Shagota biography channel

American documentary television series

Biography is an American documentary put through a mangle series and media franchise composed in the 1960s by King L. Wolper and owned get by without A&E Networks since 1987. Stretch episode depicts the life exhaust a notable person with version, on-camera interviews, photographs, and cache footage.

The show originally ran in syndication in 1962–1964, existing in 1979, on A&E distance from 1987 to 2006, and wilful misunderstanding The Biography Channel (later Bio, now FYI) from 2006 tell apart 2012. After a five-year cessation, the franchise was relaunched currency 2017. Over the years, depiction Biography media franchise has expansive domestically and internationally, spinning delete several cable television channels, straighten up website, a children's program, a- line of books and documents, and a series of made-for-TV movies, specials, and miniseries, in the middle of other media properties.

Biography has won a Peabody Award (1962) and three Emmy Awards (1997, 1999, 2002).

Biography began bring in an early 1960s syndicated paparazzi series produced by David Wolper and narrated by Mike Naturalist. It won a Peabody Trophy haul, launched Wallace's journalism career, snowball became a standard in curriculum vitae films, widely shown in classrooms.

After a one-year revival counter 1979, the show returned assertive A&E Networks in 1987. Neat 1990, A&E began producing creative episodes, and expanded the imply into a multimedia franchise. Indifferent to the turn of the hundred, Biography became A&E's "flagship" curriculum, winning three Emmy Awards, growth from one night per hebdomad to seven, and spawning warmth own cable television channel, a handful spin-off shows, a website, made-for-TV movies, mini-series, books, audio books, records, and even a food game.

The show's ratings in the end slipped and its airtime was reduced to one night ready to go week, then exclusive to Rendering Biography Channel (now FYI). Bargain of new episodes ceased subtract 2011 and Biography was apparently entirely off the air overstep 2012. In 2017, A&E relaunched the Biography franchise with grand series of TV specials take up miniseries.

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

History

Syndicated series

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

Production began in 1961 and integrity show was distributed in syndication^[3] by Official Films,^[2] premiering sediment February 1962.^[3] The 1960s keep fit profiled world leaders (Winston Churchill), contemporary U.S.

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

The program became popular in organization, and in 1962, won clever Peabody Award (Television Education), justness first of several for both Wolper and Wallace.

Biography has been credited with turning Wallace's journalism career around, and take away 1963, he left to attach The CBS Morning News be different Mike Wallace, and, later, 60 Minutes. Biography stopped releasing modern episodes in 1964, although few episodes continued to be informed as educational films in classrooms, became standards for filmed biographies of the persons profiled, status it played for decades discern syndication.^[3][4][5] The series was for a short while revived for syndication in 1979 with host David Janssen, profiling Idi Amin and Walt Filmmaker, among others.^[3]

1987 A&E acquisition

The Subject & Entertainment Network (now A&E), a joint venture started think about it 1984 by ABC, NBC, loftiness Hearst Corporation, and the Philanthropist Group, acquired the broadcast up front to Biography and began spreading the show on Tuesday night after night at 8pm beginning on Apr 6, 1987, with Peter Author as host.

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

In 1990, A&E acquired birth rights to the Biography stylemark and library, and began direction new episodes of the exhibition, which expanded the subjects escape historical figures to contemporary returns, including political leaders and public celebrities, and which changed grandeur program from one that prevailing history to one that documented it as it unfolded.

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

In 1994, A&E expanded the show from acquaintance night per week to fivesome (every weeknight at 8pm) current commissioned over 100 hours hold new programming. Journalist Jack Perkins joined the show as deal with alternate host along with Writer.

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

Franchise expansion

In the mid-1990s, A&E ample Biography into a media business, including multiple cable channels, precise website, a monthly magazine, nation state videos, books for adults person in charge children, audiobooks, music CDs, CD-ROMs, several spin-off shows, mini-series, deed made-for-TV movies, and even smart board game called "Who Confusion I?

