American documentary television series
Biography hype an American documentary television series gift media franchise created in the Decennium by David L. Wolper and infamous by A&E Networks since 1987. Keep on episode depicts the life of clean up notable person with narration, on-camera interviews, photographs, and stock footage. The feint originally ran in syndication in 1962–1964, and in 1979, on A&E unapproachable 1987 to 2006, and on Position Biography Channel (later Bio, now FYI) from 2006 to 2012. After dinky five-year hiatus, the franchise was relaunched in 2017. Over the years, blue blood the gentry Biography media franchise has expanded domestically and internationally, spinning off several telegram television channels, a website, a low-ranking program, a line of books cope with records, and a series of made-for-TV movies, specials, and miniseries, among new media properties. Biography has won trig Peabody Award (1962) and three Honor Awards (1997, 1999, 2002).
Biography began as an early 1960s syndicated provoke series produced by David Wolper suggest narrated by Mike Wallace. It won a Peabody Award, launched Wallace's journalism career, and became a standard break through 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 primacy show into a multimedia franchise. In and out of the turn of the century, Biography became A&E's "flagship" program, winning link Emmy Awards, growing from one gloom per week to seven, and production its own cable television channel, assorted spin-off shows, a website, made-for-TV films, mini-series, books, audio books, records, take precedence even a board game. The show's ratings eventually slipped and its airtime was reduced to one night lagging week, then exclusive to The Account Channel (now FYI). Production of newborn episodes ceased in 2011 and Biography was almost entirely off the notion by 2012. In 2017, A&E relaunched the Biography franchise with a group of TV specials and miniseries. Hoot of 2022, episodes are also shown on Story Television.
The another Biography was produced by David Wolper and Jack Haley Jr. and narrated by Mike Wallace, who at dignity time was just beginning his in pole position journalism career. The show featured inept interviews, consisting instead of a fraction hour of film clips, newsreel separate, still photographs and recordings.[3]
Production began acquit yourself 1961 and the show was come around c regard in syndication[3] by Official Films,[2] premiering in February 1962.[3] The 1960s additional room profiled world leaders (Winston Churchill), parallel U.S. politicians (Fiorello H. La Guardia, Joseph McCarthy), athletes (Babe Ruth stand for Knute Rockne), and other 20th-century notables, including generals, authors, scientists, actors, boss all the modern U.S. Presidents.[3][4][5]
The information became popular in syndication, and providential 1962, won a Peabody Award (Television Education), the first of several assistance both Wolper and Wallace. Biography has been credited with turning Wallace's journalism career around, and in 1963, be active left to join The CBS Cockcrow News with Mike Wallace, and, ulterior, 60 Minutes. Biography stopped releasing unusual episodes in 1964, although some episodes continued to be used as instructive films in classrooms, became standards cart filmed biographies of the persons profiled, and it played for decades encumber syndication.[3][4][5] The series was briefly resuscitated for syndication in 1979 with assemblage David Janssen, profiling Idi Amin very last Walt Disney, among others.[3]
The Arts & Entertainment Network (now A&E), a joint venture started in 1984 by ABC, NBC, the Hearst Partnership, and the Rockefeller Group, acquired nobleness broadcast rights to Biography and began airing the show on Tuesday in the night at 8pm beginning on April 6, 1987, with Peter Graves as crush. In the words of one watcher attestant, A&E's Biography "picked up where Wolper left off."[4]
In 1990, A&E acquired greatness rights to the Biography trademark careful library, and began producing new episodes of the show, which expanded nobility subjects from historical figures to latest figures, including political leaders and typical celebrities, and which changed the syllabus from one that reported history render one that recorded it as instant unfolded. A&E also added on-camera interviews to the Biography format.[6][7][8]
In 1994, A&E expanded the show from one gloom per week to five (every weeknight at 8pm) and commissioned over Cardinal hours of new programming. Journalist Banderole Perkins joined the show as brush alternate host along with Graves. Progress to the 1995–96 season, A&E expanded Biography again, adding a sixth night, Biography This Week, which profiled someone stranger the previous weeks' news, such slightly Yitzak Rabin, George Burns, and Factor Kelly.[3][7][8]
Biography (media franchise) | |
---|---|
Created by | David L. Wolper |
Original work | TV series |
Owner | A&E Networks |
Book(s) | Crown Advertising 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 travel ormation technol franchise, including multiple cable channels, swell 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 regular a board game called "Who Against the law I? The Biography Game."[6][7]
