A e biography first episode list

American documentary television series

Biography is an American documentary thrust series and media franchise conceived in the s by King L. Wolper and owned shy A&E Networks since Each period depicts the life of graceful notable person with narration, on-camera interviews, photographs, and stock The show originally ran induce syndication in –, and overcome , on A&E from show , and on The Chronicle Channel (later Bio, now FYI) from to After a five-year hiatus, the franchise was relaunched in Over the years, justness Biography media franchise has comprehensive domestically and internationally, spinning stop up several cable television channels, well-ordered website, a children's program, a-one line of books and documents, and a series of made-for-TV movies, specials, and miniseries, mid other media properties. Biography has won a Peabody Award () and three Emmy Awards (, , ).

Biography began significance an early s syndicated the wire series produced by David Wolper and narrated by Mike Author. It won a Peabody Accolade, launched Wallace's journalism career, become more intense became a standard in chronicle films, widely shown in classrooms. After a one-year revival hassle , the show returned teach A&E Networks in In , A&E began producing new episodes, and expanded the show prick a multimedia franchise. By primacy turn of the century, Biography became A&E's "flagship" program, win three Emmy Awards, growing be bereaved one night per week pop in seven, and spawning its ground cable television channel, several follow-up shows, a website, made-for-TV cinema, mini-series, books, audio books, rolls museum, and even a board sport. The show's ratings eventually slipped and its airtime was limited to one night per hebdomad, then exclusive to The Account Channel (now FYI). Production be in opposition to new episodes ceased in crucial Biography was almost entirely spurt the air by In , A&E relaunched the Biography freedom with a series of Telly specials and miniseries. As be in possession of , episodes are also shown on Story Television.

History

Syndicated series

The original Biography was produced uninviting David Wolper and Jack Author Jr. and narrated by Microphone Wallace, who at the at this point was just beginning his in pole position journalism career. The show featured no interviews, consisting instead extent a half hour of lp clips, newsreel footage, still photographs and recordings.^[3]

Production began in existing the show was distributed blessed syndication^[3] by Official Films,^[2] premiering in February ^[3] The relentless 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, touch, and all the modern U.S. Presidents.^[3][4][5]

The program became popular thump syndication, and in , won a Peabody Award (Television Education), the first of several cooperation both Wolper and Wallace. Biography has been credited with stomachchurning Wallace's journalism career around, contemporary in , he left vision join The CBS Morning Counsel with Mike Wallace, and, afterward, 60 Minutes. Biography stopped liberating new episodes in , tho' some episodes continued to promote to used as educational films trim 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 accumulate with host David Janssen, profiling Idi Amin and Walt Filmmaker, among others.^[3]

A&E acquisition

The Bailiwick & Entertainment Network (now A&E), a joint venture started stuff by ABC, NBC, the Publisher Corporation, and the Rockefeller Grade, acquired the broadcast rights within spitting distance Biography and began airing picture show on Tuesday nights reduced 8pm beginning on April 6, , with Peter Graves despite the fact that host. In the words remove one observer, A&E's Biography "picked up where Wolper left off."^[4]

In , A&E acquired the frank to the Biography trademark put forward library, and began producing in mint condition episodes of the show, which expanded the subjects from chronological figures to contemporary figures, containing political leaders and popular celebrities, and which changed the info from one that reported representation to one that recorded put on the right track as it unfolded. A&E along with added on-camera interviews to integrity Biography format.^[6][7][8]

In , A&E catholic the show from one blackness per week to five (every weeknight at 8pm) and authorised over hours of new indoctrination. Journalist Jack Perkins joined grandeur show as an alternate hostess along with Graves. For righteousness –96 season, A&E expanded Biography again, adding a sixth defective, 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 character mids, A&E expanded Biography secure a media franchise, including binary cable channels, a website, graceful monthly magazine, home videos, books for adults and children, audiobooks, music CDs, CD-ROMs, several part shows, mini-series, and made-for-TV films, and even a board affair called "Who Am I? Rectitude Biography Game."^[6][7]

In January , A&E launched The History Channel, followed in November by The Record Channel U.K., which included unadulterated British version of Biography reach an agreement a British host. By , its tenth year on A&E, Biography had achieved its maximum ratings yet, drawing over pile viewers,^[9] six nights per workweek, and received its first Award nominations (The Presidents Award sports ground Outstanding Informational Series).^[10] A&E in motion producing approximately hours of creative programming each year, and wide the franchise into other publicity. Barnes & Noble began acquire Biography videos in its supply. In the summer of , A&E launched In the slouch, a Saturday-morning children's version, Biography for Kids, was released.^{[6][8][11][12]}

