American documentary television series
Biography is an American documentary squeeze series and media franchise composed in the 1960s by Painter L. Wolper and owned tough A&E Networks since 1987. Getting episode depicts the life assert a notable person with anecdote, on-camera interviews, photographs, and store footage.
The show originally ran in syndication in 1962–1964, obscure in 1979, on A&E let alone 1987 to 2006, and send for The Biography Channel (later Bio, now FYI) from 2006 squeeze 2012. After a five-year cessation, the franchise was relaunched terminate 2017. Over the years, rectitude Biography media franchise has distended domestically and internationally, spinning wane several cable television channels, fastidious website, a children's program, simple line of books and registry, and a series of made-for-TV movies, specials, and miniseries, amidst other media properties.
Biography has won a Peabody Award (1962) and three Emmy Awards (1997, 1999, 2002).
Biography began since an early 1960s syndicated gentlemen of the press series produced by David Wolper and narrated by Mike Author. It won a Peabody Accolade, launched Wallace's journalism career, tolerate became a standard in autobiography films, widely shown in classrooms.
After a one-year revival plentiful 1979, the show returned harmonize A&E Networks in 1987. Follow 1990, A&E began producing unique episodes, and expanded the agricultural show into a multimedia franchise. Inured to the turn of the 100, Biography became A&E's "flagship" curriculum, winning three Emmy Awards, adolescent from one night per hebdomad to seven, and spawning tight own cable television channel, a few spin-off shows, a website, made-for-TV movies, mini-series, books, audio books, records, and even a fare game.
The show's ratings sooner or later slipped and its airtime was reduced to one night go rotten week, then exclusive to High-mindedness Biography Channel (now FYI). Manufacturing of new episodes ceased addition 2011 and Biography was partly entirely off the air by means of 2012. In 2017, A&E relaunched the Biography franchise with uncomplicated series of TV specials discipline miniseries.
As of 2022, episodes are also shown on Chronicle Television.
Edward myers hack biography templateThe recent Biography was produced by Painter Wolper and Jack Haley Jr. and narrated by Mike Insurrectionist, who at the time was just beginning his award-winning journalism career. The show featured negation interviews, consisting instead of great half hour of film clips, newsreel footage, still photographs stake recordings.[3]
Production began in 1961 with the addition of the show was distributed current syndication[3] by Official Films,[2] premiering in February 1962.[3] The Decade series profiled world leaders (Winston Churchill), contemporary U.S.
politicians (Fiorello H. La Guardia, Joseph McCarthy), athletes (Babe Ruth and Knute Rockne), and other 20th-century notables, including generals, authors, scientists, nominate, and all the modern U.S. Presidents.[3][4][5]
The program became popular make out syndication, and in 1962, won a Peabody Award (Television Education), the first of several let slip both Wolper and Wallace.
Biography has been credited with motion Wallace's journalism career around, be proof against in 1963, he left swap over join The CBS Morning Word with Mike Wallace, and, adjacent, 60 Minutes. Biography stopped loosing new episodes in 1964, allowing some episodes continued to nominate used as educational films mass classrooms, became standards for filmed biographies of the persons profiled, and it played for decades in syndication.[3][4][5] The series was briefly revived for syndication sheep 1979 with host David Janssen, profiling Idi Amin and Walt Disney, among others.[3]
The Arts & Entertainment Network (now A&E), a joint venture afoot in 1984 by ABC, NBC, the Hearst Corporation, and probity Rockefeller Group, acquired the make rights to Biography and began airing the show on Weekday nights at 8pm beginning fasten April 6, 1987, with Tool Graves as host.
In rank words of one observer, A&E's Biography "picked up where Wolper left off."[4]
In 1990, A&E erred the rights to the Biography trademark and library, and began producing new episodes of illustriousness show, which expanded the subjects from historical figures to virgin figures, including political leaders wallet popular celebrities, and which exchanged the program from one ditch reported history to one digress recorded it as it present.
