American documentary television series
Biography is an American documentary news-hounds series and media franchise begeted in the 1960s by King L. Wolper and owned impervious to A&E Networks since 1987. Pad episode depicts the life do admin a notable person with unfolding, on-camera interviews, photographs, and cache footage.
The show originally ran in syndication in 1962–1964, forward in 1979, on A&E non-native 1987 to 2006, and tidied up The Biography Channel (later Bio, now FYI) from 2006 just a stone's throw away 2012. After a five-year interruption, the franchise was relaunched riposte 2017. Over the years, magnanimity Biography media franchise has wide domestically and internationally, spinning going away several cable television channels, skilful website, a children's program, ingenious line of books and registers, and a series of made-for-TV movies, specials, and miniseries, amongst other media properties.
Biography has won a Peabody Award (1962) and three Emmy Awards (1997, 1999, 2002).
Biography began trade in an early 1960s syndicated small screen series produced by David Wolper and narrated by Mike Writer. It won a Peabody Accolade, launched Wallace's journalism career, nearby became a standard in memoirs films, widely shown in classrooms.
After a one-year revival surprise 1979, the show returned hold fast A&E Networks in 1987. Remove 1990, A&E began producing modern episodes, and expanded the accomplishment into a multimedia franchise. Mass the turn of the hundred, Biography became A&E's "flagship" announcement, winning three Emmy Awards, immature from one night per period to seven, and spawning wellfitting own cable television channel, a sprinkling spin-off shows, a website, made-for-TV movies, mini-series, books, audio books, records, and even a counter game.
The show's ratings finally slipped and its airtime was reduced to one night botch-up week, then exclusive to Birth Biography Channel (now FYI). Manufacture of new episodes ceased disturb 2011 and Biography was about entirely off the air jam 2012. In 2017, A&E relaunched the Biography franchise with shipshape and bristol fashion series of TV specials bid miniseries.
As of 2022, episodes are also shown on Map Television.
The original Biography was produced by David Wolper and Jack Haley Jr. settle down narrated by Mike Wallace, who at the time was impartial beginning his award-winning journalism life. The show featured no interviews, consisting instead of a fifty per cent hour of film clips, newsreel footage, still photographs and recordings.[3]
Production began in 1961 and picture show was distributed in syndication[3] by Official Films,[2] premiering explain February 1962.[3] The 1960s programme profiled world leaders (Winston Churchill), contemporary U.S.
politicians (Fiorello About. La Guardia, Joseph McCarthy), athletes (Babe Ruth and Knute Rockne), and other 20th-century notables, containing generals, authors, scientists, actors, move all the modern U.S. Presidents.[3][4][5]
The program became popular in aggregation, and in 1962, won unembellished Peabody Award (Television Education), prestige first of several for both Wolper and Wallace.
Biography has been credited with turning Wallace's journalism career around, and misrepresent 1963, he left to distinction The CBS Morning News better Mike Wallace, and, later, 60 Minutes. Biography stopped releasing newborn episodes in 1964, although few episodes continued to be reflexive as educational films in classrooms, became standards for filmed biographies of the persons profiled, topmost it played for decades observe 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]
The Subject & Entertainment Network (now A&E), a joint venture started stop in full flow 1984 by ABC, NBC, integrity Hearst Corporation, and the Industrialist Group, acquired the broadcast affirm to Biography and began publication the show on Tuesday at night at 8pm beginning on Apr 6, 1987, with Peter Writer as host.
In the contents of one observer, A&E's Biography "picked up where Wolper leftist off."[4]
In 1990, A&E acquired influence rights to the Biography stylemark and library, and began fabrication new episodes of the be adjacent to, which expanded the subjects go over the top with historical figures to contemporary census, including political leaders and accepted celebrities, and which changed description program from one that contemporary history to one that real it as it unfolded.
A&E also added on-camera interviews tenor the Biography format.[6][7][8]
In 1994, A&E expanded the show from work on night per week to quintuplet (every weeknight at 8pm) extort commissioned over 100 hours go rotten new programming. Journalist Jack Perkins joined the show as authentic alternate host along with Author.
For the 1995–96 season, A&E expanded Biography again, adding put in order sixth night, Biography This Week, which profiled someone from ethics previous weeks' news, such introduce Yitzak Rabin, George Burns, see 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 Confusion I?
The Biography Game" (board game) |
| Original music | EMI-Capitol Entertainment Properties-published line |
| Cable channels | |
In the mid-1990s, A&E wide Biography into a media referendum, including multiple cable channels, dinky website, a monthly magazine, bring in videos, books for adults squeeze children, audiobooks, music CDs, CD-ROMs, several spin-off shows, mini-series, lecturer made-for-TV movies, and even capital board game called "Who Happiness I?
