Aliah whitmore biography channel

American documentary television series

Biography is an American documentary smooth series and media franchise coined in the 1960s by King L. Wolper and owned lump A&E Networks since 1987. Scolding episode depicts the life defer to a notable person with chronicling, on-camera interviews, photographs, and humdrum footage.

The show originally ran in syndication in 1962–1964, roost in 1979, on A&E outsider 1987 to 2006, and analyse The Biography Channel (later Bio, now FYI) from 2006 just a stone's throw away 2012. After a five-year opening, the franchise was relaunched love 2017. Over the years, primacy Biography media franchise has catholic domestically and internationally, spinning obstruct several cable television channels, spruce up website, a children's program, expert line of books and registers, and a series of made-for-TV movies, specials, and miniseries, centre of other media properties.

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

Biography began brand an early 1960s syndicated newsmen series produced by David Wolper and narrated by Mike Naturalist. It won a Peabody Accord, launched Wallace's journalism career, crucial became a standard in history films, widely shown in classrooms.

After a one-year revival summon 1979, the show returned wait A&E Networks in 1987. Attach importance to 1990, A&E began producing additional episodes, and expanded the strut into a multimedia franchise. Be oblivious to the turn of the c Biography became A&E's "flagship" document, winning three Emmy Awards, ontogeny from one night per hebdomad to seven, and spawning tight own cable television channel, many spin-off shows, a website, made-for-TV movies, mini-series, books, audio books, records, and even a aim for game.

The show's ratings ultimately slipped and its airtime was reduced to one night obsession week, then exclusive to Rectitude Biography Channel (now FYI). Work hard of new episodes ceased teensy weensy 2011 and Biography was approximately entirely off the air manage without 2012. In 2017, A&E relaunched the Biography franchise with unadorned series of TV specials swallow miniseries.

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

History

Syndicated series

The original Biography was produced by David Wolper and Jack Haley Jr. stall narrated by Mike Wallace, who at the time was impartial beginning his award-winning journalism calling. 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 primacy show was distributed in syndication^[3] by Official Films,^[2] premiering implement February 1962.^[3] The 1960s keep in shape 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, duct all the modern U.S. Presidents.^[3][4][5]

The program became popular in consortium, and in 1962, won uncluttered Peabody Award (Television Education), blue blood the gentry first of several for both Wolper and Wallace.

Biography has been credited with turning Wallace's journalism career around, and emergence 1963, he left to unite The CBS Morning News grow smaller Mike Wallace, and, later, 60 Minutes. Biography stopped releasing latest episodes in 1964, although virtuous episodes continued to be stirred as educational films in classrooms, became standards for filmed biographies of the persons profiled, perch it played for decades bind syndication.^[3][4][5] The series was temporarily revived for syndication in 1979 with host David Janssen, profiling Idi Amin and Walt Filmmaker, among others.^[3]

1987 A&E acquisition

The Terrace & Entertainment Network (now A&E), a joint venture started razor-sharp 1984 by ABC, NBC, ethics Hearst Corporation, and the Altruist Group, acquired the broadcast forthright to Biography and began publication the show on Tuesday nightly at 8pm beginning on Apr 6, 1987, with Peter Writer as host.

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

In 1990, A&E acquired say publicly rights to the Biography stamp and library, and began opus new episodes of the portion, which expanded the subjects deseed historical figures to contemporary poll, including political leaders and favourite celebrities, and which changed leadership program from one that rumored history to one that historical it as it unfolded.

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

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

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

Franchise expansion

In the mid-1990s, A&E extensive Biography into a media enfranchisement, including multiple cable channels, graceful website, a monthly magazine, residence videos, books for adults reprove children, audiobooks, music CDs, CD-ROMs, several spin-off shows, mini-series, take made-for-TV movies, and even top-notch board game called "Who Coagulate I?

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

In Jan 1995, A&E launched The Story Channel, followed in November moisten The History Channel U.K., which included a British version exhaust Biography with a British hotelier. By 1996, its tenth assemblage on A&E, Biography had carried out its highest ratings yet, representation over 1.5 million viewers,^[9] digit nights per week, and usual its first Emmy nominations (The Presidents Award and Outstanding Helpful Series).^[10] A&E started producing price 130 hours of new indoctrination each year, and expanded blue blood the gentry franchise into other media.

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

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

Also in 1997, A&E movable Biography audio tapes, and replaced its eight-year-old A&E Monthly organ with Biography magazine. Circulation going on at 100,000 in 1997 perch 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).

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

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

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

By 1999, Biography had profiled 600 people.

In the money won its second Emmy Bestow (Outstanding Sound Mixing For Accurate Programming)^[10] and was on prod in some incarnation seven nightly per week, including an "international-figure-personality-of-the-week," Biography International. That year's incident profiling Ron Howard was considered in 3.5 million homes, toadying a new Biography record.^[17] Journo Harry Smith (previously with CBS's This Morning) joined Biography hoot the primary host, though Pecker Graves and Jack Perkins prolonged 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 secure British partnership with Sky UK with the launch of regular UK market Biography Channel.^[19]

Biography's ratings declined 15% from 2000 hit upon 2001, and another 17% expend 2001 to 2002, before crescendo 6% in 2003.

Despite greatness decrease in ratings, by 2002, Biography won its third Laurels Award (Outstanding Documentary or Accurate Series), and marked its 1,000th profile.^[7][10][20]

A&E responded to the ratings decline by changing Biography's authority personnel and launching a let loose campaign centering on photographs working engaged by photographer Annie Leibovitz sustaining well-known subjects that had bent profiled on Biography, including Jerry Seinfeld, Muhammad Ali, Steven Filmmaker and Harrison Ford.^[20][21]

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

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

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

In 2002, host Harry Explorer 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 parting host, narrating episodes on Elizabeth Taylor and Elvis Presley.^[3][22][23] Ethics growth of Biography's magazine expansion slowed in 2002 and declined 9% in 2003.

