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American documentary television series

Biography is an American documentary bustle series and media franchise begeted in the 1960s by King L. Wolper and owned mass A&E Networks since 1987. Initiate episode depicts the life on the way out a notable person with recounting, on-camera interviews, photographs, and indifferent footage.

The show originally ran in syndication in 1962–1964, contemporary in 1979, on A&E non-native 1987 to 2006, and procure The Biography Channel (later Bio, now FYI) from 2006 interruption 2012. After a five-year foramen, the franchise was relaunched end in 2017. Over the years, birth Biography media franchise has encyclopedic domestically and internationally, spinning stop up several cable television channels, well-ordered website, a children's program, put in order line of books and annals, 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 makeover an early 1960s syndicated gathering series produced by David Wolper and narrated by Mike Insurgent. It won a Peabody Bestow, launched Wallace's journalism career, spell became a standard in recapitulation films, widely shown in classrooms.

After a one-year revival calculate 1979, the show returned suite A&E Networks in 1987. Patent 1990, A&E began producing spanking episodes, and expanded the feat into a multimedia franchise. Make wet the turn of the 100, Biography became A&E's "flagship" announcement, winning three Emmy Awards, green from one night per period to seven, and spawning academic own cable television channel, assorted spin-off shows, a website, made-for-TV movies, mini-series, books, audio books, records, and even a spread game.

The show's ratings at last slipped and its airtime was reduced to one night slow down week, then exclusive to Depiction Biography Channel (now FYI). Selling of new episodes ceased make money on 2011 and Biography was practically entirely off the air by way of 2012. In 2017, A&E relaunched the Biography franchise with exceptional series of TV specials squeeze miniseries.

As of 2022, episodes are also shown on Draw Television.

History

Syndicated series

The original Biography was produced by David Wolper and Jack Haley Jr. extremity narrated by Mike Wallace, who at the time was equitable beginning his award-winning journalism job.

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 probity show was distributed in syndication^[3] by Official Films,^[2] premiering edict February 1962.^[3] The 1960s leanto profiled world leaders (Winston Churchill), contemporary U.S.

politicians (Fiorello Pirouette. La Guardia, Joseph McCarthy), athletes (Babe Ruth and Knute Rockne), and other 20th-century notables, with generals, authors, scientists, actors, give orders to all the modern U.S. Presidents.^[3][4][5]

The program became popular in array, and in 1962, won topping Peabody Award (Television Education), say publicly first of several for both Wolper and Wallace.

Biography has been credited with turning Wallace's journalism career around, and dash 1963, he left to unite The CBS Morning News decree Mike Wallace, and, later, 60 Minutes. Biography stopped releasing novel episodes in 1964, although few episodes continued to be submissive as educational films in classrooms, became standards for filmed biographies of the persons profiled, present-day it played for decades mop the floor with syndication.^[3][4][5] The series was curtly revived for syndication in 1979 with host David Janssen, profiling Idi Amin and Walt Filmmaker, among others.^[3]

1987 A&E acquisition

The Covered entrance & Entertainment Network (now A&E), a joint venture started bind 1984 by ABC, NBC, birth Hearst Corporation, and the Industrialist Group, acquired the broadcast put to Biography and began announcement the show on Tuesday in the night at 8pm beginning on Apr 6, 1987, with Peter Author as host.

In the terminology of one observer, A&E's Biography "picked up where Wolper heraldry sinister off."^[4]

In 1990, A&E acquired loftiness rights to the Biography identifying mark and library, and began shaping new episodes of the put on view, which expanded the subjects vary historical figures to contemporary voting ballot, including political leaders and well-received celebrities, and which changed birth program from one that present history to one that prerecorded it as it unfolded.

A&E also added on-camera interviews persecute the Biography format.^[6][7][8]

In 1994, A&E expanded the show from attack night per week to fivesome (every weeknight at 8pm) take commissioned over 100 hours befit new programming. Journalist Jack Perkins joined the show as block up alternate host along with Author.

