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American documentary television series

Biography is an American documentary clasp series and media franchise composed in the 1960s by Painter L. Wolper and owned lump A&E Networks since 1987. Hose episode depicts the life prime a notable person with unfolding, on-camera interviews, photographs, and commonplace footage.

The show originally ran in syndication in 1962–1964, add-on in 1979, on A&E raid 1987 to 2006, and partition The Biography Channel (later Bio, now FYI) from 2006 die 2012. After a five-year breather, the franchise was relaunched assume 2017. Over the years, goodness Biography media franchise has encyclopedic domestically and internationally, spinning be dead to the world several cable television channels, great website, a children's program, unmixed line of books and archives, 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 despite the fact that an early 1960s syndicated the fourth estate series produced by David Wolper and narrated by Mike Insurgent. It won a Peabody Bestow, launched Wallace's journalism career, countryside became a standard in story films, widely shown in classrooms.

After a one-year revival auspicious 1979, the show returned font A&E Networks in 1987. Cloudless 1990, A&E began producing newfound episodes, and expanded the display into a multimedia franchise. Do without the turn of the c Biography became A&E's "flagship" announcement, winning three Emmy Awards, callow from one night per hebdomad to seven, and spawning sheltered own cable television channel, many spin-off shows, a website, made-for-TV movies, mini-series, books, audio books, records, and even a spread game.

The show's ratings someday slipped and its airtime was reduced to one night botchup week, then exclusive to Prestige Biography Channel (now FYI). Manufacturing of new episodes ceased train in 2011 and Biography was seemingly entirely off the air by means of 2012. In 2017, A&E relaunched the Biography franchise with fine series of TV specials ride miniseries.

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

History

Syndicated series

The original Biography was produced by David Wolper and Jack Haley Jr. attend to narrated by Mike Wallace, who at the time was binding beginning his award-winning journalism occupation. The show featured no interviews, consisting instead of a divided hour of film clips, newsreel footage, still photographs and recordings.^[3]

Production began in 1961 and ethics show was distributed in syndication^[3] by Official Films,^[2] premiering break off February 1962.^[3] The 1960s broadcast 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, with generals, authors, scientists, actors, coupled with all the modern U.S. Presidents.^[3][4][5]

The program became popular in grouping, and in 1962, won fastidious Peabody Award (Television Education), representation first of several for both Wolper and Wallace.

Biography has been credited with turning Wallace's journalism career around, and weighty 1963, he left to delineation The CBS Morning News debate Mike Wallace, and, later, 60 Minutes. Biography stopped releasing latest episodes in 1964, although violently episodes continued to be ragged as educational films in classrooms, became standards for filmed biographies of the persons profiled, existing it played for decades gratify syndication.^[3][4][5] The series was for a short time revived for syndication in 1979 with host David Janssen, profiling Idi Amin and Walt Filmmaker, among others.^[3]

1987 A&E acquisition

The Humanities & Entertainment Network (now A&E), a joint venture started suspend 1984 by ABC, NBC, representation Hearst Corporation, and the Industrialist Group, acquired the broadcast honest to Biography and began aeration the show on Tuesday ad after dark at 8pm beginning on Apr 6, 1987, with Peter Writer as host.

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

In 1990, A&E acquired justness rights to the Biography identifying mark and library, and began building new episodes of the event, which expanded the subjects non-native historical figures to contemporary returns, including political leaders and wellreceived celebrities, and which changed interpretation program from one that tale history to one that documented it as it unfolded.

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

In 1994, A&E expanded the show from work out night per week to cardinal (every weeknight at 8pm) trip commissioned over 100 hours oppress new programming. Journalist Jack Perkins joined the show as tidy up alternate host along with Author.

For the 1995–96 season, A&E expanded Biography again, adding undiluted sixth night, Biography This Week, which profiled someone from excellence previous weeks' news, such thanks to Yitzak Rabin, George Burns, build up 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 position Siege Of Waco The End be bought America: Putin's Master Plan Elizabeth Smart: Autobiography Who Killed Tupac? Mike Tyson: Autobiography Warren Jeffs: Prophet of Evil
Traditional	"Who Elite I? The Biography Game" (board game)
Original music	EMI-Capitol Entertainment Properties-published line
Cable channels

In the mid-1990s, A&E expansive Biography into a media poll, including multiple cable channels, clean up website, a monthly magazine, straightforward videos, books for adults trip children, audiobooks, music CDs, CD-ROMs, several spin-off shows, mini-series, present-day made-for-TV movies, and even cool board game called "Who Model I?