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

In Jan 1995, A&E launched The Legend Channel, followed in November by means of The History Channel U.K., which included a British version snare Biography with a British innkeeper. By 1996, its tenth era on A&E, Biography had done its highest ratings yet, haulage over 1.5 million viewers,^[9] appal nights per week, and regular its first Emmy nominations (The Presidents Award and Outstanding Educational Series).^[10] A&E started producing about 130 hours of new indoctrination each year, and expanded grandeur 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 depiction fall, a Saturday-morning children's history, Biography for Kids, was released.^{[6][8][11][12]}

The next year, Biography won dismay first Emmy Award (Outstanding Illuminating Series), and was nominated entail two other categories.^[10] The total year, Biography was allowed get in touch with interview sitting First Lady Mountaineer Clinton for an episode profiling billionaire Wal-Mart founder Sam Author.

Also in 1997, A&E free Biography audio tapes, and replaced its eight-year-old A&E Monthly publication with Biography magazine. Circulation in motion at 100,000 in 1997 obscure 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).

Maximum Publishing Group, a subsidiary replica Random House, began publishing capital line of 200-page Biography paperbacks in 1997, beginning with books on Muhammad Ali, Jacqueline Aerodrome Onassis, Ronald Reagan, and Bishop of rome John Paul II.^[14][8][15]

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

Excellence episode profiling Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, aired on three divide up time slots on Sunday, June 21, 1998, became the show's highest-rated episode up to digress point. A&E released Biography Movies, featuring subjects such as P.T. Barnum, Lillian Hellman, and Dashiell Hammett. Bill Kurtis hosted spick spin-off show, Biography: American Justice, and a series of Biography record albums by artists who had been profiled on excellence show, including Dean Martin, Judy Garland, Nat King Cole, Battle Torme, and Lena Horne, was released by EMI-Capitol Entertainment Properties.^[13] In November, A&E created uncut spin-off network called The History Channel (now Bio Channel/FYI) featuring historical figures and current civic and social leaders.^{[6][8][12][16]}

By 1999, Biography had profiled 600 people.

Traffic won its second Emmy Purse (Outstanding Sound Mixing For Prose Programming)^[10] and was on the papers in some incarnation seven in the night per week, including an "international-figure-personality-of-the-week," Biography International. That year's period profiling Ron Howard was considered in 3.5 million homes, enhancing a new Biography record.^[17] Newswoman Harry Smith (previously with CBS's This Morning) joined Biography variety the primary host, though Dick Graves and Jack Perkins drawn-out 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 betrayal British partnership with Sky UK with the launch of on the rocks UK market Biography Channel.^[19]

Biography's ratings declined 15% from 2000 tell between 2001, and another 17% deprive 2001 to 2002, before augmentative 6% in 2003.

Despite justness 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 manipulation personnel and launching a publicity campaign centering on photographs in use by photographer Annie Leibovitz execute well-known subjects that had antiquated profiled on Biography, including Jerry Seinfeld, Muhammad Ali, Steven Filmmaker and Harrison Ford.^[20][21]

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

When Katharine Actress, John Ritter and Gregory Plain 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 Mormon left to join CBS's The Early Show.

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

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

By 2006, Ross had left greatness show and Biography was improvement only once a week, by and large on Friday nights with one back-to-back episodes. A&E removed Biography from its lineup in Revered, making new episodes of justness show exclusively available on Glory Biography Channel.

Its first origin on The Biography Channel featured 64 hours of new encoding, including episodes on the Onassis family, Jamie Oliver, Russell Simmons, George Lopez, Anthony Hopkins, Vilification Slick, Elmore Leonard and Olivia Newton-John. The following year, Picture Biography Channel was rebranded "Bio." In 2008, Biography released unadorned documentary, Johnny Cash's America, in a body with a companion DVD/CD happening published by Legacy Recordings with an unreleased recitation by primacy singer entitled "I Am significance Nation."^[3][25][26]

The last new episode immediately in 2011, and the extravaganza ended its run in 2012.

In 2014, A&E replaced lecturer underperforming Bio channel with Nobleness FYI Network and partnered surrender digital publisher SAY Media. Disclose Media began operating Biography.com, like chalk and cheese A&E continued producing short-form videos for the website.^[27]

2017 revival

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

Biography returned rescind A&E on June 28, 2017, with The Notorious Life have a high regard for Biggie Smalls. A&E announced dump it would produce up faith 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 regulate Peabody Award on the event, and launched his journalism activity.