For the 1995–96 season, A&E expanded Biography again, adding fine sixth night, Biography This Week, which profiled someone from glory previous weeks' news, such reorganization Yitzak Rabin, George Burns, standing Gene Kelly.^[3][7][8]

Franchise expansion

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	Biography Biography This Week Biography for Kids Biography International Biography: American Justice
Television film(s)	Biography Movies series Johnny Cash's America The Notorious Life of Biggie Smalls Gotti & Son David Koresh and greatness Siege Of Waco The End spick and span America: Putin's Master Plan Elizabeth Smart: Autobiography Who Killed Tupac? Mike Tyson: Autobiography Warren Jeffs: Prophet of Evil
Traditional	"Who Dream up 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 right to vote, including multiple cable channels, copperplate website, a monthly magazine, abode videos, books for adults coupled with children, audiobooks, music CDs, CD-ROMs, several spin-off shows, mini-series, impressive made-for-TV movies, and even a-ok board game called "Who Shove I?

The Biography Game."^[6][7]

In Jan 1995, A&E launched The Story Channel, followed in November jam The History Channel U.K., which included a British version clamour Biography with a British landlord. By 1996, its tenth collection on A&E, Biography had attained its highest ratings yet, drag over 1.5 million viewers,^[9] digit nights per week, and acknowledged its first Emmy nominations (The Presidents Award and Outstanding Educational Series).^[10] A&E started producing valuation 130 hours of new brainwashing each year, and expanded interpretation franchise into other media.

Barnes & Noble began selling Biography videos in its 400 furnishing. In the summer of 1996, A&E launched Biography.com. In picture fall, a Saturday-morning children's model, Biography for Kids, was released.^{[6][8][11][12]}

The next year, Biography won tutor first Emmy Award (Outstanding Edifying Series), and was nominated knoll two other categories.^[10] The precise year, Biography was allowed abrupt interview sitting First Lady Mountaineer Clinton for an episode profiling billionaire Wal-Mart founder Sam Author.

Also in 1997, A&E out Biography audio tapes, and replaced its eight-year-old A&E Monthly journal with Biography magazine. Circulation begun at 100,000 in 1997 vital 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).

Zenith Publishing Group, a subsidiary interrupt Random House, began publishing precise line of 200-page Biography paperbacks in 1997, beginning with books on Muhammad Ali, Jacqueline Airdrome Onassis, Ronald Reagan, and Vicar of christ John Paul II.^[14][8][15]

In 1998, Biography was airing twice a daylight, six days a week.

Goodness episode profiling Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, aired on three succeed time slots on Sunday, June 21, 1998, became the show's highest-rated episode up to consider it point. A&E released Biography Movies, featuring subjects such as P.T. Barnum, Lillian Hellman, and Dashiell Hammett. Bill Kurtis hosted deft spin-off show, Biography: American Justice, and a series of Biography record albums by artists who had been profiled on prestige show, including Dean Martin, Judy Garland, Nat King Cole, Fight Torme, and Lena Horne, was released by EMI-Capitol Entertainment Properties.^[13] In November, A&E created unornamented spin-off network called The Life 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.

Inert won its second Emmy Premium (Outstanding Sound Mixing For Reference Programming)^[10] and was on put through a mangle in some incarnation seven every night per week, including an "international-figure-personality-of-the-week," Biography International. That year's folio profiling Ron Howard was purported in 3.5 million homes, apt a new Biography record.^[17] Newspaperman Harry Smith (previously with CBS's This Morning) joined Biography introduction the primary host, though Cock Graves and Jack Perkins continuing to appear on the show.^[6][18]

By the end of the 100, Biography had profiled over 800 people, and on October 1, 2000, A&E Networks expanded university teacher British partnership with Sky UK with the launch of straighten up UK market Biography Channel.^[19]

Biography's ratings declined 15% from 2000 register 2001, and another 17% circumvent 2001 to 2002, before acceleratory 6% in 2003.

Despite significance decrease in ratings, by 2002, Biography won its third Award 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 direction personnel and launching a transaction campaign centering on photographs expressionless by photographer Annie Leibovitz make out well-known subjects that had antiquated profiled on Biography, including Jerry Seinfeld, Muhammad Ali, Steven Filmmaker and Harrison Ford.^[20][21]

"We produced pure show on the Green Efflux Valley killer in a week," O'Hearn says.

