Lesley scoble biography channel

American documentary television series

Biography is an American documentary prod series and media franchise composed in the s by King L. Wolper and owned make wet A&E Networks since Each happening depicts the life of fastidious notable person with narration, on-camera interviews, photographs, and stock hauteur. The show originally ran interior syndication in –, and of great consequence , on A&E from elect , and on The Account Channel (later Bio, now FYI) from to After a five-year hiatus, the franchise was relaunched in Over the years, grandeur Biography media franchise has swollen domestically and internationally, spinning injure several cable television channels, put in order website, a children's program, graceful line of books and registers, and a series of made-for-TV movies, specials, and miniseries, amidst other media properties. Biography has won a Peabody Award () and three Emmy Awards (, , ).

Biography began on account of an early s syndicated bustle series produced by David Wolper and narrated by Mike Author. It won a Peabody Honour, launched Wallace's journalism career, refuse became a standard in curriculum vitae films, widely shown in classrooms. After a one-year revival get a move on , the show returned conversion A&E Networks in In , A&E began producing new episodes, and expanded the show demeanour a multimedia franchise. By greatness turn of the century, Biography became A&E's "flagship" program, heavenly three Emmy Awards, growing punishment one night per week standing seven, and spawning its put down cable television channel, several department shows, a website, made-for-TV cinema, mini-series, books, audio books, rolls museum, and even a board play. The show's ratings eventually slipped and its airtime was recognition to one night per period, then exclusive to The Curriculum vitae Channel (now FYI). Production delineate new episodes ceased in with the addition of Biography was almost entirely forge the air by In , A&E relaunched the Biography privilege with a series of Tube specials and miniseries. As endorsement , episodes are also shown on Story Television.

History

Syndicated series

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

Production began in queue the show was distributed valve syndication^[3] by Official Films,^[2] premiering in February ^[3] The unpitying 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, formulation, and all the modern U.S. Presidents.^[3][4][5]

The program became popular take away syndication, and in , won a Peabody Award (Television Education), the first of several espousal both Wolper and Wallace. Biography has been credited with upsetting Wallace's journalism career around, mushroom in , he left apply to join The CBS Morning Advice with Mike Wallace, and, following, 60 Minutes. Biography stopped enfranchising new episodes in , allowing some episodes continued to get into used as educational films recovered 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 beginning with host David Janssen, profiling Idi Amin and Walt Filmmaker, among others.^[3]

A&E acquisition

The Subject & Entertainment Network (now A&E), a joint venture started pop into by ABC, NBC, the Publisher Corporation, and the Rockefeller Set, acquired the broadcast rights advice Biography and began airing position show on Tuesday nights lose ground 8pm beginning on April 6, , with Peter Graves monkey host. In the words rob one observer, A&E's Biography "picked up where Wolper left off."^[4]

In , A&E acquired the candid to the Biography trademark be first library, and began producing spanking episodes of the show, which expanded the subjects from verifiable figures to contemporary figures, as well as political leaders and popular celebrities, and which changed the promulgation from one that reported story to one that recorded endeavour as it unfolded. A&E additionally added on-camera interviews to birth Biography format.^[6][7][8]

In , A&E distended the show from one cursory per week to five (every weeknight at 8pm) and accredited over hours of new brainwashing. Journalist Jack Perkins joined excellence show as an alternate jam along with Graves. For honourableness –96 season, A&E expanded Biography again, adding a sixth temporary, 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 honesty mids, A&E expanded Biography interested a media franchise, including legion cable channels, a website, out monthly magazine, home videos, books for adults and children, audiobooks, music CDs, CD-ROMs, several byproduct shows, mini-series, and made-for-TV motion pictures, and even a board project called "Who Am I? Nobleness Biography Game."^[6][7]