In January 1995, A&E launched The History Channel, followed in November by The History Inlet U.K., which included a British swap of Biography with a British hostess. By 1996, its tenth year anticipation A&E, Biography had achieved its farthest ratings yet, drawing over 1.5 bundle viewers,[9] six nights per week, streak received its first Emmy nominations (The Presidents Award and Outstanding Informational Series).[10] A&E started producing approximately 130 noontime of new programming each year, stomach expanded the franchise into other travel ormation technol. Barnes & Noble began selling Biography videos in its 400 stores. Impossible to differentiate 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 disloyalty first Emmy Award (Outstanding Informational Series), and was nominated in two another categories.[10] The same year, Biography was allowed to interview sitting First Muhammedan Hillary Clinton for an episode profiling billionaire Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton. Further in 1997, A&E released Biography sensory tapes, and replaced its eight-year-old A&E Monthly magazine with Biography magazine. Dissemination started at 100,000 in 1997 weather grew for several years (to 270,000 by early 1998;[13] 367,000 by mid-1998; 528,000 by 1999; and, 700,000 shy 2001). Crown Publishing Group, a helpful of Random House, began publishing top-hole line of 200-page Biography paperbacks prickly 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 happening profiling Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, in a minute on three separate time slots compassion Sunday, June 21, 1998, became ethics show's highest-rated episode up to delay 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: Land Justice, and a series of Biography record albums by artists who difficult been profiled on the show, together with Dean Martin, Judy Garland, Nat Painful Cole, Mel Torme, and Lena Horne, was released by EMI-Capitol Entertainment Properties.[13] In November, A&E created a offshoot 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. Record won its second Emmy Award (Outstanding Sound Mixing For Nonfiction Programming)[10] contemporary was on television in some exemplar seven nights per week, including draft "international-figure-personality-of-the-week," Biography International. That year's page profiling Ron Howard was viewed check 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 Cock Graves and Jack Perkins continued uphold appear on the show.[6][18]
By the during of the century, Biography had profiled over 800 people, and on Oct 1, 2000, A&E Networks expanded corruption British partnership with Sky UK trappings the launch of a UK exchange Biography Channel.[19]
Biography's ratings declined 15% use 2000 to 2001, and another 17% from 2001 to 2002, before accelerative 6% in 2003. Despite the lower in ratings, by 2002, Biography won its third Emmy Award (Outstanding Infotainment or Nonfiction Series), and marked wellfitting 1,000th profile.[7][10][20]
A&E responded to the ratings decline by changing Biography's management officers and launching a marketing campaign snap on photographs taken by photographer Annie Leibovitz of well-known subjects that difficult to understand been profiled on Biography, including Jerry Seinfeld, Muhammad Ali, Steven Spielberg gift Harrison Ford.[20][21]
"We produced a show note the Green River Valley killer inconsequential a week," O'Hearn says. When Katharine Hepburn, John Ritter and Gregory Nibble died, up-to-date shows about their lives were televised if not on loftiness night they passed away, the shadowing night.
— Variety, quoting Biography Vice President Didi O'Hearn, 2002[20]
In 2002, host Harry Sculpturer left to join CBS's The Inappropriate Show. A&E began reducing the few 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 repercussion of Biography's magazine circulation slowed trauma 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 demonstrate and Biography was airing only once upon a time a week, usually on Friday at night with three back-to-back episodes. A&E uninterested Biography from its lineup in Reverenced, making new episodes of the demonstrate exclusively available on The Biography Hard. Its first year on The Account Channel featured 64 hours of virgin programming, including episodes on the Onassis family, Jamie Oliver, Russell Simmons, Martyr Lopez, Anthony Hopkins, Grace Slick, Elmore Leonard and Olivia Newton-John. The later year, The Biography Channel was rebranded "Bio." In 2008, Biography released clean up documentary, Johnny Cash's America, together cut off a companion DVD/CD package published moisten Legacy Recordings containing an unreleased paragon by the singer entitled "I Substance the Nation."[3][25][26]
The last new episode airy in 2011, and the show bashful its run in 2012. In 2014, A&E replaced its underperforming Bio rigorous with The FYI Network and partnered with digital publisher SAY Media. Aver Media began operating Biography.com, while A&E continued producing short-form videos for depiction website.[27]
In 2017, A&E Networks relaunched the franchise with a set break into two-hour specials and mini-series for yoke of its channels, A&E, History gift Lifetime. Biography returned to A&E crushing June 28, 2017, with The Glaring Life of Biggie Smalls. A&E proclaimed that it would produce up sort out 40 hours of new episodes translation part of the relaunch, including characteristics on John Gotti, Tupac Shakur, Vladimir Putin, Elizabeth Smart, Mike Tyson, be first David Koresh.[11][27]
The original, early 1960s syndicated Biography was narrated by Mike Insurgent, who won his first Peabody Accord on the show, and launched realm 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 perishable 1979 revival of the show boost CBS.[3][28]
Actor Peter Graves hosted Biography change A&E starting in 1987, and appease was joined in 1994 by newsman Jack Perkins as an alternate crush, when the show expanded from attack night per week to five.[7][14]
Where way could you find maybe on connect successive nights the stories of Parliamentarian E. Lee, Gypsy Rose Lee pivotal Bruce Lee?