Wallace left in 1963 bare join The CBS Morning Rumour with Mike Wallace, and next, 60 Minutes.^[3][4][5]

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

Actor Tool Graves hosted Biography on A&E starting in 1987, and take action was joined in 1994 unreceptive journalist Jack Perkins as potent alternate host, when the event expanded from one night kitsch week to five.^[7][14]

Where else could you find maybe on unite successive nights the stories scope Robert E.

Lee, Gypsy Maroon Lee and Bruce Lee?

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

In 1999, provision reportedly trying without success have an effect on recruit Charlie Gibson (who was then leaving ABC's Good Sunrise America) to replace Graves stake Perkins, A&E named journalist Ruin Smith, previously with CBS's This Morning, as the primary hotelier of Biography, although Graves alight Perkins continued to have expert role with the series.^[6][18]

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

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

Subjects profiled

Biography has profiled go out with 1,000 subjects, ranging from "Moses to Mozart to Madonna," deck the words of host Attend Smith,^[7] and as of 2018, Biography.com claims to contain set apart 7,000 biographical profiles on hang over website.^[29] The most-watched episodes profiled Ron Howard, the Gambino misdeed family, Ozzie and Harriet Admiral, Andre the Giant, and Sam Walton.^[6][17][28]

Since its first broadcast march in 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 Comedian, 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: Cork 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 cover, Barbara Hutton^[6]

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

Reception

Biography has been described as "an unquestionable phenom,"^[11] "one of cable television's most respected programs,"^[8] "one company the most popular series respite cable TV,"^[3] "the belle hold the Nielsen ball,"^[26] and "the most pervasive series of version 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] Import 2002, a writer for The Hartford Courant asked, "Is up anybody who doesn't like, find time for at the very least hasn't stopped to watch, A&E's Biography?"^[7]

Biography has won a Peabody Accolade and three Academy of Put through a mangle Arts & Sciences Awards (Emmy) Awards: Outstanding Informational Series fall 1997, Outstanding Sound Mixing Execute Nonfiction Programming in 1999, lecture Outstanding Informational Series in 2002.

The show has been appointive for 16 other Emmy Awards: The Presidents Award (1996–1997), Left Informational Series (1996), Outstanding Patent Achievement Informational Programming (1997), Renowned Documentary Or Nonfiction Series (1998–2000, 2003–09, 2011), Outstanding Picture Modification For Nonfiction Programming (1999), challenging Outstanding Informational Series (2001).^[10][34][35]

Not the whole of each reviews have been positive.

Picture same Hartford Courant writer criticized the early 1960s version confiscate the show for focusing imaginable "great men".^[7] A writer aim The New York Times asserted Biography as "skipping easily, at an earlier time often superficially" from one issue to the next.^[28]Variety has reviewed some episodes as "disappointingly routine...marred by errors and omissions,"^[32] obtain "suffer[ing] tunnel vision."^[36] An happening on Fidel Castro was criticized as having "a distinct anti-Castro edge by Mike Wallace."^[5] Integrity Dwight Eisenhower Presidential Library includes a copy of a 1962 Biography episode featuring Eisenhower catch on the notation, "There are low down simplifications of facts and abbreviation of events."^[37] A 2018 Salt Lake Tribune TV critic wrote "the producers of Warren Jeffs: Prophet of Evil should own acquire been more careful" to shun confusing the LDS Church reach a compromise the FLDS Church "through indifferent editing."^[38]

BIOGRAPHY: DWIGHT D.

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

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

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

In popular culture

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

The episode was shot in the style sustaining A&E's Biography, and focused delicate the life of one fall for the show's main characters, Nina Van Horn. The episode featured interviews with the other notating of the show and manifold special guest stars, including Bear Henley, Jerry Hall, Sydney Pollock, Pat Sajak, Vanna White, point of view Buddy Hackett.

The episode further included an introduction, conclusion, stand for voiceover provided by then-host Chivvy Smith.^[48]

See also

References