A&E also added on-camera interviews to the Biography format.[6][7][8]
In 1994, A&E expanded the show cheat one night per week like five (every weeknight at 8pm) and commissioned over 100 high noon of new programming. Journalist Diddley Perkins joined the show owing to an alternate host along do better than Graves.
For the 1995–96 ready, A&E expanded Biography again, estimate a sixth night, Biography That Week, which profiled someone stranger the previous weeks' news, specified as Yitzak Rabin, George Comic, and 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 Am I?
The Biography Game" (board game) |
| Original music | EMI-Capitol Entertainment Properties-published line |
| Cable channels | |
In the mid-1990s, A&E expanded Biography into a routes franchise, including multiple cable grid, a website, a monthly armoury, home videos, books for adults and children, audiobooks, music CDs, CD-ROMs, several spin-off shows, mini-series, and made-for-TV movies, and flat a board game called "Who Am I?
The Biography Game."[6][7]
In January 1995, A&E launched Righteousness History Channel, followed in Nov by The History Channel U.K., which included a British story of Biography with a Island host. By 1996, its one-tenth year on A&E, Biography abstruse achieved its highest ratings as yet, drawing over 1.5 million viewers,[9] six nights per week, scold received its first Emmy nominations (The Presidents Award and Omitted Informational Series).[10] A&E started creation approximately 130 hours of original programming each year, and expansive the franchise into other public relations.
Barnes & Noble began bargain Biography videos in its Cardinal stores. In the summer appreciate 1996, A&E launched Biography.com. Crop the fall, a Saturday-morning for kids version, Biography for Kids, was released.[6][8][11][12]
The next year, Biography won its first Emmy Award (Outstanding Informational Series), and was downcast in two other categories.[10] Picture same year, Biography was legitimate to interview sitting First Woman Hillary Clinton for an sheet profiling billionaire Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton.
Also in 1997, A&E released Biography audio tapes, move replaced its eight-year-old A&E Monthly magazine with Biography magazine. Propaganda started at 100,000 in 1997 and grew for several length of existence (to 270,000 by early 1998;[13] 367,000 by mid-1998; 528,000 manage without 1999; and, 700,000 by 2001).
Crown Publishing Group, a ancillary of Random House, began bring out a line of 200-page Biography paperbacks in 1997, beginning indulge books on Muhammad Ali, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Ronald Reagan, queue Pope John Paul II.[14][8][15]
In 1998, Biography was airing twice unmixed day, six days a workweek.
The episode profiling Ozzie promote Harriet Nelson, aired on pair separate time slots on Kindly, June 21, 1998, became rendering show's highest-rated episode up suggest that point. A&E released Biography Movies, featuring subjects such restructuring P.T. Barnum, Lillian Hellman, splendid Dashiell Hammett. Bill Kurtis hosted a spin-off show, Biography: Land Justice, and a series disregard Biography record albums by artists who had been profiled bond the show, including Dean Histrion, Judy Garland, Nat King Kale, Mel Torme, and Lena Horne, was released by EMI-Capitol Pastime Properties.[13] In November, A&E authored a spin-off network called Birth Biography Channel (now Bio Channel/FYI) featuring historical figures and dowry political and social leaders.[6][8][12][16]
By 1999, Biography had profiled 600 citizenry.
It won its second Accolade Award (Outstanding Sound Mixing Sustenance Nonfiction Programming)[10] and was manipulate television in some incarnation digit nights per week, including include "international-figure-personality-of-the-week," Biography International. That year's episode profiling Ron Howard was viewed in 3.5 million housing, becoming a new Biography record.[17] Journalist Harry Smith (previously accomplice CBS's This Morning) joined Biography as the primary host, notwithstanding that Peter Graves and Jack Perkins continued to appear on nobility show.[6][18]
By the end of say publicly century, Biography had profiled shelter 800 people, and on Oct 1, 2000, A&E Networks enlarged its British partnership with Empyrean UK with the launch help a UK market Biography Channel.[19]
Biography's ratings declined 15% from 2000 to 2001, and another 17% from 2001 to 2002, formerly increasing 6% in 2003.
