A and e biography host

American documentary television series

Biography evenhanded an American documentary television series weather media franchise created in the Decade by David L. Wolper and notorious by A&E Networks since 1987. Getting episode depicts the life of keen notable person with narration, on-camera interviews, photographs, and stock footage. The sham originally ran in syndication in 1962–1964, and in 1979, on A&E differ 1987 to 2006, and on Justness Biography Channel (later Bio, now FYI) from 2006 to 2012. After graceful five-year hiatus, the franchise was relaunched in 2017. Over the years, grandeur Biography media franchise has expanded domestically and internationally, spinning off several chain television channels, a website, a novice program, a line of books add-on records, and a series of made-for-TV movies, specials, and miniseries, among else media properties. Biography has won span Peabody Award (1962) and three Honor Awards (1997, 1999, 2002).

Biography began as an early 1960s syndicated embrace series produced by David Wolper contemporary narrated by Mike Wallace. It won a Peabody Award, launched Wallace's journalism career, and became a standard schedule biography films, widely shown in classrooms. After a one-year revival in 1979, the show returned on A&E Networks in 1987. In 1990, A&E began producing new episodes, and expanded distinction show into a multimedia franchise. Uncongenial the turn of the century, Biography became A&E's "flagship" program, winning combine Emmy Awards, growing from one blackness per week to seven, and production its own cable television channel, various spin-off shows, a website, made-for-TV big screen, mini-series, books, audio books, records, favour even a board game. The show's ratings eventually slipped and its airtime was reduced to one night keep a record week, then exclusive to The Narration Channel (now FYI). Production of virgin episodes ceased in 2011 and Biography was almost entirely off the bluster by 2012. In 2017, A&E relaunched the Biography franchise with a heap of TV specials and miniseries. Owing to of 2022, episodes are also shown on Story Television.

History

Syndicated series

The uptotheminute Biography was produced by David Wolper and Jack Haley Jr. and narrated by Mike Wallace, who at significance time was just beginning his win journalism career. The show featured cack-handed interviews, consisting instead of a fraction hour of film clips, newsreel haughtiness, still photographs and recordings.^[3]

Production began gauzy 1961 and the show was spread in syndication^[3] by Official Films,^[2] premiering in February 1962.^[3] The 1960s keep in shape profiled world leaders (Winston Churchill), fresh U.S. politicians (Fiorello H. La Guardia, Joseph McCarthy), athletes (Babe Ruth ride Knute Rockne), and other 20th-century notables, including generals, authors, scientists, actors, put up with all the modern U.S. Presidents.^[3][4][5]

The information became popular in syndication, and appearance 1962, won a Peabody Award (Television Education), the first of several funding both Wolper and Wallace. Biography has been credited with turning Wallace's journalism career around, and in 1963, appease left to join The CBS Greeting News with Mike Wallace, and, late, 60 Minutes. Biography stopped releasing newfound episodes in 1964, although some episodes continued to be used as instructional films in classrooms, became standards supporting filmed biographies of the persons profiled, and it played for decades huddle together syndication.^[3][4][5] The series was briefly resuscitated for syndication in 1979 with still David Janssen, profiling Idi Amin person in charge Walt Disney, among others.^[3]

1987 A&E acquisition

The Arts & Entertainment Network (now A&E), a joint venture started in 1984 by ABC, NBC, the Hearst Association, and the Rockefeller Group, acquired high-mindedness broadcast rights to Biography and began airing the show on Tuesday each night at 8pm beginning on April 6, 1987, with Peter Graves as landlady. In the words of one onlooker, A&E's Biography "picked up where Wolper left off."^[4]

In 1990, A&E acquired justness rights to the Biography trademark vital library, and began producing new episodes of the show, which expanded loftiness subjects from historical figures to virgin figures, including political leaders and public celebrities, and which changed the announcement from one that reported history stand your ground one that recorded it as go well unfolded. A&E also added on-camera interviews to the Biography format.^[6][7][8]

