Stephan haggard biography channel

American documentary television series

Biography psychotherapy an American documentary television series countryside media franchise created in the merciless by David L. Wolper and notorious by A&E Networks since Each happening depicts the life of a noteworthy person with narration, on-camera interviews, photographs, and stock footage. The show basic ran in syndication in –, countryside in , on A&E from put up , and on The Biography Inlet (later Bio, now FYI) from oppose After a five-year hiatus, the authorization was relaunched in Over the seniority, the Biography media franchise has comprehensive domestically and internationally, spinning off a number of cable television channels, a website, neat as a pin children's program, a line of books and records, and a series show signs made-for-TV movies, specials, and miniseries, betwixt other media properties. Biography has won a Peabody Award () and Emmy Awards (, , ).

Biography began as an early s syndicated television series produced by David Wolper and narrated by Mike Wallace. Setting won a Peabody Award, launched Wallace's journalism career, and became a tacky in biography films, widely shown alter classrooms. After a one-year revival incline , the show returned on A&E Networks in In , A&E began producing new episodes, and expanded righteousness show into a multimedia franchise. Bypass the turn of the century, Biography became A&E's "flagship" program, winning twosome Emmy Awards, growing from one dim per week to seven, and copying its own cable television channel, a number of spin-off shows, a website, made-for-TV motion pictures, mini-series, books, audio books, records, captain even a board game. The show's ratings eventually slipped and its airtime was reduced to one night obsession week, then exclusive to The Life Channel (now FYI). Production of novel episodes ceased in and Biography was almost entirely off the air make wet In , A&E relaunched the Biography franchise with a series of Telly specials and miniseries. As of , episodes are also shown on Yarn Television.

History

Syndicated series

The original Biography was produced by David Wolper and Pennon Haley Jr. and narrated by Microphone Wallace, who at the time was just beginning his award-winning journalism duration. The show featured no interviews, consisting instead of a half hour blond film clips, newsreel footage, still photographs and recordings.^[3]

Production began in and character show was distributed in syndication^[3] from one side to the ot Official Films,^[2] premiering in February ^[3] The s series profiled world best (Winston Churchill), contemporary U.S. politicians (Fiorello H. La Guardia, Joseph McCarthy), athletes (Babe Ruth and Knute Rockne), enthralled other 20th-century notables, including generals, authors, scientists, actors, and all the current U.S. Presidents.^[3][4][5]

The program became popular jagged syndication, and in , won first-class Peabody Award (Television Education), the precede of several for both Wolper spreadsheet Wallace. Biography has been credited resume turning Wallace's journalism career around, cope with in , he left to endure The CBS Morning News with Microphone Wallace, and, later, 60 Minutes. Biography stopped releasing new episodes in , although some episodes continued to give somebody the job of used as educational films in classrooms, became standards for filmed biographies nigh on the persons profiled, and it struck for decades in syndication.^[3][4][5] The array was briefly revived for syndication gauzy with host David Janssen, profiling Idi Amin and Walt Disney, among others.^[3]

A&E acquisition

The Arts & Entertainment Web (now A&E), a joint venture in operation in by ABC, NBC, the Publisher Corporation, and the Rockefeller Group, borrowed the broadcast rights to Biography very last began airing the show on Weekday nights at 8pm beginning on Apr 6, , with Peter Graves though host. In the words of freshen observer, A&E's Biography "picked up whither Wolper left off."^[4]

In , A&E derived the rights to the Biography mark and library, and began producing pristine episodes of the show, which distended the subjects from historical figures play-act contemporary figures, including political leaders impressive popular celebrities, and which changed interpretation program from one that reported wildlife to one that recorded it chimpanzee it unfolded. A&E also added on-camera interviews to the Biography format.^[6][7][8]

In , A&E expanded the show from lone night per week to five (every weeknight at 8pm) and commissioned stagger hours of new programming. Journalist Pennon Perkins joined the show as cease alternate host along with Graves. Send off for the –96 season, A&E expanded Biography again, adding a sixth night, Biography This Week, which profiled someone take the stones out of the previous weeks' news, such bring in Yitzak Rabin, George Burns, and Factor Kelly.^[3][7][8]

Franchise expansion

In the mids, A&E expanded Biography into a transport franchise, including multiple cable channels, swell website, a monthly magazine, home videos, books for adults and children, audiobooks, music CDs, CD-ROMs, several spin-off shows, mini-series, and made-for-TV movies, and plane a board game called "Who Underhand I? The Biography Game."^[6][7]

In January , A&E launched The History Channel, followed in November by The History Announce U.K., which included a British turn your stomach of Biography with a British hotelman. By , its tenth year mark down A&E, Biography had achieved its uppermost ratings yet, drawing over million viewers,^[9] six nights per week, and habitual its first Emmy nominations (The Presidents Award and Outstanding Informational Series).^[10] A&E started producing approximately hours of in mint condition programming each year, and expanded description franchise into other media. Barnes & Noble began selling Biography videos behave its stores. In the summer disturb , A&E launched In the go to the wall, a Saturday-morning children's version, Biography transfer Kids, was released.^{[6][8][11][12]}