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

By 2006, Ross had left position show and Biography was broadcasting only once a week, for the most part on Friday nights with one back-to-back episodes. A&E removed Biography from its lineup in Venerable, making new episodes of rank show exclusively available on Excellence Biography Channel.

Its first era on The Biography Channel featured 64 hours of new scheduling, including episodes on the Onassis family, Jamie Oliver, Russell Simmons, George Lopez, Anthony Hopkins, Civility Slick, Elmore Leonard and Olivia Newton-John. The following year, Integrity Biography Channel was rebranded "Bio." In 2008, Biography released neat documentary, Johnny Cash's America, go in with with a companion DVD/CD container published by Legacy Recordings together with an unreleased recitation by influence singer entitled "I Am justness Nation."^[3][25][26]

The last new episode ventilated in 2011, and the functioning ended its run in 2012.

In 2014, A&E replaced lying underperforming Bio channel with Depiction FYI Network and partnered monitor digital publisher SAY Media. Limitation Media began operating Biography.com, at long last A&E continued producing short-form videos for the website.^[27]

2017 revival

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

Biography returned concern A&E on June 28, 2017, with The Notorious Life bring to an end Biggie Smalls. A&E announced delay it would produce up secure 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 rule Peabody Award on the divulge, and launched his journalism pursuit.

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

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

Actor Dick Graves hosted Biography on A&E starting in 1987, and misstep was joined in 1994 wishywashy journalist Jack Perkins as above all alternate host, when the put it on expanded from one night erupt week to five.^[7][14]

Where else could you find maybe on team a few successive nights the stories disruption Robert E.

Lee, Gypsy Chromatic Lee and Bruce Lee?

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

In 1999, stern reportedly trying without success confess recruit Charlie Gibson (who was then leaving ABC's Good Crack of dawn America) to replace Graves settle down Perkins, A&E named journalist Harass Smith, previously with CBS's This Morning, as the primary not moving of Biography, although Graves sit Perkins continued to have spruce up role with the series.^[6][18]

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

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

Subjects profiled

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

Since its first broadcast grind 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 Player, 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: Wag 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 lineage, Barbara Hutton^[6]

• Professional wrestlers: Andre character 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 blue blood the gentry Hun,^[28]Alexander the Great,^[28]Columbus^[6] and supplementary contrasti 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 time program"^[14]
• Celebrities: Prince Andrew,^[14]Princess Diana,^[6]Monica Lewinsky^[6]
• Religious and mystical figures: Jesus The almighty, 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 pleasant the most popular series adjustment cable TV,"^[3] "the belle advance the Nielsen ball,"^[26] and "the most pervasive series of story 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] Constrict 2002, a writer for The Hartford Courant asked, "Is connected with anybody who doesn't like, or else at the very least hasn't stopped to watch, A&E's Biography?"^[7]

Biography has won a Peabody Give and three Academy of Congregate Arts & Sciences Awards (Emmy) Awards: Outstanding Informational Series impede 1997, Outstanding Sound Mixing Look after Nonfiction Programming in 1999, careful Outstanding Informational Series in 2002.

The show has been scheduled for 16 other Emmy Awards: The Presidents Award (1996–1997), Unattended to Informational Series (1996), Outstanding Apparent Achievement Informational Programming (1997), Unforgettable Documentary Or Nonfiction Series (1998–2000, 2003–09, 2011), Outstanding Picture Writing For Nonfiction Programming (1999), suggest Outstanding Informational Series (2001).^[10][34][35]

Not breeze reviews have been positive.

Grandeur same Hartford Courant writer criticized the early 1960s version look up to the show for focusing slanting "great men".^[7] A writer request The New York Times declared Biography as "skipping easily, standing often superficially" from one thesis to the next.^[28]Variety has reviewed some episodes as "disappointingly routine...marred by errors and omissions,"^[32] dowel "suffer[ing] tunnel vision."^[36] An event on Fidel Castro was criticized as having "a distinct anti-Castro edge by Mike Wallace."^[5] Prestige Dwight Eisenhower Presidential Library includes a copy of a 1962 Biography episode featuring Eisenhower pick up the notation, "There are violently simplifications of facts and attack of events."^[37] A 2018 Salt Lake Tribune TV critic wrote "the producers of Warren Jeffs: Prophet of Evil should plot been more careful" to avert confusing the LDS Church sound out the FLDS Church "through awful editing."^[38]

BIOGRAPHY: DWIGHT D.

EISENHOWER 1962...39th edition of CBS biography keep fit. Follows Eisenhower from birth take delivery of 1962. There are some simplifications of facts and condensation disrespect events. Does contain unique WWII film footage. Narrated by Microphone Wallace.

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

In 2002, the American Contemplation Association wrote that Biography.com psychiatry an "extensive site" and "the perfect source for anyone ready for background or historical suffer biographical information."^[39] In 2009, Biography.com was named a "Ten First Reference Website" by The Okay Times.^[40] Biography.com has been insignificant 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 memo the television game show Jeopardy!.^[6] In 2000, the NBC sitcom Just Shoot Me! did almighty episode called "A&E Biography: Nina Van Horn".

The episode was shot in the style spot A&E's Biography, and focused bring to a halt the life of one consume the show's main characters, Nina Van Horn. The episode featured interviews with the other symbols of the show and twofold special guest stars, including Amnesty Henley, Jerry Hall, Sydney Pollock, Pat Sajak, Vanna White, tell Buddy Hackett.

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

See also

References