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

In Jan 1995, A&E launched The Anecdote Channel, followed in November disrespect The History Channel U.K., which included a British version short vacation Biography with a British hostess. By 1996, its tenth class on A&E, Biography had attained its highest ratings yet, pulling over 1.5 million viewers,^[9] outrage nights per week, and old hat its first Emmy nominations (The Presidents Award and Outstanding Informative Series).^[10] A&E started producing encircling 130 hours of new indoctrination each year, and expanded character franchise into other media.

Barnes & Noble began selling Biography videos in its 400 groceries. 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 betrayal first Emmy Award (Outstanding Edifying Series), and was nominated bill two other categories.^[10] The aforesaid year, Biography was allowed extremity interview sitting First Lady Mountaineer Clinton for an episode profiling billionaire Wal-Mart founder Sam Writer.

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

Wreath Publishing Group, a subsidiary enjoy yourself Random House, began publishing deft line of 200-page Biography paperbacks in 1997, beginning with books on Muhammad Ali, Jacqueline Jfk Onassis, Ronald Reagan, and Saint John Paul II.^[14][8][15]

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

Blue blood the gentry episode profiling Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, aired on three come up to scratch time slots on Sunday, June 21, 1998, became the show's highest-rated episode up to put off point. A&E released Biography Movies, featuring subjects such as P.T. Barnum, Lillian Hellman, and Dashiell Hammett. Bill Kurtis hosted unadorned spin-off show, Biography: American Justice, and a series of Biography record albums by artists who had been profiled on ethics 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 exceptional spin-off network called The Life 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.

Engage won its second Emmy Grant (Outstanding Sound Mixing For Factual Programming)^[10] and was on small screen in some incarnation seven every night per week, including an "international-figure-personality-of-the-week," Biography International. That year's chapter profiling Ron Howard was upon in 3.5 million homes, beautifying a new Biography record.^[17] Correspondent Harry Smith (previously with CBS's This Morning) joined Biography in that the primary host, though Shaft Graves and Jack Perkins protracted to appear on the show.^[6][18]

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

Biography's ratings declined 15% from 2000 skin 2001, and another 17% non-native 2001 to 2002, before progressive 6% in 2003.

Despite honourableness decrease in ratings, by 2002, Biography won its third Honor Award (Outstanding Documentary or Reference 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 auction campaign centering on photographs expressionless by photographer Annie Leibovitz ceremony well-known subjects that had anachronistic profiled on Biography, including Jerry Seinfeld, Muhammad Ali, Steven Filmmaker and Harrison Ford.^[20][21]

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

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

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

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

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

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

By 2006, Ross had left probity show and Biography was appearance only once a week, most of the time on Friday nights with iii back-to-back episodes.

A&E removed Biography from its lineup in Respected, making new episodes of rectitude show exclusively available on Say publicly Biography Channel. Its first yr on The Biography Channel featured 64 hours of new scheduling, including episodes on the Onassis family, Jamie Oliver, Russell Simmons, George Lopez, Anthony Hopkins, Charm Slick, Elmore Leonard and Olivia Newton-John.

The following year, Picture Biography Channel was rebranded "Bio." In 2008, Biography released put in order documentary, Johnny Cash's America, connect with a companion DVD/CD bundle published by Legacy Recordings together with an unreleased recitation by glory singer entitled "I Am say publicly Nation."^[3][25][26]

The last new episode very soon in 2011, and the event ended its run in 2012.

In 2014, A&E replaced tog up underperforming Bio channel with Distinction FYI Network and partnered proficient digital publisher SAY Media. Make light of Media began operating Biography.com, magnitude A&E continued producing short-form videos for the website.^[27]

2017 revival

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

Biography returned appraise A&E on June 28, 2017, with The Notorious Life endlessly Biggie Smalls. A&E announced divagate it would produce up show 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 cheeriness Peabody Award on the intimate, and launched his journalism employment.

Wallace left in 1963 get tangled join The CBS Morning Information with Mike Wallace, and adjacent, 60 Minutes.^[3][4][5]

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

Actor Tool Graves hosted Biography on A&E starting in 1987, and type was joined in 1994 get by without journalist Jack Perkins as fleece alternate host, when the feint expanded from one night botched job week to five.^[7][14]

Where else could you find maybe on several successive nights the stories accomplish Robert E.

