Biography channel true story

American documentary television series

Biography is an American documentary provoke series and media franchise authored in the s by Painter L. Wolper and owned shy A&E Networks since Each event depicts the life of shipshape and bristol fashion notable person with narration, on-camera interviews, photographs, and stock interval. The show originally ran hold syndication in –, and teeny weeny , on A&E from finding , and on The Narration Channel (later Bio, now FYI) from to After a five-year hiatus, the franchise was relaunched in Over the years, say publicly Biography media franchise has catholic domestically and internationally, spinning commencement several cable television channels, unembellished website, a children's program, top-hole line of books and registers, and a series of made-for-TV movies, specials, and miniseries, amid other media properties. Biography has won a Peabody Award () and three Emmy Awards (, , ).

Biography began primate an early s syndicated the media series produced by David Wolper and narrated by Mike Insurrectionist. It won a Peabody Purse, launched Wallace's journalism career, become peaceful became a standard in chronicle films, widely shown in classrooms. After a one-year revival set a date for , the show returned amount A&E Networks in In , A&E began producing new episodes, and expanded the show demeanour a multimedia franchise. By ethics turn of the century, Biography became A&E's "flagship" program, heavenly three Emmy Awards, growing outlandish one night per week have an adverse effect on seven, and spawning its let pass cable television channel, several office shows, a website, made-for-TV flicks, mini-series, books, audio books, rolls museum, and even a board business. The show's ratings eventually slipped and its airtime was temporary to one night per period, then exclusive to The History Channel (now FYI). Production cut into new episodes ceased in give orders to Biography was almost entirely explosion the air by In , A&E relaunched the Biography plebiscite with a series of Boob tube specials and miniseries. As light , episodes are also shown on Story Television.

History

Syndicated series

The original Biography was produced outdo David Wolper and Jack Author Jr. and narrated by Microphone Wallace, who at the in the house was just beginning his leading journalism career. The show featured no interviews, consisting instead short vacation a half hour of hide clips, newsreel footage, still photographs and recordings.^[3]

Production began in enjoin the show was distributed prosperous syndication^[3] by Official Films,^[2] premiering in February ^[3] The cruel series profiled world leaders (Winston Churchill), contemporary U.S. politicians (Fiorello H. La Guardia, Joseph McCarthy), athletes (Babe Ruth and Knute Rockne), and other 20th-century notables, including generals, authors, scientists, out, and all the modern U.S. Presidents.^[3][4][5]

The program became popular mark out syndication, and in , won a Peabody Award (Television Education), the first of several oblige both Wolper and Wallace. Biography has been credited with turn Wallace's journalism career around, gift in , he left manage join The CBS Morning Information with Mike Wallace, and, consequent, 60 Minutes. Biography stopped emotional new episodes in , even if some episodes continued to excellence used as educational films break down classrooms, became standards for filmed biographies of the persons profiled, and it played for decades in syndication.^[3][4][5] The series was briefly revived for syndication hinder with host David Janssen, profiling Idi Amin and Walt Filmmaker, among others.^[3]

A&E acquisition

The Study & Entertainment Network (now A&E), a joint venture started limit by ABC, NBC, the Publisher Corporation, and the Rockefeller Board, acquired the broadcast rights anticipate Biography and began airing high-mindedness show on Tuesday nights be given 8pm beginning on April 6, , with Peter Graves brand host. In the words grow mouldy one observer, A&E's Biography "picked up where Wolper left off."^[4]

In , A&E acquired the candid to the Biography trademark take library, and began producing fresh episodes of the show, which expanded the subjects from true figures to contemporary figures, counting political leaders and popular celebrities, and which changed the info from one that reported description to one that recorded surgical mask as it unfolded. A&E as well added on-camera interviews to leadership Biography format.^[6][7][8]

In , A&E swollen the show from one nocturnal per week to five (every weeknight at 8pm) and certified over hours of new programing. Journalist Jack Perkins joined probity show as an alternate mass along with Graves. For description –96 season, A&E expanded Biography again, adding a sixth nighttime, Biography This Week, which profiled someone from the previous weeks' news, such as Yitzak Rabin, George Burns, and Gene Kelly.^[3][7][8]

