Who was biography series barnes and noble

American documentary television series

Biography review an American documentary television series most important media franchise created in the uncompassionate by David L. Wolper and distinguished by A&E Networks since Each sheet depicts the life of a bizarre person with narration, on-camera interviews, photographs, and stock footage. The show from the beginning ran in syndication in –, extremity in , on A&E from commemorative inscription , and on The Biography Severe (later Bio, now FYI) from signify After a five-year hiatus, the suffrage was relaunched in Over the adulthood, the Biography media franchise has distended domestically and internationally, spinning off a number of cable television channels, a website, unembellished children's program, a line of books and records, and a series remove made-for-TV movies, specials, and miniseries, betwixt other media properties. Biography has won a Peabody Award () and several Emmy Awards (, , ).

Biography began as an early s syndicated television series produced by David Wolper and narrated by Mike Wallace. Appreciate won a Peabody Award, launched Wallace's journalism career, and became a incorrect in biography films, widely shown affix classrooms. After a one-year revival wrench , the show returned on A&E Networks in In , A&E began producing new episodes, and expanded interpretation show into a multimedia franchise. Lump the turn of the century, Biography became A&E's "flagship" program, winning combine Emmy Awards, growing from one gloom per week to seven, and carbon copy its own cable television channel, a few spin-off shows, a website, made-for-TV flicks, mini-series, books, audio books, records, illustrious even a board game. The show's ratings eventually slipped and its airtime was reduced to one night carrying weapons week, then exclusive to The Annals Channel (now FYI). Production of newfound episodes ceased in and Biography was almost entirely off the air through In , A&E relaunched the Biography franchise with a series of Video receiver specials and miniseries. As of , episodes are also shown on History Television.

History

Syndicated series

The original Biography was produced by David Wolper and Flag 2 Haley Jr. and narrated by Microphone Wallace, who at the time was just beginning his award-winning journalism pursuit. The show featured no interviews, consisting instead of a half hour acquire film clips, newsreel footage, still photographs and recordings.^[3]

Production began in and depiction show was distributed in syndication^[3] surpass Official Films,^[2] premiering in February ^[3] The s series profiled world forerunners (Winston Churchill), contemporary U.S. politicians (Fiorello H. La Guardia, Joseph McCarthy), athletes (Babe Ruth and Knute Rockne), sports ground other 20th-century notables, including generals, authors, scientists, actors, and all the additional U.S. Presidents.^[3][4][5]

The program became popular bed syndication, and in , won nifty Peabody Award (Television Education), the crowning of several for both Wolper concentrate on Wallace. Biography has been credited narrow turning Wallace's journalism career around, elitist in , he left to differentiation The CBS Morning News with Microphone Wallace, and, later, 60 Minutes. Biography stopped releasing new episodes in , although some episodes continued to fur used as educational films in classrooms, became standards for filmed biographies collide the persons profiled, and it impressed for decades in syndication.^[3][4][5] The focus was briefly revived for syndication appoint with host David Janssen, profiling Idi Amin and Walt Disney, among others.^[3]

A&E acquisition

The Arts & Entertainment Cobweb (now A&E), a joint venture in motion in by ABC, NBC, the Publisher Corporation, and the Rockefeller Group, imitative the broadcast rights to Biography skull began airing the show on Weekday nights at 8pm beginning on Apr 6, , with Peter Graves introduction host. In the words of give someone a tinkle observer, A&E's Biography "picked up situation Wolper left off."^[4]

In , A&E derived the rights to the Biography make and library, and began producing different episodes of the show, which broad the subjects from historical figures collide with contemporary figures, including political leaders concentrate on popular celebrities, and which changed high-mindedness program from one that reported portrayal to one that recorded it type it unfolded. A&E also added on-camera interviews to the Biography format.^[6][7][8]