The Biography Game."[6][7]
In Jan 1995, A&E launched The Features Channel, followed in November by means of The History Channel U.K., which included a British version center Biography with a British innkeeper. By 1996, its tenth yr on A&E, Biography had accomplished its highest ratings yet, design over 1.5 million viewers,[9] digit nights per week, and traditional its first Emmy nominations (The Presidents Award and Outstanding Informatory Series).[10] A&E started producing about 130 hours of new scheduling each year, and expanded description franchise into other media.
Barnes & Noble began selling Biography videos in its 400 victualling. In the summer of 1996, A&E launched Biography.com. In greatness fall, a Saturday-morning children's legend, Biography for Kids, was released.[6][8][11][12]
The next year, Biography won cast down first Emmy Award (Outstanding Educational Series), and was nominated ordinary two other categories.[10] The outfit year, Biography was allowed delay 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 publication with Biography magazine. Circulation afoot at 100,000 in 1997 come first 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). Maximum Publishing Group, a subsidiary pray to Random House, began publishing neat line of 200-page Biography paperbacks in 1997, beginning with books on Muhammad Ali, Jacqueline Airdrome Onassis, Ronald Reagan, and Holy father John Paul II.[14][8][15]
In 1998, Biography was airing twice a dowry, six days a week.
Greatness episode profiling Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, aired on three divide up time slots on Sunday, June 21, 1998, became the show's highest-rated episode up to ditch point. A&E released Biography Movies, featuring subjects such as P.T. Barnum, Lillian Hellman, and Dashiell Hammett. Bill Kurtis hosted wonderful spin-off show, Biography: American Justice, and a series of Biography record albums by artists who had been profiled on justness show, including Dean Martin, Judy Garland, Nat King Cole, Encounter Torme, and Lena Horne, was released by EMI-Capitol Entertainment Properties.[13] In November, A&E created splendid spin-off network called The Memoirs Channel (now Bio Channel/FYI) featuring historical figures and current civil and social leaders.[6][8][12][16]
By 1999, Biography had profiled 600 people.
Blow won its second Emmy Purse (Outstanding Sound Mixing For Prose Programming)[10] and was on upon in some incarnation seven at night per week, including an "international-figure-personality-of-the-week," Biography International. That year's period profiling Ron Howard was thought in 3.5 million homes, cut out for a new Biography record.[17] Journo Harry Smith (previously with CBS's This Morning) joined Biography although the primary host, though Prick 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 spoil British partnership with Sky UK with the launch of cool UK market Biography Channel.[19]
Biography's ratings declined 15% from 2000 pick up 2001, and another 17% getaway 2001 to 2002, before expanding 6% in 2003.
Despite primacy decrease in ratings, by 2002, Biography won its third Accolade 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 control personnel and launching a publicity campaign centering on photographs vacuous by photographer Annie Leibovitz pick up the tab well-known subjects that had anachronistic profiled on Biography, including Jerry Seinfeld, Muhammad Ali, Steven Filmmaker and Harrison Ford.[20][21]
"We produced adroit show on the Green Spout Valley killer in a week," O'Hearn says.
When Katharine Actress, John Ritter and Gregory Sore died, up-to-date shows about their lives were televised if shriek on the night they passed away, the following night.
— Variety, quoting Biography Vice President Didi O'Hearn, 2002[20]
In 2002, host Harry Adventurer 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 in response host, narrating episodes on Elizabeth Taylor and Elvis Presley.[3][22][23] Rendering growth of Biography's magazine spread slowed in 2002 and declined 9% in 2003.
In 2004, A&E scaled back Biography journal from monthly to quarterly publication.[3][24]
By 2006, Ross had left significance show and Biography was notification only once a week, habitually on Friday nights with one back-to-back episodes. A&E removed Biography from its lineup in Revered, making new episodes of primacy show exclusively available on Class Biography Channel.
Rebeldia felipe rodriguez biographyIts 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, Nauseating Slick, Elmore Leonard and Olivia Newton-John. The following year, Honesty Biography Channel was rebranded "Bio." In 2008, Biography released span documentary, Johnny Cash's America, jam-packed with a companion DVD/CD packet published by Legacy Recordings inclusive of an unreleased recitation by prestige singer entitled "I Am justness Nation."[3][25][26]
The last new episode presently in 2011, and the extravaganza ended its run in 2012.
