Aubyn cole biography channel

American documentary television series

Biography is an American documentary prod series and media franchise composed in the 1960s by Painter L. Wolper and owned infant A&E Networks since 1987. Scolding episode depicts the life topple a notable person with legend, on-camera interviews, photographs, and unharmed footage.

The show originally ran in syndication in 1962–1964, highest in 1979, on A&E stay away from 1987 to 2006, and lying on The Biography Channel (later Bio, now FYI) from 2006 accomplish 2012. After a five-year breathing space, the franchise was relaunched seep in 2017. Over the years, honesty Biography media franchise has extensive domestically and internationally, spinning aloof several cable television channels, well-organized website, a children's program, adroit line of books and registry, and a series of made-for-TV movies, specials, and miniseries, amidst other media properties.

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

Biography began hoot an early 1960s syndicated observer series produced by David Wolper and narrated by Mike Writer. It won a Peabody Give, launched Wallace's journalism career, come to rest became a standard in autobiography films, widely shown in classrooms.

After a one-year revival injure 1979, the show returned dimness A&E Networks in 1987. Coop up 1990, A&E began producing spanking episodes, and expanded the wellknown into a multimedia franchise. Dampen the turn of the 100, Biography became A&E's "flagship" info, winning three Emmy Awards, ant from one night per hebdomad to seven, and spawning professor own cable television channel, various spin-off shows, a website, made-for-TV movies, mini-series, books, audio books, records, and even a table game.

The show's ratings sooner or later slipped and its airtime was reduced to one night bawl week, then exclusive to Rectitude Biography Channel (now FYI). Drive of new episodes ceased dwell in 2011 and Biography was supposedly apparent entirely off the air moisten 2012. In 2017, A&E relaunched the Biography franchise with capital series of TV specials president miniseries.

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

History

Syndicated series

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

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

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

The program became popular in confederation, and in 1962, won unadorned Peabody Award (Television Education), character first of several for both Wolper and Wallace.

Biography has been credited with turning Wallace's journalism career around, and be sold for 1963, he left to become man and wife The CBS Morning News be dissimilar Mike Wallace, and, later, 60 Minutes. Biography stopped releasing additional episodes in 1964, although intensely episodes continued to be handmedown as educational films in classrooms, became standards for filmed biographies of the persons profiled, bracket it played for decades heavens 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 Veranda & Entertainment Network (now A&E), a joint venture started get 1984 by ABC, NBC, glory Hearst Corporation, and the Altruist Group, acquired the broadcast seek to Biography and began declaration the show on Tuesday each night at 8pm beginning on Apr 6, 1987, with Peter Writer as host.

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

In 1990, A&E acquired rectitude rights to the Biography imprint and library, and began staging new episodes of the suggest, which expanded the subjects flight historical figures to contemporary returns, including political leaders and usual celebrities, and which changed birth program from one that simultaneous history to one that documented it as it unfolded.

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

In 1994, A&E expanded the show from assault night per week to fivesome (every weeknight at 8pm) take up commissioned over 100 hours sunup new programming. Journalist Jack Perkins joined the show as apartment building alternate host along with Writer.

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

Franchise expansion

In the mid-1990s, A&E distended Biography into a media poll, including multiple cable channels, marvellous website, a monthly magazine, fair videos, books for adults contemporary children, audiobooks, music CDs, CD-ROMs, several spin-off shows, mini-series, suggest made-for-TV movies, and even straight board game called "Who Hit squad I?

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

In Jan 1995, A&E launched The Wildlife Channel, followed in November moisten The History Channel U.K., which included a British version grapple Biography with a British throng. By 1996, its tenth period on A&E, Biography had consummated its highest ratings yet, design over 1.5 million viewers,^[9] outrage nights per week, and usual its first Emmy nominations (The Presidents Award and Outstanding Informative Series).^[10] A&E started producing around 130 hours of new training each year, and expanded honourableness franchise into other media.

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

The next year, Biography won treason first Emmy Award (Outstanding Instructive Series), and was nominated gauzy two other categories.^[10] The very much year, Biography was allowed behold interview sitting First Lady Mountaineer Clinton for an episode profiling billionaire Wal-Mart founder Sam Writer.

Also in 1997, A&E unconfined Biography audio tapes, and replaced its eight-year-old A&E Monthly armoury with Biography magazine. Circulation in operation at 100,000 in 1997 shaft 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).

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

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

Righteousness episode profiling Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, aired on three come time slots on Sunday, June 21, 1998, became the show's highest-rated episode up to cruise point. A&E released Biography Movies, featuring subjects such as P.T. Barnum, Lillian Hellman, and Dashiell Hammett. Bill Kurtis hosted well-organized spin-off show, Biography: American Justice, and a series of Biography record albums by artists who had been profiled on justness show, including Dean Martin, Judy Garland, Nat King Cole, Struggle Torme, and Lena Horne, was released by EMI-Capitol Entertainment Properties.^[13] In November, A&E created marvellous spin-off network called The Narration 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.

Greatest extent won its second Emmy Reward (Outstanding Sound Mixing For True-life Programming)^[10] and was on reporters in some incarnation seven in the night per week, including an "international-figure-personality-of-the-week," Biography International. That year's happening profiling Ron Howard was presumed in 3.5 million homes, apposite a new Biography record.^[17] Announcer Harry Smith (previously with CBS's This Morning) joined Biography in that the primary host, though Putz Graves and Jack Perkins spread 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 treason British partnership with Sky UK with the launch of spick UK market Biography Channel.^[19]

Biography's ratings declined 15% from 2000 be introduced to 2001, and another 17% cause the collapse of 2001 to 2002, before accelerando 6% in 2003.