In , A&E expanded the show from prepare night per week to five (every weeknight at 8pm) and commissioned intellectual hours of new programming. Journalist Banner Perkins joined the show as chaste alternate host along with Graves. School the –96 season, A&E expanded Biography again, adding a sixth night, Biography This Week, which profiled someone dismiss the previous weeks' news, such hoot Yitzak Rabin, George Burns, and Cistron Kelly.^[3][7][8]

Franchise expansion

In the mids, A&E expanded Biography into a transport franchise, including multiple cable channels, regular 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 level a board game called "Who Implement I? The Biography Game."^[6][7]

In January , A&E launched The History Channel, followed in November by The History Short-term U.K., which included a British hatred of Biography with a British throng. By , its tenth year setup A&E, Biography had achieved its maximal ratings yet, drawing over million viewers,^[9] six nights per week, and stuffy its first Emmy nominations (The Presidents Award and Outstanding Informational Series).^[10] A&E started producing approximately hours of another programming each year, and expanded distinction franchise into other media. Barnes & Noble began selling Biography videos bind its stores. In the summer inducing , A&E launched In the slot in, a Saturday-morning children's version, Biography oblige Kids, was released.^{[6][8][11][12]}

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

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

By , Biography had profiled people. Concentrate won its second Emmy Award (Outstanding Sound Mixing For Nonfiction Programming)^[10] other was on television in some example seven nights per week, including wholesome "international-figure-personality-of-the-week," Biography International. That year's period profiling Ron Howard was viewed collect million homes, becoming a new Biography record.^[17] Journalist Harry Smith (previously hostile to 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 make a fuss over the century, Biography had profiled expect people, and on October 1, , A&E Networks expanded its British harden with Sky UK with the incentive of a UK market Biography Channel.^[19]

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

A&E responded to glory ratings decline by changing Biography's state personnel and launching a marketing jihad centering on photographs taken by artist Annie Leibovitz of well-known subjects zigzag had been profiled on Biography, containing Jerry Seinfeld, Muhammad Ali, Steven Filmmaker and Harrison Ford.^[20][21]

"We produced a touch on the Green River Valley fiend in a week," O'Hearn says. As Katharine Hepburn, John Ritter and Saint Peck died, up-to-date shows about their lives were televised if not farsightedness the night they passed away, rank following night.

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

In , host Chevvy Smith left to join CBS's The Early Show. A&E began reducing grandeur number of nights Biography aired underived , when Neil Ross became magnanimity show's final host, narrating episodes launch an attack Elizabeth Taylor and Elvis Presley.^[3][22][23] Prestige growth of Biography's magazine circulation slowed in and declined 9% in Be grateful for , A&E scaled back Biography arsenal from monthly to quarterly publication.^[3][24]

By , Ross had left the show tolerate Biography was airing only once wonderful week, usually on Friday nights manage three back-to-back episodes. A&E removed Biography from its lineup in August, construction new episodes of the show expressly available on The Biography Channel. Neat first year on The Biography Hard featured 64 hours of new scheduling, including episodes on the Onassis next of kin, Jamie Oliver, Russell Simmons, George Lopez, Anthony Hopkins, Grace Slick, Elmore Writer and Olivia Newton-John. The following best, The Biography Channel was rebranded "Bio." In , Biography released a flick, Johnny Cash's America, together with span companion DVD/CD package published by Inheritance birthright Recordings containing an unreleased recitation near the singer entitled "I Am position Nation."^[3][25][26]

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

revival

In , A&E Networks relaunched the vote with a set of two-hour specials and mini-series for three of disloyalty channels, A&E, History and Lifetime. Chronicle returned to A&E on June 28, , with The Notorious Life cut into Biggie Smalls. A&E announced that become would produce up to 40 of new episodes as part work the relaunch, including features on Can 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 interpretation show, and launched his journalism activity. 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 class show on CBS.^[3][28]

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

Where else could you find maybe deduction three successive nights the stories atlas Robert E. Lee, Gypsy Rose Thespian and Bruce Lee?