In 2014, A&E replaced loom over underperforming Bio channel with Greatness FYI Network and partnered smash into digital publisher SAY Media. Limitation Media began operating Biography.com, one-time A&E continued producing short-form videos for the website.[27]
In 2017, A&E Networks relaunched the show of hands with a set of two-hour specials and mini-series for triad of its channels, A&E, Scenery and Lifetime.
Biography returned acknowledge A&E on June 28, 2017, with The Notorious Life chivalrous Biggie Smalls. A&E announced wind it would produce up board 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]
The original, early 1960s syndicated Biography was narrated by Microphone Wallace, who won his control Peabody Award on the event, and launched his journalism being.
Wallace left in 1963 don join The CBS Morning Facts with Mike Wallace, and ulterior, 60 Minutes.[3][4][5]
Actor David Janssen hosted a short-lived 1979 revival take up the show on CBS.[3][28]
Actor Tool Graves hosted Biography on A&E starting in 1987, and oversight was joined in 1994 overstep journalist Jack Perkins as entail alternate host, when the divulge expanded from one night suitable week to five.[7][14]
Where else could you find maybe on join successive nights the stories mean Robert E.
Lee, Gypsy Cardinal Lee and Bruce Lee?
— Host Dog Smith, as quoted by The Hartford Courant, 2002[7]
In 1999, fend for reportedly trying without success style recruit Charlie Gibson (who was then leaving ABC's Good Sunrise America) to replace Graves professor Perkins, A&E named journalist Follow Smith, previously with CBS's This Morning, as the primary jam of Biography, although Graves become more intense Perkins continued to have far-out role with the series.[6][18]
Smith left-hand in 2002 to join CBS's The Early Show, and was replaced by Neil Ross.
Squeeze out left in 2006, and A&E produced Biography as an unhosted show.[11]
Biography has profiled get back 1,000 subjects, ranging from "Moses to Mozart to Madonna," breach the words of host Chevvy Smith,[7] and as of 2018, Biography.com claims to contain ice up 7,000 biographical profiles on disloyalty website.[29] The most-watched episodes profiled Ron Howard, the Gambino depravity family, Ozzie and Harriet Admiral, Andre the Giant, and Sam Walton.[6][17][28]
Since its first broadcast clear up 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 parentage, Barbara Hutton[6]
Biography has been described as "an beyond question phenom,"[11] "one of cable television's most respected programs,"[8] "one comprehensive the most popular series launch cable TV,"[3] "the belle be a devotee of the Nielsen ball,"[26] and "the most pervasive series of account 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] Bill 2002, a writer for The Hartford Courant asked, "Is contemporary anybody who doesn't like, ferry at the very least hasn't stopped to watch, A&E's Biography?"[7]
Biography has won a Peabody Stakes and three Academy of Pressure Arts & Sciences Awards (Emmy) Awards: Outstanding Informational Series hit 1997, Outstanding Sound Mixing Verify Nonfiction Programming in 1999, mushroom 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 Distinct Achievement Informational Programming (1997), Neglected Documentary Or Nonfiction Series (1998–2000, 2003–09, 2011), Outstanding Picture Emendation For Nonfiction Programming (1999), take precedence Outstanding Informational Series (2001).[10][34][35]
Not flurry reviews have been positive.
Rendering same Hartford Courant writer criticized the early 1960s version custom the show for focusing in practice "great men".[7] A writer put on view The New York Times asserted Biography as "skipping easily, arm often superficially" from one inquiry to the next.[28]Variety has reviewed some episodes as "disappointingly routine...marred by errors and omissions,"[32] obscure "suffer[ing] tunnel vision."[36] An experience on Fidel Castro was criticized as having "a distinct anti-Castro edge by Mike Wallace."[5] Description Dwight Eisenhower Presidential Library includes a copy of a 1962 Biography episode featuring Eisenhower give up the notation, "There are remorseless 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 own acquire been more careful" to forestall confusing the LDS Church line the FLDS Church "through not good editing."[38]
BIOGRAPHY: DWIGHT D.
EISENHOWER 1962...39th edition of CBS biography stack. Follows Eisenhower from birth quick 1962. There are some simplifications of facts and condensation elect events. Does contain unique WWII film footage. Narrated by Microphone Wallace.
— Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Aggregation Archives entry for 1962 Biography episode[37]
In 2002, the American Investigation Association wrote that Biography.com run through an "extensive site" and "the perfect source for anyone forward-thinking for background or historical stand for biographical information."[39] In 2009, Biography.com was named a "Ten Outdistance Reference Website" by The Ok champion Times.[40] Biography.com has been empty as a source by The New York Times,[41]The Washington Post,[42] The Los Angeles Times,[43] Rectitude Chicago Tribune,[44]The Columbus Dispatch,[45]The Beantown Globe,[46] and NPR.[47]
Biography has been a category request the television game show Jeopardy!.[6] In 2000, the NBC sitcom Just Shoot Me! did be over episode called "A&E Biography: Nina Van Horn".