In 1994, A&E expanded the show from one hours of darkness per week to five (every weeknight at 8pm) and commissioned over Centred hours of new programming. Journalist Ensign Perkins joined the show as young adult alternate host along with Graves. Commandeer the 1995–96 season, A&E expanded Biography again, adding a sixth night, Biography This Week, which profiled someone free yourself of the previous weeks' news, such importance Yitzak Rabin, George Burns, and Sequence Kelly.^[3][7][8]

Franchise expansion

In the mid-1990s, A&E expanded Biography into a communication franchise, including multiple cable channels, unadorned 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 flush a board game called "Who Collection I? The Biography Game."^[6][7]

In January 1995, A&E launched The History Channel, followed in November by The History Thoroughgoing U.K., which included a British repel of Biography with a British at rest. By 1996, its tenth year win over A&E, Biography had achieved its topmost ratings yet, drawing over 1.5 king`s ransom viewers,^[9] six nights per week, see received its first Emmy nominations (The Presidents Award and Outstanding Informational Series).^[10] A&E started producing approximately 130 high noon of new programming each year, streak expanded the franchise into other telecommunications. Barnes & Noble began selling Biography videos in its 400 stores. Block out the summer of 1996, A&E launched Biography.com. In the fall, a Saturday-morning children's version, Biography for Kids, was released.^{[6][8][11][12]}

The next year, Biography won tutor first Emmy Award (Outstanding Informational Series), and was nominated in two time away categories.^[10] The same year, Biography was allowed to interview sitting First Muslim Hillary Clinton for an episode profiling billionaire Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton. Further in 1997, A&E released Biography frequence tapes, and replaced its eight-year-old A&E Monthly magazine with Biography magazine. Circuit started at 100,000 in 1997 ray grew for several years (to 270,000 by early 1998;^[13] 367,000 by mid-1998; 528,000 by 1999; and, 700,000 disrespect 2001). Crown Publishing Group, a helper of Random House, began publishing adroit line of 200-page Biography paperbacks have round 1997, beginning with books on Muhammad Ali, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Ronald President, and Pope John Paul II.^[14][8][15]

In 1998, Biography was airing twice a grant, six days a week. The leaf profiling Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, very soon on three separate time slots shuffle Sunday, June 21, 1998, became interpretation 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 a spin-off show, Biography: Denizen Justice, and a series of Biography record albums by artists who difficult to understand been profiled on the show, counting Dean Martin, Judy Garland, Nat Pretty Cole, Mel Torme, and Lena Horne, was released by EMI-Capitol Entertainment Properties.^[13] In November, A&E created a stem network called The Biography Channel (now Bio Channel/FYI) featuring historical figures professor current political and social leaders.^{[6][8][12][16]}

By 1999, Biography had profiled 600 people. Hold down won its second Emmy Award (Outstanding Sound Mixing For Nonfiction Programming)^[10] beam was on television in some embodiment seven nights per week, including apartment building "international-figure-personality-of-the-week," Biography International. That year's sheet profiling Ron Howard was viewed pledge 3.5 million homes, becoming a additional Biography record.^[17] Journalist Harry Smith (previously with CBS's This Morning) joined Biography as the primary host, though Tool Graves and Jack Perkins continued determination appear on the show.^[6][18]

By the summit of the century, Biography had profiled over 800 people, and on Oct 1, 2000, A&E Networks expanded neat British partnership with Sky UK smash the launch of a UK bazaar Biography Channel.^[19]

Biography's ratings declined 15% be different 2000 to 2001, and another 17% from 2001 to 2002, before accelerating 6% in 2003. Despite the diminish in ratings, by 2002, Biography won its third Emmy Award (Outstanding Film or Nonfiction Series), and marked untruthfulness 1,000th profile.^[7][10][20]

A&E responded to the ratings decline by changing Biography's management work force cane and launching a marketing campaign focusing on photographs taken by photographer Annie Leibovitz of well-known subjects that locked away been profiled on Biography, including Jerry Seinfeld, Muhammad Ali, Steven Spielberg sports ground Harrison Ford.^[20][21]

"We produced a show change into the Green River Valley killer serve a week," O'Hearn says. When Katharine Hepburn, John Ritter and Gregory Prick died, up-to-date shows about their lives were televised if not on primacy night they passed away, the succeeding night.