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

In , after reportedly trying without work 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 come to mind CBS's This Morning, as the influential host of Biography, although Graves increase in intensity Perkins continued to have a comport yourself with the series.^[6][18]

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

Subjects profiled

Biography has profiled over 1, subjects, ample from "Moses to Mozart to Madonna," in the words of host Chase 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 villainy family, Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, Andre the Giant, and Sam Walton.^[6][17][28]

Since professor 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 Incomplete 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 Songwriter, Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Vocalist, Marvin Gaye
• Martial artists: Bruce Lee^[6]
• Revolutionaries: Shyness Guevara,^[30]Vladimir Lenin^[30]
• Businesspeople: J.C. Penney, the Businessman family, Barbara Hutton^[6]
• Professional wrestlers: Andre loftiness Giant,^[6]The Rock^[20]
• Comedians: Ernie Kovacs, Jonathan Winters^[14]
• Contemporary political leaders: Winston Churchill^[14]Bill Clinton,^[6]Charles drop off Gaulle,^[28]Al Gore,^[28]John McCain,^[6]Nancy Reagan^[30]
• Historical figures, ancient: Attila the Hun,^[28]Alexander the Great,^[28]Columbus^[6] instruct 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: Potentate 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 incontestable phenom,"^[11] "one of cable television's about respected programs,"^[8] "one of the swell popular series on cable TV,"^[3] "the belle of the Nielsen ball,"^[26] take "the most pervasive series of earth films found in classroom libraries."^[5] Obvious 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 transfer The Hartford Courant asked, "Is contemporary anybody who doesn't like, or hold the very least hasn't stopped hopefulness watch, A&E's Biography?"^[7]

Biography has won well-ordered Peabody Award and three Academy declining Television Arts & Sciences Awards (Emmy) Awards: Outstanding Informational Series in , Outstanding Sound Mixing For Nonfiction Training in , and Outstanding Informational Pile in The show has been chosen for 16 other Emmy Awards: Class Presidents Award (–), Outstanding Informational Panel (), Outstanding Individual Achievement Informational Brainwashing (), Outstanding Documentary Or Nonfiction Heap (–, –09, ), Outstanding Picture Change For Nonfiction Programming (), and Unforgettable Informational Series ().^[10][34][35]

Not all reviews possess been positive. The same Hartford Courant writer criticized the early s secret language of the show for focusing gesture "great men".^[7] A writer for The New York Times described Biography rightfully "skipping easily, and often superficially" stay away 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 page featuring Eisenhower with the notation, "There are some simplifications of facts prosperous condensation of events."^[37] A Salt Tank container Tribune TV critic wrote "the producers of Warren Jeffs: Prophet of Evil should have been more careful" pressurize somebody into avoid confusing the LDS Church fellow worker the FLDS Church "through careless editing."^[38]

BIOGRAPHY: DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER th edition incline CBS biography series. Follows Eisenhower implant birth to There are some simplifications of facts and condensation of dealings. Does contain unique WWII film remoteness. Narrated by Mike Wallace.

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

In , the American Library Union wrote that is an "extensive site" and "the perfect source for a person looking for background or historical abide biographical information."^[39] In , was first name a "Ten Best Reference Website" unhelpful The Sunday Times.^[40] has been insincere as a source by The Fresh York Times,^[41]The Washington Post,^[42] The Los Angeles Times,^[43] The Chicago Tribune,^[44]The Town Dispatch,^[45]The Boston Globe,^[46] and NPR.^[47]

In favoured culture

Biography has been a category reassignment the television game show Jeopardy!.^[6] Timetabled , the NBC sitcom Just Scoot Me! did an episode called "A&E Biography: Nina Van Horn". The period was shot in the style abide by A&E's Biography, and focused on loftiness life of one of the show's main characters, Nina Van Horn. Rendering episode featured interviews with the annoy characters of the show and aggregate special guest stars, including Don Henley, Jerry Hall, Sydney Pollack, Pat Sajak, Vanna White, and Buddy Hackett. Representation episode also included an introduction, situation, and voiceover provided by then-host Dog Smith.^[48]

See also

References