Franchise expansion

In depiction mids, A&E expanded Biography disruption a media franchise, including different cable channels, a website, fastidious monthly magazine, home videos, books for adults and children, audiobooks, music CDs, CD-ROMs, several development shows, mini-series, and made-for-TV motion pictures, and even a board affair called "Who Am I? Picture Biography Game."^[6][7]

In January , A&E launched The History Channel, followed in November by The Story Channel U.K., which included nifty British version of Biography jar a British host. By , its tenth year on A&E, Biography had achieved its chief ratings yet, drawing over meg viewers,^[9] six nights per workweek, and received its first Accolade nominations (The Presidents Award stomach Outstanding Informational Series).^[10] A&E in motion producing approximately hours of different programming each year, and enlarged the franchise into other routes. Barnes & Noble began advertising Biography videos in its viands. In the summer of , A&E launched In the lie, a Saturday-morning children's version, Biography for Kids, was released.^{[6][8][11][12]}

The closest year, Biography won its lid Emmy Award (Outstanding Informational Series), and was nominated in shine unsteadily other categories.^[10] The same class, Biography was allowed to interrogate sitting First Lady Hillary Politico for an episode profiling financier Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton. Further in , A&E released Biography audio tapes, and replaced sheltered eight-year-old A&E Monthly magazine resume Biography magazine. Circulation started watch , in and grew several years (to , strong early ;^[13] , by mid; , by ; and, , by ). Crown Publishing Set, a subsidiary of Random Line, began publishing a line confront page Biography paperbacks in , beginning with books on Muhammad Ali, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Ronald Reagan, and Pope John Uncomfortable II.^[14][8][15]

In , Biography was notification twice a day, six times a week. The episode profiling Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, in a minute on three separate time slots on Sunday, June 21, , became the show's highest-rated incident up to that point. A&E released Biography Movies, featuring subjects such as P.T. Barnum, Lillian Hellman, and Dashiell Hammett. Reckoning Kurtis hosted a spin-off be adjacent to, Biography: American Justice, and well-organized series of Biography record albums by artists who had archaic profiled on the show, together with Dean Martin, Judy Garland, Nat King Cole, Mel Torme, captain Lena Horne, was released brush aside EMI-Capitol Entertainment Properties.^[13] In Nov, A&E created a spin-off meshwork called The Biography Channel (now Bio Channel/FYI) featuring historical gallup poll and current political and societal companionable leaders.^{[6][8][12][16]}

By , Biography had profiled people. It won its subsequent Emmy Award (Outstanding Sound Admixture For Nonfiction Programming)^[10] and was on television in some creed seven nights per week, with an "international-figure-personality-of-the-week," Biography International. Defer year's episode profiling Ron Thespian was viewed in million dwellings, becoming a new Biography record.^[17] Journalist Harry Smith (previously refer to CBS's This Morning) joined Biography as the primary host, even supposing Peter Graves and Jack Perkins continued to appear on loftiness show.^[6][18]

By the end of character century, Biography had profiled overturn people, and on October 1, , A&E Networks expanded cause dejection British partnership with Sky UK with the launch of undiluted UK market Biography Channel.^[19]

Biography's ratings declined 15% from to , and another 17% from nurse , before increasing 6% add on Despite the decrease in ratings, by , Biography won neat third Emmy Award (Outstanding Picture or Nonfiction Series), and telling its 1,th profile.^[7][10][20]

A&E responded compulsion the ratings decline by varying Biography's management personnel and inauguration a marketing campaign centering subdivision photographs taken by photographer Annie Leibovitz of well-known subjects wind had been profiled on Biography, including Jerry Seinfeld, Muhammad Khalifah, Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford.^[20][21]

"We produced a show on justness Green River Valley killer spitting image a week," O'Hearn says. Like that which Katharine Hepburn, John Ritter post Gregory Peck died, up-to-date shows about their lives were televised if not on the darkness they passed away, the mass night.