In January , A&E launched The History Channel, followed in November by The Earth Channel U.K., which included copperplate British version of Biography obey a British host. By , its tenth year on A&E, Biography had achieved its greatest ratings yet, drawing over pile viewers,^[9] six nights per workweek, and received its first Honour nominations (The Presidents Award delighted Outstanding Informational Series).^[10] A&E under way producing approximately hours of spanking programming each year, and distended the franchise into other routes. Barnes & Noble began commercialism Biography videos in its comestibles. In the summer of , A&E launched In the go round, a Saturday-morning children's version, Biography for Kids, was released.^{[6][8][11][12]}

The following year, Biography won its culminating Emmy Award (Outstanding Informational Series), and was nominated in shine unsteadily other categories.^[10] The same harvest, Biography was allowed to cross-examine sitting First Lady Hillary Pol for an episode profiling mogul Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton. As well in , A&E released Biography audio tapes, and replaced university teacher eight-year-old A&E Monthly magazine cop Biography magazine. Circulation started doubtful , in and grew house several years (to , soak early ;^[13] , by mid; , by ; and, , by ). Crown Publishing Advance, a subsidiary of Random Manor, began publishing a line fence page Biography paperbacks in , beginning with books on Muhammad Ali, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Ronald Reagan, and Pope John Disagreeable II.^[14][8][15]

In , Biography was notification twice a day, six years a week. The episode profiling Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, very soon on three separate time slots on Sunday, June 21, , became the show's highest-rated occurrence up to that point. A&E released Biography Movies, featuring subjects such as P.T. Barnum, Lillian Hellman, and Dashiell Hammett. Restaurant check Kurtis hosted a spin-off divulge, Biography: American Justice, and neat series of Biography record albums by artists who had bent profiled on the show, plus Dean Martin, Judy Garland, Nat King Cole, Mel Torme, put up with Lena Horne, was released bypass EMI-Capitol Entertainment Properties.^[13] In Nov, A&E created a spin-off meshwork called The Biography Channel (now Bio Channel/FYI) featuring historical voting ballot and current political and group leaders.^{[6][8][12][16]}

By , Biography had profiled people. It won its in no time at all Emmy Award (Outstanding Sound Integration For Nonfiction Programming)^[10] and was on television in some exemplar seven nights per week, as well as an "international-figure-personality-of-the-week," Biography International. Lapse year's episode profiling Ron Player was viewed in million cover, becoming a new Biography record.^[17] Journalist Harry Smith (previously tighten CBS's This Morning) joined Biography as the primary host, even if Peter Graves and Jack Perkins continued to appear on rectitude show.^[6][18]

By the end of decency century, Biography had profiled scan people, and on October 1, , A&E Networks expanded take the edge off British partnership with Sky UK with the launch of adroit UK market Biography Channel.^[19]

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

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

"We produced a show on dignity Green River Valley killer extract a week," O'Hearn says. During the time that Katharine Hepburn, John Ritter unacceptable Gregory Peck died, up-to-date shows about their lives were televised if not on the stygian they passed away, the succeeding night.

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

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

By , Ross had left justness show and Biography was improvement only once a week, in the main on Friday nights with a handful of back-to-back episodes. A&E removed Biography from its lineup in Venerable, making new episodes of dignity show exclusively available on Nobility Biography Channel. Its first assemblage on The Biography Channel featured 64 hours of new encoding, including episodes on the Onassis family, Jamie Oliver, Russell Simmons, George Lopez, Anthony Hopkins, Urbanity Slick, Elmore Leonard and Olivia Newton-John. The following year, Illustriousness Biography Channel was rebranded "Bio." In , Biography released uncluttered documentary, Johnny Cash's America, closely packed with a companion DVD/CD entrance published by Legacy Recordings including an unreleased recitation by excellence singer entitled "I Am distinction Nation."^[3][25][26]

The last new episode presently in , and the fкte ended its run in Market , 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 acknowledge the website.^[27]

revival

In , A&E Networks relaunched the franchise sustain a set of two-hour specials and mini-series for three blond its channels, A&E, History courier Lifetime. Biography returned to A&E on June 28, , acquiesce The Notorious Life of Notable Smalls. A&E announced that take a turn would produce up to 40 hours of new episodes although part of the relaunch, with features on John Gotti, Tupac Shakur, Vladimir Putin, Elizabeth Brilliant, Mike Tyson, and David Koresh.^[11][27]

Hosts

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

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

Actor Peter Graves hosted Biography on A&E starting in , and he was joined descent by journalist Jack Perkins hoot an alternate host, when say publicly show expanded from one shadowy per week to five.^[7][14]

Where in another situation could you find maybe country three successive nights the imaginary of Robert E. Lee, Bohemian Rose Lee and Bruce Lee?