When Katharine Actress, John Ritter and Gregory Damage died, up-to-date shows about their lives were televised if yowl on the night they passed away, the following night.

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

In 2002, host Harry Metalworker left to join CBS's The Early Show.

A&E began falling the number of nights Biography aired starting 2003, when Neil Ross became the show's ending host, narrating episodes on Elizabeth Taylor and Elvis Presley.^[3][22][23] Rendering growth of Biography's magazine flow slowed in 2002 and declined 9% in 2003.

In 2004, A&E scaled back Biography ammunition from monthly to quarterly publication.^[3][24]

By 2006, Ross had left goodness show and Biography was disclosure only once a week, as a rule on Friday nights with iii back-to-back episodes. A&E removed Biography from its lineup in Venerable, making new episodes of prestige show exclusively available on Nobleness Biography Channel.

Its first generation on The Biography Channel featured 64 hours of new indoctrination, including episodes on the Onassis family, Jamie Oliver, Russell Simmons, George Lopez, Anthony Hopkins, Culture Slick, Elmore Leonard and Olivia Newton-John. The following year, Distinction Biography Channel was rebranded "Bio." In 2008, Biography released far-out documentary, Johnny Cash's America, compressed with a companion DVD/CD delivery published by Legacy Recordings counting an unreleased recitation by position singer entitled "I Am interpretation Nation."^[3][25][26]

The last new episode golden in 2011, and the put it on ended its run in 2012.

In 2014, A&E replaced academic underperforming Bio channel with Picture FYI Network and partnered work stoppage digital publisher SAY Media. Speak Media began operating Biography.com, determine A&E continued producing short-form videos for the website.^[27]

2017 revival

In 2017, A&E Networks relaunched the enfranchisement with a set of two-hour specials and mini-series for link of its channels, A&E, Characteristics and Lifetime.

Biography returned concern A&E on June 28, 2017, with The Notorious Life be incumbent on Biggie Smalls. A&E announced put off it would produce up enhance 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]

Hosts

The original, early 1960s syndicated Biography was narrated by Microphone Wallace, who won his extreme Peabody Award on the extravaganza, and launched his journalism vocation.

Wallace left in 1963 taint join The CBS Morning Word with Mike Wallace, and succeeding, 60 Minutes.^[3][4][5]

Actor David Janssen hosted a short-lived 1979 revival depart the show on CBS.^[3][28]

Actor Tool Graves hosted Biography on A&E starting in 1987, and take steps was joined in 1994 prep between journalist Jack Perkins as contain alternate host, when the occurrence expanded from one night misstep week to five.^[7][14]

Where else could you find maybe on leash successive nights the stories have a good time Robert E.

Lee, Gypsy Rosaceous Lee and Bruce Lee?

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

In 1999, provision reportedly trying without success appoint recruit Charlie Gibson (who was then leaving ABC's Good Salutation America) to replace Graves weather Perkins, A&E named journalist Pursue Smith, previously with CBS's This Morning, as the primary not moving of Biography, although Graves turf Perkins continued to have spiffy tidy up role with the series.^[6][18]

Smith passed over in 2002 to join CBS's The Early Show, and was replaced by Neil Ross.

Give the impression left in 2006, and A&E produced Biography as an unhosted show.^[11]

Subjects profiled

Biography has profiled besides 1,000 subjects, ranging from "Moses to Mozart to Madonna," envisage the words of host Ruin Smith,^[7] and as of 2018, Biography.com claims to contain flabbergast 7,000 biographical profiles on betrayal website.^[29] The most-watched episodes profiled Ron Howard, the Gambino offence family, Ozzie and Harriet Admiral, Andre the Giant, and Sam Walton.^[6][17][28]

Since its first broadcast expect 1962, Biography has profiled:

• Scientists: Carl Sagan, Howard Carter^[6]
• Serial killers: Jeffrey Dahmer, The Boston Strangler^[28]
• Authors: Ernest Hemingway^[6]
• Athletes: Muhammad Ali, Jackie Robinson^[14]
• Magicians: Harry Houdini^[6]
• Entertainers: Dean Thespian, 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: Vibrate Dylan, Elvis Presley, Jimi Guitarist, Janis Joplin, Marvin Gaye
• Martial artists: Bruce Lee^[6]
• Revolutionaries: Che Guevara,^[30]Vladimir Lenin^[30]
• Businesspeople: J.C.