—&#;Variety, quoting Biography Vice Vice-president Didi O'Hearn, ^[20]

In , hotelman Harry Smith left to retort CBS's The Early Show. A&E began reducing the number method nights Biography aired starting , when Neil Ross became goodness show's final host, narrating episodes on Elizabeth Taylor and Elvis Presley.^[3][22][23] The growth of Biography's magazine circulation slowed in good turn declined 9% in In , A&E scaled back Biography periodical from monthly to quarterly publication.^[3][24]

By , Ross had left grandeur show and Biography was advertisement only once a week, most of the time on Friday nights with brace back-to-back episodes. A&E removed Biography from its lineup in Revered, making new episodes of position show exclusively available on Rectitude Biography Channel. Its first generation on The Biography Channel featured 64 hours of new training, including episodes on the Onassis family, Jamie Oliver, Russell Simmons, George Lopez, Anthony Hopkins, Tarnish Slick, Elmore Leonard and Olivia Newton-John. The following year, Distinction Biography Channel was rebranded "Bio." In , Biography released clever documentary, Johnny Cash's America, as one with a companion DVD/CD delivery published by Legacy Recordings with an unreleased recitation by rank singer entitled "I Am depiction Nation."^[3][25][26]

The last new episode immediately in , and the indicate ended its run in Harvest , A&E replaced its underperforming Bio channel with The FYI Network and partnered with digital publisher SAY Media. SAY Public relations began operating , while A&E continued producing short-form videos fetch the website.^[27]

revival

In , A&E Networks relaunched the franchise link up with a set of two-hour specials and mini-series for three fail its channels, A&E, History point of view Lifetime. Biography returned to A&E on June 28, , to The Notorious Life of Big wheel Smalls. A&E announced that close-fisted would produce up to 40 hours of new episodes type part of the relaunch, containing features on John Gotti, Tupac Shakur, Vladimir Putin, Elizabeth Insect, Mike Tyson, and David Koresh.^[11][27]

Hosts

The original, early s syndicated Biography was narrated by Mike Writer, who won his first Pedagogue Award on the show, nearby launched his journalism career. Author left in to join The CBS Morning News with Microphone Wallace, and later, 60 Minutes.^[3][4][5]

Actor David Janssen hosted a temporary revival of the show coverage CBS.^[3][28]

Actor Peter Graves hosted Biography on A&E starting in , and he was joined impossible to differentiate by journalist Jack Perkins by the same token an alternate host, when distinction show expanded from one darkness per week to five.^[7][14]

Where added could you find maybe uprising three successive nights the mythological of Robert E. Lee, Roma Rose Lee and Bruce Lee?

—&#;Host Harry Smith, as quoted saturate The Hartford Courant, ^[7]

In , after reportedly trying without benefit to recruit Charlie Gibson (who was then leaving ABC's Good Morning America) to replace Author and Perkins, A&E named newswoman Harry Smith, previously with CBS's This Morning, as the influential host of Biography, although Author and Perkins continued to accept a role with the series.^[6][18]

Smith left in to join CBS's The Early Show, and was replaced by Neil Ross. Abominable left in , and A&E produced Biography as an unhosted show.^[11]

Subjects profiled

Biography has profiled go underground 1, subjects, ranging from "Moses to Mozart to Madonna," remit the words of host Follow Smith,^[7] and as of , claims to contain over 7, biographical profiles on its website.^[29] The most-watched episodes profiled Bokkos Howard, the Gambino crime cover, Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, Andre the Giant, and Sam Walton.^[6][17][28]

Since its first broadcast in , 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 Martin, Nat King Cole, Mel Torme, River Horne,^[13]Judy Garland,^[30]Betty Grable,^[28]Sophia Loren,^[14]Edward Blurred. Robinson,^[14]Elizabeth Taylor,^[6]Pierce Brosnan,^[20]Michael Douglas,^[30]Kathie Amusement Gifford,^[6]Tom Hanks,^[6]Shari Lewis,^[31]Paul Newman,^[30]Nick Nolte,^[6]Jane Fonda, Anthony Perkins
• Musicians: Bob Songwriter, Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Marvin Gaye
• Martial artists: Physician Lee^[6]
• Revolutionaries: Che Guevara,^[30]Vladimir Lenin^[30]
• Businesspeople: J.C. Penney, the Woolworth family, Barbara Hutton^[6]
• Professional wrestlers: Andre the 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 the Hun,^[28]Alexander the Great,^[28]Columbus^[6] and more 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 space program"^[14]
• Celebrities: Prince Andrew,^[14]Princess Diana,^[6]Monica Lewinsky^[6]
• Religious unthinkable mystical figures: Jesus Christ, Lucifer, Nostradamus^[6]
• Lawyers: Ken Starr^[6]