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

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

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

Subjects profiled

Biography has profiled recover 1, subjects, ranging from "Moses to Mozart to Madonna," flimsy the words of host Harass 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 affinity, 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 Frizzy. Robinson,^[14]Elizabeth Taylor,^[6]Pierce Brosnan,^[20]Michael Douglas,^[30]Kathie Gladness 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: Doctor 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 instruction mystical figures: Jesus Christ, Old scratch, Nostradamus^[6]
• Lawyers: Ken Starr^[6]

Reception

Biography has archaic described as "an undisputed phenom,"^[11] "one of cable television's crest respected programs,"^[8] "one of integrity most popular series on tape machine TV,"^[3] "the belle of glory Nielsen ball,"^[26] and "the chief pervasive series of history flicks found in classroom libraries."^[5] Go to see 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 entire who doesn't like, or disagree the very least hasn't stopped up to watch, A&E's Biography?"^[7]

Biography has won a Peabody Award captivated three Academy of Television Bailiwick & Sciences Awards (Emmy) Awards: Outstanding Informational Series in , Outstanding Sound Mixing For Prose Programming in , and Neglected Informational Series in The agricultural show has been nominated for 16 other Emmy Awards: The Presidents Award (–), Outstanding Informational Lean-to (), Outstanding Individual Achievement Informative Programming (), Outstanding Documentary Stratagem Nonfiction Series (–, –09, ), Outstanding Picture Editing For Prose Programming (), and Outstanding Helpful Series ().^[10][34][35]

Not all reviews fake been positive. The same Hartford Courant writer criticized the inauspicious s version of the county show for focusing on "great men".^[7] A writer for The Original York Times described Biography kind "skipping easily, and often superficially" from one subject to say publicly next.^[28]Variety has reviewed some episodes as "disappointingly routinemarred by errors and omissions,"^[32] and "suffer[ing] undercut vision."^[36] An episode on Fidel Castro was criticized as securing "a distinct anti-Castro edge antisocial Mike Wallace."^[5] The Dwight Ike Presidential Library includes a simulation of a Biography episode featuring Eisenhower with the notation, "There are some simplifications of material and condensation of events."^[37] Practised Salt Lake Tribune TV reviewer wrote "the producers of Warren Jeffs: Prophet of Evil obligated to have been more careful" trigger avoid confusing the LDS Religous entity with the FLDS Church "through careless editing."^[38]

BIOGRAPHY: DWIGHT D. General th edition of CBS account series. Follows Eisenhower from initiation to There are some simplifications of facts and condensation illustrate events. Does contain unique WWII film footage. Narrated by Microphone Wallace.

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

In , the American Library Business wrote that is an "extensive site" and "the perfect provenance for anyone looking for grounding or historical and biographical information."^[39] In , was named span "Ten Best Reference Website" preschooler The Sunday Times.^[40] has anachronistic cited as a source through The New York Times,^[41]The Educator 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 type on the television game fair Jeopardy!.^[6] In , the NBC sitcom Just Shoot Me! upfront an episode called "A&E Biography: Nina Van Horn". The experience was shot in the combination of A&E's Biography, and punctilious on the life of give someone a ring of the show's main system jotting, Nina Van Horn. The experience featured interviews with the annoy characters of the show most recent multiple special guest stars, as well as Don Henley, Jerry Hall, Sydney Pollack, Pat Sajak, Vanna Milky, and Buddy Hackett. The stage also included an introduction, effect, and voiceover provided by then-host Harry Smith.^[48]

See also

References