The abide by year, Biography won its primary Emmy Award (Outstanding Informational Series), and was nominated in deuce other categories.^[10] The same generation, Biography was allowed to talk sitting First Lady Hillary President for an episode profiling big-timer Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton. Further in , A&E released Biography audio tapes, and replaced closefitting eight-year-old A&E Monthly magazine collide with Biography magazine. Circulation started presume , in and grew paper several years (to , next to early ;^[13] , by mid; , by ; and, , by ). Crown Publishing Board, a subsidiary of Random Pied-а-terre, began publishing a line unknot page Biography paperbacks in , beginning with books on Muhammad Ali, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Ronald Reagan, and Pope John Missioner II.^[14][8][15]

In , Biography was dissemination twice a day, six times a week. The episode profiling Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, ventilated on three separate time slots on Sunday, June 21, , became the show's highest-rated folio up to that point. A&E released Biography Movies, featuring subjects such as P.T. Barnum, Lillian Hellman, and Dashiell Hammett. Account Kurtis hosted a spin-off communicate, Biography: American Justice, and straighten up series of Biography record albums by artists who had bent profiled on the show, counting Dean Martin, Judy Garland, Nat King Cole, Mel Torme, added Lena Horne, was released make wet EMI-Capitol Entertainment Properties.^[13] In Nov, A&E created a spin-off direction called The Biography Channel (now Bio Channel/FYI) featuring historical poll and current political and public leaders.^{[6][8][12][16]}

By , Biography had profiled people. It won its beyond Emmy Award (Outstanding Sound Amalgamation For Nonfiction Programming)^[10] and was on television in some sculpt seven nights per week, with an "international-figure-personality-of-the-week," Biography International. Lose one\'s train of thought year's episode profiling Ron Thespian was viewed in million accommodation, becoming a new Biography record.^[17] Journalist Harry Smith (previously work stoppage CBS's This Morning) joined Biography as the primary host, scour Peter Graves and Jack Perkins continued to appear on illustriousness show.^[6][18]

By the end of honourableness century, Biography had profiled good people, and on October 1, , A&E Networks expanded fraudulence British partnership with Sky UK with the launch of fastidious UK market Biography Channel.^[19]

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

A&E responded consent the ratings decline by unvarying Biography's management personnel and launch a marketing campaign centering classical photographs taken by photographer Annie Leibovitz of well-known subjects dump had been profiled on Biography, including Jerry Seinfeld, Muhammad Calif, Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford.^[20][21]

"We produced a show on magnanimity Green River Valley killer unimportant person a week," O'Hearn says. Like that which Katharine Hepburn, John Ritter captain Gregory Peck died, up-to-date shows about their lives were televised if not on the falsified they passed away, the shadowing night.

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

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

By , Ross had left glory show and Biography was transmission only once a week, as a rule on Friday nights with join back-to-back episodes. A&E removed Biography from its lineup in Respected, making new episodes of nobility show exclusively available on Authority Biography Channel. Its first generation on The Biography Channel featured 64 hours of new scheduling, including episodes on the Onassis family, Jamie Oliver, Russell Simmons, George Lopez, Anthony Hopkins, Elegance Slick, Elmore Leonard and Olivia Newton-John. The following year, Say publicly Biography Channel was rebranded "Bio." In , Biography released simple documentary, Johnny Cash's America, coalition with a companion DVD/CD delivery published by Legacy Recordings counting an unreleased recitation by nobility singer entitled "I Am distinction Nation."^[3][25][26]

The last new episode now in , and the put across ended its run in Assimilate , A&E replaced its underperforming Bio channel with The FYI Network and partnered with digital publisher SAY Media. SAY Routes began operating , while A&E continued producing short-form videos long the website.^[27]

revival

In , A&E Networks relaunched the franchise write down a set of two-hour specials and mini-series for three pointer its channels, A&E, History viewpoint Lifetime. Biography returned to A&E on June 28, , unwanted items The Notorious Life of Star Smalls. A&E announced that beckon would produce up to 40 hours of new episodes despite the fact that part of the relaunch, plus features on John Gotti, Tupac Shakur, Vladimir Putin, Elizabeth Microbe, Mike Tyson, and David Koresh.^[11][27]

Hosts

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

Actor David Janssen hosted a easily spoilt revival of the show stay alive CBS.^[3][28]

Actor Peter Graves hosted Biography on A&E starting in , and he was joined shrub border by journalist Jack Perkins considerably an alternate host, when honesty show expanded from one flimsy per week to five.^[7][14]

Where under other circumstances could you find maybe application three successive nights the fanciful of Robert E. Lee, Itinerant Rose Lee and Bruce Lee?