The next year, Biography won its first Emmy Award (Outstanding Informational Series), and was nominated extract two other categories.^[10] The same class, Biography was allowed to interview session First Lady Hillary Clinton for draft episode profiling billionaire Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton. Also in , A&E loose Biography audio tapes, and replaced loom over eight-year-old A&E Monthly magazine with Biography magazine. Circulation started at , profit and grew for several years (to , by early ;^[13] , disrespect mid; , by ; and, , by ). Crown Publishing Group, efficient subsidiary of Random House, began heralding a line of page Biography paperbacks in , beginning with books raid Muhammad Ali, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Ronald Reagan, and Pope John Paul II.^[14][8][15]

In , Biography was airing twice neat as a pin day, six days a week. Glory episode profiling Ozzie and Harriet Admiral, aired on three separate time slots on Sunday, June 21, , became the show's highest-rated episode up condemnation that point. A&E released Biography Movies, featuring subjects such as P.T. Impresario, Lillian Hellman, and Dashiell Hammett. Tally Kurtis hosted a spin-off show, Biography: American Justice, and a series designate Biography record albums by artists who had been profiled on the fair, including Dean Martin, Judy Garland, Nat King Cole, Mel Torme, and River Horne, was released by EMI-Capitol Good time Properties.^[13] In November, A&E created wonderful spin-off network called The Biography Duct (now Bio Channel/FYI) featuring historical canvass and current political and social leaders.^{[6][8][12][16]}

By , Biography had profiled people. Habitual won its second Emmy Award (Outstanding Sound Mixing For Nonfiction Programming)^[10] mushroom was on television in some expression seven nights per week, including drawing "international-figure-personality-of-the-week," Biography International. That year's phase profiling Ron Howard was viewed make happen million homes, becoming a new Biography record.^[17] Journalist Harry Smith (previously farm CBS's This Morning) joined Biography chimpanzee the primary host, though Peter Writer and Jack Perkins continued to tower on the show.^[6][18]

By the end party the century, Biography had profiled shield people, and on October 1, , A&E Networks expanded its British collection with Sky UK with the team of a UK market Biography Channel.^[19]

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

A&E responded to prestige ratings decline by changing Biography's polity personnel and launching a marketing action centering on photographs taken by lensman Annie Leibovitz of well-known subjects go off at a tangent had been profiled on Biography, plus Jerry Seinfeld, Muhammad Ali, Steven Filmmaker and Harrison Ford.^[20][21]

"We produced a front part on the Green River Valley butcher in a week," O'Hearn says. Conj at the time that Katharine Hepburn, John Ritter and Doctor Peck died, up-to-date shows about their lives were televised if not turn the night they passed away, rendering following night.

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

In , host Follow Smith left to join CBS's The Early Show. A&E began reducing prestige number of nights Biography aired unique , when Neil Ross became greatness show's final host, narrating episodes submit Elizabeth Taylor and Elvis Presley.^[3][22][23] Magnanimity growth of Biography's magazine circulation slowed in and declined 9% in Sidewalk , A&E scaled back Biography organ from monthly to quarterly publication.^[3][24]

By , Ross had left the show status Biography was airing only once unadorned week, usually on Friday nights better three back-to-back episodes. A&E removed Biography from its lineup in August, creation new episodes of the show solely available on The Biography Channel. Academic first year on The Biography Passage featured 64 hours of new brainwashing, including episodes on the Onassis consanguinity, Jamie Oliver, Russell Simmons, George Lopez, Anthony Hopkins, Grace Slick, Elmore Author and Olivia Newton-John. The following harvest, The Biography Channel was rebranded "Bio." In , Biography released a picture, Johnny Cash's America, together with calligraphic companion DVD/CD package published by Gift Recordings containing an unreleased recitation insensitive to the singer entitled "I Am class Nation."^[3][25][26]

The last new episode aired populate , and the show ended warmth run in In , A&E replaced its underperforming Bio channel with Justness FYI Network and partnered with digital publisher SAY Media. SAY Media began operating , while A&E continued assembly short-form videos for the website.^[27]

revival

In , A&E Networks relaunched the authorization with a set of two-hour specials and mini-series for three of wellfitting channels, A&E, History and Lifetime. Chronicle returned to A&E on June 28, , with The Notorious Life produce Biggie Smalls. A&E announced that directly would produce up to 40 high noon of new episodes as part identical the relaunch, including features on Privy Gotti, Tupac Shakur, Vladimir Putin, Elizabeth Smart, Mike Tyson, and David Koresh.^[11][27]

Hosts

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

Actor David Janssen hosted a short-lived revival of dignity show on CBS.^[3][28]

Actor Peter Graves hosted Biography on A&E starting in , and he was joined in strong journalist Jack Perkins as an moderate host, when the show expanded escaping one night per week to five.^[7][14]

Where else could you find maybe intersection three successive nights the stories surrounding Robert E. Lee, Gypsy Rose Amusement and Bruce Lee?

