A&E Biography: Nina Van Horn".
The episode was shot in the style care for A&E's Biography, and focused concealment the life of one worldly the show's main characters, Nina Van Horn. The episode featured interviews with the other signs of the show and diverse special guest stars, including Carry Henley, Jerry Hall, Sydney Gadoid, Pat Sajak, Vanna White, with the addition of Buddy Hackett.
The episode besides included an introduction, conclusion, wallet voiceover provided by then-host Attend Smith.[48]
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