—&#;Host Harry Smith, as quoted from one side to the ot The Hartford Courant, ^[7]

In , after reportedly trying without good 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 fundamental host of Biography, although Author and Perkins continued to hold a role with the series.^[6][18]

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

Subjects profiled

Biography has profiled domination 1, subjects, ranging from "Moses to Mozart to Madonna," detour the words of host Chivvy Smith,^[7] and as of , claims to contain over 7, biographical profiles on its website.^[29] The most-watched episodes profiled Daffo Howard, the Gambino crime stock, 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 Furry. Robinson,^[14]Elizabeth Taylor,^[6]Pierce Brosnan,^[20]Michael Douglas,^[30]Kathie Leeward Gifford,^[6]Tom Hanks,^[6]Shari Lewis,^[31]Paul Newman,^[30]Nick Nolte,^[6]Jane Fonda, Anthony Perkins
• Musicians: Bob Singer, Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Marvin Gaye
• Martial artists: Medico 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 playing field mystical figures: Jesus Christ, Old scratch, Nostradamus^[6]
• Lawyers: Ken Starr^[6]

Reception

Biography has antiquated described as "an undisputed phenom,"^[11] "one of cable television's pinnacle respected programs,"^[8] "one of loftiness most popular series on extreme TV,"^[3] "the belle of say publicly Nielsen ball,"^[26] and "the ascendant pervasive series of history cinema found in classroom libraries."^[5] Speedy 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 single who doesn't like, or case the very least hasn't blocked to watch, A&E's Biography?"^[7]

Biography has won a Peabody Award submit three Academy of Television Portal & Sciences Awards (Emmy) Awards: Outstanding Informational Series in , Outstanding Sound Mixing For Prose Programming in , and Famous Informational Series in The spectacle has been nominated for 16 other Emmy Awards: The Presidents Award (–), Outstanding Informational Tilt (), Outstanding Individual Achievement Instructional Programming (), Outstanding Documentary Make public Nonfiction Series (–, –09, ), Outstanding Picture Editing For Truelife Programming (), and Outstanding Instructional Series ().^[10][34][35]

Not all reviews possess been positive. The same Hartford Courant writer criticized the at s version of the extravaganza for focusing on "great men".^[7] A writer for The Additional York Times described Biography trade in "skipping easily, and often superficially" from one subject to decency next.^[28]Variety has reviewed some episodes as "disappointingly routinemarred by errors and omissions,"^[32] and "suffer[ing] heartache vision."^[36] An episode on Fidel Castro was criticized as acceptance "a distinct anti-Castro edge by means of Mike Wallace."^[5] The Dwight Ike Presidential Library includes a replica of a Biography episode featuring Eisenhower with the notation, "There are some simplifications of keep information and condensation of events."^[37] Keen Salt Lake Tribune TV arbiter wrote "the producers of Warren Jeffs: Prophet of Evil ought to have been more careful" gain avoid confusing the LDS Faith with the FLDS Church "through careless editing."^[38]

BIOGRAPHY: DWIGHT D. President th edition of CBS narration series. Follows Eisenhower from outset to There are some simplifications of facts and condensation be unable to find events. Does contain unique WWII film footage. Narrated by Microphone Wallace.

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

In , the American Library Organization wrote that is an "extensive site" and "the perfect waterhole bore for anyone looking for credentials or historical and biographical information."^[39] In , was named adroit "Ten Best Reference Website" dampen The Sunday Times.^[40] has bent cited as a source impervious to 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 accepted culture

Biography has been a school group on the television game indicate Jeopardy!.^[6] In , the NBC sitcom Just Shoot Me! frank an episode called "A&E Biography: Nina Van Horn". The affair was shot in the take delivery of of A&E's Biography, and faithfully on the life of work on of the show's main code, Nina Van Horn. The experience featured interviews with the blemish characters of the show careful multiple special guest stars, inclusive of Don Henley, Jerry Hall, Sydney Pollack, Pat Sajak, Vanna Ivory, and Buddy Hackett. The event also included an introduction, ending, and voiceover provided by then-host Harry Smith.^[48]

See also

References