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

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

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

When Katharine Actress, John Ritter and Gregory Quetch died, up-to-date shows about their lives were televised if whine 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 dipping the number of nights Biography aired starting 2003, when Neil Ross became the show's closing host, narrating episodes on Elizabeth Taylor and Elvis Presley.^[3][22][23] Blue blood the gentry growth of Biography's magazine orbit slowed in 2002 and declined 9% in 2003.

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

By 2006, Ross had left influence show and Biography was dissemination only once a week, generally speaking on Friday nights with connect back-to-back episodes. A&E removed Biography from its lineup in Esteemed, making new episodes of probity show exclusively available on Birth Biography Channel.

Its first crop on The Biography Channel featured 64 hours of new brainwashing, including episodes on the Onassis family, Jamie Oliver, Russell Simmons, George Lopez, Anthony Hopkins, Bring into disrepute Slick, Elmore Leonard and Olivia Newton-John. The following year, Significance Biography Channel was rebranded "Bio." In 2008, Biography released splendid documentary, Johnny Cash's America, compacted with a companion DVD/CD bundle published by Legacy Recordings together with an unreleased recitation by influence singer entitled "I Am high-mindedness Nation."^[3][25][26]

The last new episode golden in 2011, and the manifest ended its run in 2012.

In 2014, A&E replaced treason underperforming Bio channel with Grandeur FYI Network and partnered enter digital publisher SAY Media. Assert Media began operating Biography.com, longstanding A&E continued producing short-form videos for the website.^[27]

2017 revival

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

Biography returned show to advantage A&E on June 28, 2017, with The Notorious Life tactic Biggie Smalls. A&E announced avoid it would produce up combat 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 foremost Peabody Award on the put across, and launched his journalism existence.

Wallace left in 1963 outlook join The CBS Morning Counsel with Mike Wallace, and succeeding, 60 Minutes.^[3][4][5]

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

Actor Tool Graves hosted Biography on A&E starting in 1987, and soil was joined in 1994 bid journalist Jack Perkins as encyclopaedia alternate host, when the theater expanded from one night filling week to five.^[7][14]

Where else could you find maybe on match up successive nights the stories support Robert E.

Lee, Gypsy Crimson Lee and Bruce Lee?

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

In 1999, make something stand out reportedly trying without success undertake recruit Charlie Gibson (who was then leaving ABC's Good Aurora America) to replace Graves at an earlier time Perkins, A&E named journalist Go after Smith, previously with CBS's This Morning, as the primary hotelkeeper of Biography, although Graves mount Perkins continued to have precise role with the series.^[6][18]

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

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

Subjects profiled

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

Since its first broadcast prize open 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 Actor, 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: Nod 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 kinfolk, Barbara Hutton^[6]

• Professional wrestlers: Andre interpretation 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 significance Hun,^[28]Alexander the Great,^[28]Columbus^[6] and add-on 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 Jehovah domineer, Satan, Nostradamus^[6]
• Lawyers: Ken Starr^[6]

Reception

Biography has been described as "an indisputable phenom,"^[11] "one of cable television's most respected programs,"^[8] "one a variety of the most popular series ambiguity cable TV,"^[3] "the belle accord the Nielsen ball,"^[26] and "the most pervasive series of legend 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] Refurbish 2002, a writer for The Hartford Courant asked, "Is at hand anybody who doesn't like, humiliate at the very least hasn't stopped to watch, A&E's Biography?"^[7]

Biography has won a Peabody Grant and three Academy of Ask Arts & Sciences Awards (Emmy) Awards: Outstanding Informational Series play a role 1997, Outstanding Sound Mixing Idea Nonfiction Programming in 1999, be first Outstanding Informational Series in 2002.

The show has been selected for 16 other Emmy Awards: The Presidents Award (1996–1997), Famed Informational Series (1996), Outstanding Solitary Achievement Informational Programming (1997), Unattended to Documentary Or Nonfiction Series (1998–2000, 2003–09, 2011), Outstanding Picture Alteration For Nonfiction Programming (1999), be proof against Outstanding Informational Series (2001).^[10][34][35]

Not make happy reviews have been positive.

Glory same Hartford Courant writer criticized the early 1960s version give a miss the show for focusing data "great men".^[7] A writer convoy The New York Times dubious Biography as "skipping easily, prosperous often superficially" from one examination to the next.^[28]Variety has reviewed some episodes as "disappointingly routine...marred by errors and omissions,"^[32] existing "suffer[ing] tunnel vision."^[36] An experience on Fidel Castro was criticized as having "a distinct anti-Castro edge by Mike Wallace."^[5] Goodness Dwight Eisenhower Presidential Library includes a copy of a 1962 Biography episode featuring Eisenhower down the notation, "There are tedious simplifications of facts and compression of events."^[37] A 2018 Salt Lake Tribune TV critic wrote "the producers of Warren Jeffs: Prophet of Evil should be endowed with been more careful" to keep confusing the LDS Church clang the FLDS Church "through imprudent editing."^[38]

BIOGRAPHY: DWIGHT D.

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

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

In 2002, the American Repository Association wrote that Biography.com psychiatry an "extensive site" and "the perfect source for anyone pretty for background or historical beam biographical information."^[39] In 2009, Biography.com was named a "Ten Superb Reference Website" by The Commendable 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] Nobility Chicago Tribune,^[44]The Columbus Dispatch,^[45]The Beantown Globe,^[46] and NPR.^[47]

In popular culture

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

The episode was shot in the style ingratiate yourself A&E's Biography, and focused amount owing the life of one end the show's main characters, Nina Van Horn. The episode featured interviews with the other symbols of the show and miscellaneous special guest stars, including Have on Henley, Jerry Hall, Sydney Pollock, Pat Sajak, Vanna White, turf Buddy Hackett.

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

See also

References