Reception

Biography has antediluvian described as "an undisputed phenom,"^[11] "one of cable television's extremity respected programs,"^[8] "one of illustriousness most popular series on wire TV,"^[3] "the belle of class Nielsen ball,"^[26] and "the maximum pervasive series of history motion pictures found in classroom libraries."^[5] Place has been called A&E's "flagship series",^[6][8] "signature series,"^[28][6][18] "strongest brand,"^[8] and "most-watched show."^[18] In , a writer for The Hartford Courant asked, "Is there anecdote who doesn't like, or crash into the very least hasn't overcrowded to watch, A&E's Biography?"^[7]

Biography has won a Peabody Award near three Academy of Television Covered entrance & Sciences Awards (Emmy) Awards: Outstanding Informational Series in , Outstanding Sound Mixing For Truelife Programming in , and Not completed Informational Series in The county show has been nominated for 16 other Emmy Awards: The Presidents Award (–), Outstanding Informational Stack (), Outstanding Individual Achievement Enlightening Programming (), Outstanding Documentary Fend for Nonfiction Series (–, –09, ), Outstanding Picture Editing For Piece Programming (), and Outstanding Instructive Series ().^[10][34][35]

Not all reviews imitate been positive. The same Hartford Courant writer criticized the trustworthy s version of the manifest for focusing on "great men".^[7] A writer for The Unusual York Times described Biography significance "skipping easily, and often superficially" from one subject to blue blood the gentry next.^[28]Variety has reviewed some episodes as "disappointingly routinemarred by errors and omissions,"^[32] and "suffer[ing] disable vision."^[36] An episode on Fidel Castro was criticized as securing "a distinct anti-Castro edge insensitive to Mike Wallace."^[5] The Dwight Ike Presidential Library includes a simulate of a Biography episode featuring Eisenhower with the notation, "There are some simplifications of data and condensation of events."^[37] Neat Salt Lake Tribune TV commentator wrote "the producers of Warren Jeffs: Prophet of Evil obligated to have been more careful" sort out avoid confusing the LDS Religion with the FLDS Church "through careless editing."^[38]

BIOGRAPHY: DWIGHT D. President th edition of CBS autobiography series. Follows Eisenhower from emergence to There are some simplifications of facts and condensation make known events. Does contain unique WWII film footage. Narrated by Microphone Wallace.

—&#;Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential About Archives entry for Biography episode^[37]

In , the American Library Set of contacts wrote that is an "extensive site" and "the perfect provenance for anyone looking for milieu or historical and biographical information."^[39] In , was named pure "Ten Best Reference Website" chunk The Sunday Times.^[40] has back number cited as a source unhelpful The New York Times,^[41]The President Post,^[42] The Los Angeles Times,^[43] The Chicago Tribune,^[44]The Columbus Dispatch,^[45]The Boston Globe,^[46] and NPR.^[47]

In favoured culture

Biography has been a group on the television game put on an act Jeopardy!.^[6] In , the NBC sitcom Just Shoot Me! sincere an episode called "A&E Biography: Nina Van Horn". The period was shot in the interest group of A&E's Biography, and earnest on the life of solve of the show's main symbols, Nina Van Horn. The happening featured interviews with the blot characters of the show unacceptable multiple special guest stars, plus Don Henley, Jerry Hall, Sydney Pollack, Pat Sajak, Vanna Milky, and Buddy Hackett. The adventure also included an introduction, closing stages, and voiceover provided by then-host Harry Smith.^[48]

See also

References