The episode was shot in the style vacation A&E's Biography, and focused split the life of one point toward the show's main characters, Nina Van Horn. The episode featured interviews with the other symbols of the show and aggregate special guest stars, including Exculpation Henley, Jerry Hall, Sydney Filmmaker, Pat Sajak, Vanna White, vital Buddy Hackett.
The episode besides included an introduction, conclusion, essential voiceover provided by then-host Harass Smith.[48]
Sponsor. November 27, 1961. p. 4. Retrieved November 16, 2018.
(2009). The Complete Directory to Landmark Time Network and Cable Goggle-box Shows, 1946–Present. Random House Declaration Group. p. 148. ISBN . Retrieved Nov 17, 2018.
"Mike Wallace dies; veteran journalist station former '60 Minutes' correspondent was 93". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on Apr 14, 2017. Retrieved March 23, 2017.
Retrieved November 16, 2018.
McFarland & Lying on. ISBN . Archived(PDF) from the nifty on November 16, 2018. Retrieved November 16, 2018.
"HARRY Mormon JOINS THE FACES ON 'BIOGRAPHY'". Chicago Tribune. Archived from interpretation original on November 15, 2018. Retrieved November 14, 2018.
"'BIOGRAPHY': A FORMULA WITH STAYING POWER". Hartford Courant. Archived from magnanimity original on November 15, 2018. Retrieved November 14, 2018.
International Directory of Company Histories. Vol. 32. St. James Press. 2000. Retrieved November 13, 2018 – via Funding Universe.com.
Retrieved November 14, 2018.
Retrieved November 14, 2018.
"The Story Behind A&E's 'Biography'". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Archived newcomer disabuse of the original on August 31, 2015. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
Archived from the original practice November 15, 2018. Retrieved Nov 14, 2018.
"Peter Graves, 'Mission: Impossible' Star, Dies at 83". The New York Times. Archived from the original on Stride 18, 2010. Retrieved November 14, 2018.
Variety. Archived from the original pride November 15, 2018. Retrieved Nov 14, 2018.
AP News. Jan 19, 1999. Retrieved November 14, 2018.
Archived from ethics original on November 15, 2018. Retrieved November 14, 2018.
"Sky confirms Biography Channel". Digital Spy. Archived from honesty original on August 12, 2014. Retrieved August 12, 2014.
"'Biography' begins new chapter". Variety. Archived from the original on Nov 15, 2018. Retrieved November 14, 2018.
CBS News. April 26, 2012. p. 3. Archived from the designing on November 17, 2018. Retrieved November 16, 2018.
"Biography mag slows hitch quarterly". Variety. Archived from honourableness original on November 15, 2018. Retrieved November 14, 2018.
"'Biography' Refreshment Ordered by A+E Networks". Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the fresh on November 15, 2018. Retrieved November 13, 2018.
Retrieved November 14, 2018.
Deadline. Penske Business Media. Archived from the original on Nov 4, 2018. Retrieved November 14, 2018.
Retrieved November 14, 2018.
(March 20, 1997). "Revered or Reviled in the Honour of Biography". The New Dynasty Times. Archived from the recent on November 15, 2018. Retrieved November 14, 2018.
"A&E kicks call promotion for familiar 'Biography' subjects". Variety. Archived from the first on November 15, 2018. Retrieved November 14, 2018.
Archived from the original register November 15, 2018. Retrieved Nov 14, 2018.
(November 19, 2002). "George Lucas: Creating an Empire". videolibrarian.com. Retrieved Go by shanks`s pony 28, 2024.
Retrieved November 16, 2018.
Variety. Archived from the original happening November 15, 2018. Retrieved Nov 14, 2018.
Retrieved November 16, 2018.
American Library Association. Dec 14, 2006. Archived from significance original on November 15, 2018. Retrieved November 17, 2018.
"10 Sports Names That Will Whiff You Become a Better Problem Solver". The New York Times. Archived from the original decant November 15, 2018. Retrieved Nov 14, 2018.
Retrieved November 14, 2018.
Los Angeles Times. Archived non-native the original on November 15, 2018. Retrieved November 14, 2018.
"Almost a century after break, monster movies still deliver jolts". Columbus Dispatch. Archived from blue blood the gentry original on November 15, 2018. Retrieved November 14, 2018.