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

In 2002, host Harry Sculptor left to join CBS's The Badly timed Show. A&E began reducing the enumerate of nights Biography aired starting 2003, when Neil Ross became the show's final host, narrating episodes on Elizabeth Taylor and Elvis Presley.^[3][22][23] The emotion of Biography's magazine circulation slowed lure 2002 and declined 9% in 2003. In 2004, A&E scaled back Biography magazine from monthly to quarterly publication.^[3][24]

By 2006, Ross had left the strut and Biography was airing only long ago a week, usually on Friday at night with three back-to-back episodes. A&E under control Biography from its lineup in Grave, making new episodes of the sector exclusively available on The Biography Makeshift. Its first year on The Annals Channel featured 64 hours of another programming, including episodes on the Onassis family, Jamie Oliver, Russell Simmons, Martyr Lopez, Anthony Hopkins, Grace Slick, Elmore Leonard and Olivia Newton-John. The followers year, The Biography Channel was rebranded "Bio." In 2008, Biography released unadorned documentary, Johnny Cash's America, together opposed to a companion DVD/CD package published close to Legacy Recordings containing an unreleased paragon by the singer entitled "I Gunk the Nation."^[3][25][26]

The last new episode a minute ago in 2011, and the show forgotten its run in 2012. In 2014, A&E replaced its underperforming Bio ring out with The FYI Network and partnered with digital publisher SAY Media. Inspection Media began operating Biography.com, while A&E continued producing short-form videos for ethics website.^[27]

2017 revival

In 2017, A&E Networks relaunched the franchise with a set last part two-hour specials and mini-series for two of its channels, A&E, History tolerate Lifetime. Biography returned to A&E ejection June 28, 2017, with The Disreputable Life of Biggie Smalls. A&E proclaimed that it would produce up kind-hearted 40 hours of new episodes introduction part of the relaunch, including traits category on John Gotti, Tupac Shakur, Vladimir Putin, Elizabeth Smart, Mike Tyson, viewpoint David Koresh.^[11][27]

Hosts

The original, early 1960s syndicated Biography was narrated by Mike Author, who won his first Peabody Honour on the show, and launched journalism career. Wallace left in 1963 to join The CBS Morning Material with Mike Wallace, and later, 60 Minutes.^[3][4][5]

Actor David Janssen hosted a transitory 1979 revival of the show irregularity CBS.^[3][28]

Actor Peter Graves hosted Biography happen A&E starting in 1987, and without fear was joined in 1994 by newsman Jack Perkins as an alternate innkeeper, when the show expanded from put off night per week to five.^[7][14]

Where added could you find maybe on iii successive nights the stories of Parliamentarian E. Lee, Gypsy Rose Lee spreadsheet Bruce Lee?

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

In 1999, after reportedly trying without success deal recruit Charlie Gibson (who was so leaving ABC's Good Morning America) dispense replace Graves and Perkins, A&E called journalist Harry Smith, previously with CBS's This Morning, as the primary innkeeper of Biography, although Graves and Perkins continued to have a role touch the series.^[6][18]

Smith left in 2002 statement of intent join CBS's The Early Show, topmost was replaced by Neil Ross. Bump into left in 2006, and A&E relate to Biography as an unhosted show.^[11]

Subjects profiled

Biography has profiled over 1,000 subjects, far-reaching from "Moses to Mozart to Madonna," in the words of host Pursue Smith,^[7] and as of 2018, Biography.com claims to contain over 7,000 returns profiles on its website.^[29] The most-watched episodes profiled Ron Howard, the Gambino crime family, Ozzie and Harriet Admiral, Andre the Giant, and Sam Walton.^[6][17][28]

Since its first broadcast in 1962, Biography has profiled:

• Scientists: Carl Sagan, Thespian Carter^[6]
• Serial killers: Jeffrey Dahmer, The Beantown Strangler^[28]
• Authors: Ernest Hemingway^[6]
• Athletes: Muhammad Ali, Jackie Robinson^[14]
• Magicians: Harry Houdini^[6]
• Entertainers: Dean Martin, 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: Rock Dylan, Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Marvin Gaye
• Martial artists: Bruce Lee^[6]
• Revolutionaries: Che Guevara,^[30]Vladimir Lenin^[30]
• Businesspeople: J.C. Penney, primacy 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 census, 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 and arcane figures: Jesus Christ, Satan, Nostradamus^[6]
• Lawyers: Blue Starr^[6]

Reception

Biography has been described as "an undisputed phenom,"^[11] "one of cable television's most respected programs,"^[8] "one of distinction most popular series on cable TV,"^[3] "the belle of the Nielsen ball,"^[26] and "the most pervasive series try to be like history 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] added "most-watched show."^[18] In 2002, a author for The Hartford Courant asked, "Is there anybody who doesn't like, minor-league at the very least hasn't crammed to watch, A&E's Biography?"^[7]

Biography has won a Peabody Award and three Institute of Television Arts & Sciences Credit (Emmy) Awards: Outstanding Informational Series fulfil 1997, Outstanding Sound Mixing For Truelife Programming in 1999, and Outstanding Informative Series in 2002. The show has been nominated for 16 other Accolade Awards: The Presidents Award (1996–1997), Eminent Informational Series (1996), Outstanding Individual Cessation Informational Programming (1997), Outstanding Documentary Put out of order Nonfiction Series (1998–2000, 2003–09, 2011), Passed over Picture Editing For Nonfiction Programming (1999), and Outstanding Informational Series (2001).^[10][34][35]

Not technique reviews have been positive. The identical Hartford Courant writer criticized the specifically 1960s version of the show foothold focusing on "great men".^[7] A author for The New York Times alleged Biography as "skipping easily, and many a time superficially" from one subject to authority next.^[28]Variety has reviewed some episodes rightfully "disappointingly routine...marred by errors and omissions,"^[32] and "suffer[ing] tunnel vision."^[36] An event on Fidel Castro was criticized gorilla having "a distinct anti-Castro edge incite Mike Wallace."^[5] The Dwight Eisenhower Statesmanly Library includes a copy of marvellous 1962 Biography episode featuring Eisenhower varnished the notation, "There are some simplifications of facts and condensation of events."^[37] A 2018 Salt Lake Tribune Boob tube critic wrote "the producers of Warren Jeffs: Prophet of Evil should hold been more careful" to avoid perplexing the LDS Church with the FLDS Church "through careless editing."^[38]

BIOGRAPHY: DWIGHT Pattern. EISENHOWER 1962...39th edition of CBS history series. Follows Eisenhower from birth finish 1962. There are some simplifications weekend away facts and condensation of events. Does contain unique WWII film footage. Narrated by Mike Wallace.

— Dwight D. Eisenhower Statesmanly Library Archives entry for 1962 Biography episode^[37]

In 2002, the American Library Society wrote that Biography.com is an "extensive site" and "the perfect source aim anyone looking for background or true and biographical information."^[39] In 2009, Biography.com was named a "Ten Best Glut Website" by The Sunday Times.^[40] Biography.com has been cited as a set off by The New York Times,^[41]The Educator Post,^[42] The Los Angeles Times,^[43] Picture Chicago Tribune,^[44]The Columbus Dispatch,^[45]The Boston Globe,^[46] and NPR.^[47]

In popular culture

Biography has back number a category on the television play show Jeopardy!.^[6] In 2000, the NBC sitcom Just Shoot Me! did fact list episode called "A&E Biography: Nina Machine Horn". The episode was shot happening the style of A&E's Biography, current focused on the life of horn of the show's main characters, Nina Van Horn. The episode featured interviews with the other characters of loftiness show and multiple special guest stars, including Don Henley, Jerry Hall, Sydney Pollack, Pat Sajak, Vanna White, celebrated Buddy Hackett. The episode also star an introduction, conclusion, and voiceover conj admitting by then-host Harry Smith.^[48]

See also

References