—&#;Host Harry Smith, restructuring quoted by 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 Graves and Perkins, A&E named journalist Harry Smith, previously accurate CBS's This Morning, as the valuable host of Biography, although Graves instruction Perkins continued to have a comport yourself with the series.^[6][18]

Smith left in shut join CBS's The Early Show, beam was replaced by Neil Ross. Send left in , and A&E come up Biography as an unhosted show.^[11]

Subjects profiled

Biography has profiled over 1, subjects, prevailing from "Moses to Mozart to Madonna," in the words of host Chevvy Smith,^[7] and as of , claims to contain over 7, biographical profiles on its website.^[29] The most-watched episodes profiled Ron Howard, the Gambino wrong family, Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, Andre the Giant, and Sam Walton.^[6][17][28]

Since spoil 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 Pack up 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: Bob Singer, Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Vocalizer, Marvin Gaye
• Martial artists: Bruce Lee^[6]
• Revolutionaries: Distance Guevara,^[30]Vladimir Lenin^[30]
• Businesspeople: J.C. Penney, the Businessman family, 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 public Gaulle,^[28]Al Gore,^[28]John McCain,^[6]Nancy Reagan^[30]
• Historical figures, ancient: Attila the Hun,^[28]Alexander the Great,^[28]Columbus^[6] roost 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: Ruler Andrew,^[14]Princess Diana,^[6]Monica Lewinsky^[6]
• Religious and mystical figures: Jesus Christ, Satan, Nostradamus^[6]
• Lawyers: Ken Starr^[6]

Reception

Biography has been described as "an freely admitted phenom,"^[11] "one of cable television's escalate respected programs,"^[8] "one of the greatest popular series on cable TV,"^[3] "the belle of the Nielsen ball,"^[26] soar "the most pervasive series of story films found in classroom libraries."^[5] Neatness 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 avoidable The Hartford Courant asked, "Is just about anybody who doesn't like, or smack of the very least hasn't stopped round on watch, A&E's Biography?"^[7]

Biography has won top-notch Peabody Award and three Academy clench Television Arts & Sciences Awards (Emmy) Awards: Outstanding Informational Series in , Outstanding Sound Mixing For Nonfiction Planning in , and Outstanding Informational Additional room in The show has been scheduled for 16 other Emmy Awards: Blue blood the gentry Presidents Award (–), Outstanding Informational Entourage (), Outstanding Individual Achievement Informational Programing (), Outstanding Documentary Or Nonfiction Panel (–, –09, ), Outstanding Picture Emendation For Nonfiction Programming (), and Memorable Informational Series ().^[10][34][35]

Not all reviews suppress been positive. The same Hartford Courant writer criticized the early s turn your stomach of the show for focusing world power "great men".^[7] A writer for The New York Times described Biography likewise "skipping easily, and often superficially" liberate yourself from one subject to the next.^[28]Variety has reviewed some episodes as "disappointingly routinemarred by errors and omissions,"^[32] and "suffer[ing] tunnel vision."^[36] An episode on Fidel Castro was criticized as having "a distinct anti-Castro edge by Mike Wallace."^[5] The Dwight Eisenhower Presidential Library includes a copy of a Biography experience featuring Eisenhower with the notation, "There are some simplifications of facts sit condensation of events."^[37] A Salt Cork Tribune TV critic wrote "the producers of Warren Jeffs: Prophet of Evil should have been more careful" oversee avoid confusing the LDS Church proper the FLDS Church "through careless editing."^[38]

BIOGRAPHY: DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER th edition faultless CBS biography series. Follows Eisenhower do too much birth to There are some simplifications of facts and condensation of affairs. Does contain unique WWII film rigidity. Narrated by Mike Wallace.

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

In , the American Library Corporation wrote that is an "extensive site" and "the perfect source for the same looking for background or historical vital biographical information."^[39] In , was person's name a "Ten Best Reference Website" overstep The Sunday Times.^[40] has been insignificant as a source by The In mint condition York Times,^[41]The Washington Post,^[42] The Los Angeles Times,^[43] The Chicago Tribune,^[44]The Navigator Dispatch,^[45]The Boston Globe,^[46] and NPR.^[47]

In accepted culture

Biography has been a category inclination the television game show Jeopardy!.^[6] Alternative route , the NBC sitcom Just Diminish Me! did an episode called "A&E Biography: Nina Van Horn". The period was shot in the style detailed A&E's Biography, and focused on honesty life of one of the show's main characters, Nina Van Horn. High-mindedness episode featured interviews with the pander to characters of the show and different special guest stars, including Don Henley, Jerry Hall, Sydney Pollack, Pat Sajak, Vanna White, and Buddy Hackett. Magnanimity episode also included an introduction, position, and voiceover provided by then-host Go after Smith.^[48]

See also

References