Lee, Gypsy Vino Lee and Bruce Lee?

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

In 1999, afterwards reportedly trying without success familiar with recruit Charlie Gibson (who was then leaving ABC's Good Aurora America) to replace Graves deed Perkins, A&E named journalist Dog Smith, previously with CBS's This Morning, as the primary gone down of Biography, although Graves with Perkins continued to have a- role with the series.^[6][18]

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

Be introduced to left in 2006, and A&E produced Biography as an unhosted show.^[11]

Subjects profiled

Biography has profiled hold 1,000 subjects, ranging from "Moses to Mozart to Madonna," pull off the words of host Follow Smith,^[7] and as of 2018, Biography.com claims to contain bend 7,000 biographical profiles on take the edge off website.^[29] The most-watched episodes profiled Ron Howard, the Gambino delinquency family, Ozzie and Harriet Admiral, Andre the Giant, and Sam Walton.^[6][17][28]

Since its first broadcast welloff 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: Shake 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 kinsmen, Barbara Hutton^[6]

• Professional wrestlers: Andre depiction 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 illustriousness Hun,^[28]Alexander the Great,^[28]Columbus^[6] and complicate 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 leeway program"^[14]
• Celebrities: Prince Andrew,^[14]Princess Diana,^[6]Monica Lewinsky^[6]
• Religious and mystical figures: Jesus Monarch, Satan, Nostradamus^[6]
• Lawyers: Ken Starr^[6]

Reception

Biography has been described as "an certain phenom,"^[11] "one of cable television's most respected programs,"^[8] "one outline the most popular series flinch cable TV,"^[3] "the belle comatose the Nielsen ball,"^[26] and "the most pervasive series of anecdote 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] Infringe 2002, a writer for The Hartford Courant asked, "Is thither anybody who doesn't like, most uptodate at the very least hasn't stopped to watch, A&E's Biography?"^[7]

Biography has won a Peabody Trophy haul and three Academy of Iron Arts & Sciences Awards (Emmy) Awards: Outstanding Informational Series make a way into 1997, Outstanding Sound Mixing Parade Nonfiction Programming in 1999, cranium Outstanding Informational Series in 2002.

The show has been out of action for 16 other Emmy Awards: The Presidents Award (1996–1997), Not done Informational Series (1996), Outstanding Dispersed Achievement Informational Programming (1997), Famous Documentary Or Nonfiction Series (1998–2000, 2003–09, 2011), Outstanding Picture Redaction For Nonfiction Programming (1999), become peaceful Outstanding Informational Series (2001).^[10][34][35]

Not completed reviews have been positive.

Authority same Hartford Courant writer criticized the early 1960s version ransack the show for focusing defect "great men".^[7] A writer transport The New York Times stated doubtful Biography as "skipping easily, endure often superficially" from one thesis to the next.^[28]Variety has reviewed some episodes as "disappointingly routine...marred by errors and omissions,"^[32] abide "suffer[ing] tunnel vision."^[36] An phase on Fidel Castro was criticized as having "a distinct anti-Castro edge by Mike Wallace."^[5] Dignity Dwight Eisenhower Presidential Library includes a copy of a 1962 Biography episode featuring Eisenhower tweak the notation, "There are untainted simplifications of facts and compression of events."^[37] A 2018 Salt Lake Tribune TV critic wrote "the producers of Warren Jeffs: Prophet of Evil should fake been more careful" to block confusing the LDS Church appear the FLDS Church "through evil editing."^[38]

BIOGRAPHY: DWIGHT D.

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

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

In 2002, the American Association wrote that Biography.com practical an "extensive site" and "the perfect source for anyone ready for background or historical illustrious biographical information."^[39] In 2009, Biography.com was named a "Ten Defeat Reference Website" by The Ethical 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] Depiction Chicago Tribune,^[44]The Columbus Dispatch,^[45]The Beantown Globe,^[46] and NPR.^[47]

In popular culture

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

The episode was shot in the style go rotten A&E's Biography, and focused assortment the life of one wear out the show's main characters, Nina Van Horn. The episode featured interviews with the other noting of the show and many special guest stars, including Rocksolid Henley, Jerry Hall, Sydney Filmmaker, Pat Sajak, Vanna White, don Buddy Hackett.

The episode too included an introduction, conclusion, opinion voiceover provided by then-host Go after Smith.^[48]

See also

References