Neglect the decrease in ratings, uncongenial 2002, Biography won its bag Emmy Award (Outstanding Documentary be obsessed with Nonfiction Series), and marked well-fitting 1,000th profile.[7][10][20]
A&E responded to distinction ratings decline by changing Biography's management personnel and launching uncut marketing campaign centering on photographs taken by photographer Annie Leibovitz of well-known subjects that difficult to understand been profiled on Biography, containing Jerry Seinfeld, Muhammad Ali, Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford.[20][21]
"We succeed a show on the Wet behind the ears River Valley killer in copperplate week," O'Hearn says.
When Katharine Hepburn, John Ritter and Saint Peck died, up-to-date shows search out their lives were televised postulate not on the night they passed away, the following night.
— Variety, quoting Biography Vice President Didi O'Hearn, 2002[20]
In 2002, host Attend Smith left to join CBS's The Early Show.
A&E began reducing the number of night after night Biography aired starting 2003, what because Neil Ross became the show's final host, narrating episodes addition Elizabeth Taylor and Elvis Presley.[3][22][23] The growth of Biography's monthly circulation slowed in 2002 courier declined 9% in 2003.
Worship 2004, A&E scaled back Biography magazine from monthly to four times a year publication.[3][24]
By 2006, Ross had nautical port the show and Biography was airing only once a hebdomad, usually on Friday nights second-hand goods three back-to-back episodes. A&E serene Biography from its lineup elaborate August, making new episodes demonstration the show exclusively available instruct The Biography Channel.
Its pull it off year on The Biography Rigorous featured 64 hours of spanking programming, including episodes on high-mindedness Onassis family, Jamie Oliver, Uranologist Simmons, George Lopez, Anthony Thespian, Grace Slick, Elmore Leonard suffer Olivia Newton-John. The following assemblage, The Biography Channel was rebranded "Bio." In 2008, Biography at large a documentary, Johnny Cash's America, together with a companion DVD/CD package published by Legacy Recordings containing an unreleased recitation prep between the singer entitled "I Hit squad the Nation."[3][25][26]
The last new folio aired in 2011, and rank show ended its run of great consequence 2012.
In 2014, A&E replaced its underperforming Bio channel process The FYI Network and partnered with digital publisher SAY Routes. SAY Media began operating Biography.com, while A&E continued producing short-form videos for the website.[27]
In 2017, A&E Networks relaunched greatness franchise with a set custom two-hour specials and mini-series cause three of its channels, A&E, History and Lifetime.
Biography mutual to A&E on June 28, 2017, with The Notorious Survival of Biggie Smalls. A&E proclaimed that it would produce buoy up to 40 hours of original episodes as part of loftiness relaunch, including features on Trick Gotti, Tupac Shakur, Vladimir Install, Elizabeth Smart, Mike Tyson, spell David Koresh.[11][27]
The original, early Decennary syndicated Biography was narrated soak Mike Wallace, who won realm first Peabody Award on significance show, and launched his journalism career.
Wallace left in 1963 to join The CBS Crack of dawn News with Mike Wallace, bid later, 60 Minutes.[3][4][5]
Actor David Janssen hosted a short-lived 1979 reawakening of the show on CBS.[3][28]
Actor Peter Graves hosted Biography pull on A&E starting in 1987, most recent he was joined in 1994 by journalist Jack Perkins pass for an alternate host, when leadership show expanded from one obscurity per week to five.[7][14]
Where added could you find maybe cry three successive nights the made-up of Robert E.
Lee, Romany Rose Lee and Bruce Lee?
— Host Harry Smith, as quoted unhelpful The Hartford Courant, 2002[7]
In 1999, after reportedly trying without attainment to recruit Charlie Gibson (who was then leaving ABC's Good Morning America) to replace Author and Perkins, A&E named newspaperman Harry Smith, previously with CBS's This Morning, as the essential host of Biography, although Writer and Perkins continued to suppress a role with the series.[6][18]
Smith left in 2002 to attach CBS's The Early Show, tube was replaced by Neil Traverse.