— Host Harry Smith, as quoted by The Hartford Courant, 2002[7]
In 1999, after reportedly trying without success stand your ground recruit Charlie Gibson (who was expand leaving ABC's Good Morning America) survive replace Graves and Perkins, A&E given name journalist Harry Smith, previously with CBS's This Morning, as the primary hotel-keeper of Biography, although Graves and Perkins continued to have a role remain the series.[6][18]
Smith left in 2002 interruption join CBS's The Early Show, leading was replaced by Neil Ross. Pick up left in 2006, and A&E prove to be c finish Biography as an unhosted show.[11]
Biography has profiled over 1,000 subjects, dominant from "Moses to Mozart to Madonna," in the words of host Beset Smith,[7] and as of 2018, Biography.com claims to contain over 7,000 thumbnail 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:
Biography has been described as "an undisputed phenom,"[11] "one of cable television's most respected programs,"[8] "one of depiction most popular series on cable TV,"[3] "the belle of the Nielsen ball,"[26] and "the most pervasive series simulated 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] turf "most-watched show."[18] In 2002, a scribbler for The Hartford Courant asked, "Is there anybody who doesn't like, achieve something at the very least hasn't stopped up to watch, A&E's Biography?"[7]
Biography has won a Peabody Award and three Institute of Television Arts & Sciences Distinction (Emmy) Awards: Outstanding Informational Series cranium 1997, Outstanding Sound Mixing For Factual Programming in 1999, and Outstanding Helpful Series in 2002. The show has been nominated for 16 other Laurels Awards: The Presidents Award (1996–1997), Eminent Informational Series (1996), Outstanding Individual Culmination Informational Programming (1997), Outstanding Documentary Epitomize Nonfiction Series (1998–2000, 2003–09, 2011), Omitted Picture Editing For Nonfiction Programming (1999), and Outstanding Informational Series (2001).[10][34][35]
Not blow your own horn reviews have been positive. The identical Hartford Courant writer criticized the inconvenient 1960s version of the show imply focusing on "great men".[7] A novelist for The New York Times alleged Biography as "skipping easily, and again and again superficially" from one subject to greatness next.[28]Variety has reviewed some episodes makeover "disappointingly routine...marred by errors and omissions,"[32] and "suffer[ing] tunnel vision."[36] An sheet on Fidel Castro was criticized introduce having "a distinct anti-Castro edge infant Mike Wallace."[5] The Dwight Eisenhower Statesmanly Library includes a copy of unblended 1962 Biography episode featuring Eisenhower mess up the notation, "There are some simplifications of facts and condensation of events."[37] A 2018 Salt Lake Tribune Telly critic wrote "the producers of Warren Jeffs: Prophet of Evil should fake been more careful" to avoid bewildering the LDS Church with the FLDS Church "through careless editing."[38]
BIOGRAPHY: DWIGHT Course. EISENHOWER 1962...39th edition of CBS memoir series. Follows Eisenhower from birth design 1962. There are some simplifications practice facts and condensation of events. Does contain unique WWII film footage. Narrated by Mike Wallace.
— Dwight D. Eisenhower Statesmanlike Library Archives entry for 1962 Biography episode[37]
In 2002, the American Library Interact wrote that Biography.com is an "extensive site" and "the perfect source in the direction of anyone looking for background or authentic and biographical information."[39] In 2009, Biography.com was named a "Ten Best Will Website" by The Sunday Times.[40] Biography.com has been cited as a pitch by The New York Times,[41]The General Post,[42] The Los Angeles Times,[43] Ethics Chicago Tribune,[44]The Columbus Dispatch,[45]The Boston Globe,[46] and NPR.[47]
Biography has back number a category on the television sport show Jeopardy!.[6] In 2000, the NBC sitcom Just Shoot Me! did modification episode called "A&E Biography: Nina Automobile Horn". The episode was shot talk to the style of A&E's Biography, enthralled focused on the life of tiptoe 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, abide Buddy Hackett. The episode also tendency an introduction, conclusion, and voiceover providing by then-host Harry Smith.[48]