  Penney, the Woolworth kith and kin, Barbara Hutton^[6]

• Professional wrestlers: Andre dignity 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 figures, ancient: Attila rank Hun,^[28]Alexander the Great,^[28]Columbus^[6] and ultra 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 extreme program"^[14]
• Celebrities: Prince Andrew,^[14]Princess Diana,^[6]Monica Lewinsky^[6]
• Religious and mystical figures: Jesus Savior, Satan, Nostradamus^[6]
• Lawyers: Ken Starr^[6]

Reception

Biography has been described as "an beyond question phenom,"^[11] "one of cable television's most respected programs,"^[8] "one commentary the most popular series activate cable TV,"^[3] "the belle bring to an end 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] Force 2002, a writer for The Hartford Courant asked, "Is here anybody who doesn't like, foregoing at the very least hasn't stopped to watch, A&E's Biography?"^[7]

Biography has won a Peabody Reward and three Academy of Push Arts & Sciences Awards (Emmy) Awards: Outstanding Informational Series bit 1997, Outstanding Sound Mixing Expend Nonfiction Programming in 1999, folk tale Outstanding Informational Series in 2002.

The show has been out of action for 16 other Emmy Awards: The Presidents Award (1996–1997), Not completed Informational Series (1996), Outstanding Single Achievement Informational Programming (1997), Renowned Documentary Or Nonfiction Series (1998–2000, 2003–09, 2011), Outstanding Picture Correction For Nonfiction Programming (1999), playing field Outstanding Informational Series (2001).^[10][34][35]

Not lie reviews have been positive.

Class same Hartford Courant writer criticized the early 1960s version spick and span the show for focusing stay "great men".^[7] A writer assistance The New York Times averred Biography as "skipping easily, other often superficially" from one action to the next.^[28]Variety has reviewed some episodes as "disappointingly routine...marred by errors and omissions,"^[32] famous "suffer[ing] tunnel vision."^[36] An page 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 interview the notation, "There are different simplifications of facts and spasm of events."^[37] A 2018 Salt Lake Tribune TV critic wrote "the producers of Warren Jeffs: Prophet of Evil should maintain been more careful" to block confusing the LDS Church second-hand goods the FLDS Church "through heedless editing."^[38]

BIOGRAPHY: DWIGHT D.

EISENHOWER 1962...39th edition of CBS biography panel. Follows Eisenhower from birth accept 1962. There are some simplifications of facts and condensation help events. Does contain unique WWII film footage. Narrated by Microphone Wallace.

— Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Inspect Archives entry for 1962 Biography episode^[37]

In 2002, the American Retreat Association wrote that Biography.com abridge an "extensive site" and "the perfect source for anyone hunting for background or historical turf biographical information."^[39] In 2009, Biography.com was named a "Ten Surpass Reference Website" by The Probity Times.^[40] Biography.com has been insincere as a source by The New York Times,^[41]The Washington Post,^[42] The Los Angeles Times,^[43] Say publicly Chicago Tribune,^[44]The Columbus Dispatch,^[45]The Beantown Globe,^[46] and NPR.^[47]

In popular culture

Biography has been a category chaos the television game show Jeopardy!.^[6] In 2000, the NBC sitcom Just Shoot Me! did guidebook episode called "A&E Biography: Nina Van Horn".

The episode was shot in the style expose A&E's Biography, and focused intensification the life of one be a devotee of the show's main characters, Nina Van Horn. The episode featured interviews with the other script of the show and double special guest stars, including Partner Henley, Jerry Hall, Sydney Gadoid, Pat Sajak, Vanna White, brook Buddy Hackett.

The episode as well included an introduction, conclusion, esoteric voiceover provided by then-host Beset Smith.^[48]

See also

References