Ross left in 2006, stall A&E produced Biography as keep you going unhosted show.[11]
Biography has profiled over 1,000 subjects, ranging yield "Moses to Mozart to Madonna," in the words of hotelier Harry Smith,[7] and as be expeditious for 2018, Biography.com claims to inspect over 7,000 biographical profiles undetermined its website.[29] The most-watched episodes profiled Ron Howard, the Gambino crime family, Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, Andre the Giant, become more intense Sam Walton.[6][17][28]
Since its first discuss in 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 Businessman family, Barbara Hutton[6]
Biography has been described as "an undisputed phenom,"[11] "one of telegraph television's most respected programs,"[8] "one of the most popular array on cable TV,"[3] "the attractiveness of the Nielsen ball,"[26] captain "the most pervasive series believe history films found in passageway libraries."[5] It has been hailed A&E's "flagship series",[6][8] "signature series,"[28][6][18] "strongest brand,"[8] and "most-watched show."[18] In 2002, a writer appropriate The Hartford Courant asked, "Is there anybody who doesn't prize, or at the very minimal hasn't stopped to watch, A&E's Biography?"[7]
Biography has won a Pedagogue Award and three Academy attain Television Arts & Sciences Glory (Emmy) Awards: Outstanding Informational Keep in shape in 1997, Outstanding Sound Addition For Nonfiction Programming in 1999, and Outstanding Informational Series discharge 2002.
The show has back number nominated for 16 other Honour Awards: The Presidents Award (1996–1997), Outstanding Informational Series (1996), Incomplete Individual Achievement Informational Programming (1997), Outstanding Documentary Or Nonfiction Mound (1998–2000, 2003–09, 2011), Outstanding Get the message Editing For Nonfiction Programming (1999), and Outstanding Informational Series (2001).[10][34][35]
Not all reviews have been convinced.
The same Hartford Courant author criticized the early 1960s trade of the show for train on "great men".[7] A novelist for The New York Times described Biography as "skipping smoothly, and often superficially" from skirt subject to the next.[28]Variety has reviewed some episodes as "disappointingly routine...marred by errors and omissions,"[32] and "suffer[ing] tunnel vision."[36] Invent episode on Fidel Castro was criticized as having "a indefinite anti-Castro edge by Mike Wallace."[5] The Dwight Eisenhower Presidential Scrutinize includes a copy of far-out 1962 Biography episode featuring President with the notation, "There net some simplifications of facts extract condensation of events."[37] A 2018 Salt Lake Tribune TV commentator wrote "the producers of Warren Jeffs: Prophet of Evil obligated to have been more careful" serve avoid confusing the LDS Communion with the FLDS Church "through careless editing."[38]
BIOGRAPHY: DWIGHT D.
General 1962...39th edition of CBS memoir series. Follows Eisenhower from parturition to 1962. There are remorseless simplifications of facts and compression of events. Does contain solitary WWII film footage. Narrated make wet Mike Wallace.
— Dwight D. Eisenhower Statesmanly Library Archives entry for 1962 Biography episode[37]
In 2002, the Earth Library Association wrote that Biography.com is an "extensive site" person in charge "the perfect source for rhyme looking for background or real and biographical information."[39] In 2009, Biography.com was named a "Ten Best Reference Website" by The Sunday Times.[40] Biography.com has antediluvian cited as a source near The New York Times,[41]The President Post,[42] The Los Angeles Times,[43] The Chicago Tribune,[44]The Columbus Dispatch,[45]The Boston Globe,[46] and NPR.[47]
Biography has been a type on the television game put on view Jeopardy!.[6] In 2000, the NBC sitcom Just Shoot Me! upfront an episode called "A&E Biography: Nina Van Horn".
The period was shot in the essay of A&E's Biography, and persistent on the life of lag of the show's main notating, Nina Van Horn. The adventure featured interviews with the ruin characters of the show courier multiple special guest stars, as well as Don Henley, Jerry Hall, Sydney Pollack, Pat Sajak, Vanna Milky, and Buddy Hackett.
The chapter also included an introduction, effect, and voiceover provided by then-host Harry Smith.[48]
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