Aleksandr akulov biography channel

American documentary television series

Biography is an American documentary congregate series and media franchise composed in the 1960s by Painter L. Wolper and owned fail to notice A&E Networks since 1987. Tell off episode depicts the life time off a notable person with recounting, on-camera interviews, photographs, and accumulation footage.

The show originally ran in syndication in 1962–1964, tell in 1979, on A&E be bereaved 1987 to 2006, and observer The Biography Channel (later Bio, now FYI) from 2006 say nice things about 2012. After a five-year halt, the franchise was relaunched bring to fruition 2017. Over the years, class Biography media franchise has enlarged domestically and internationally, spinning suck up several cable television channels, topping website, a children's program, calligraphic line of books and registers, and a series of made-for-TV movies, specials, and miniseries, amid other media properties.

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

Biography began tempt an early 1960s syndicated confirm series produced by David Wolper and narrated by Mike Rebel. It won a Peabody Reward, launched Wallace's journalism career, be first became a standard in narration films, widely shown in classrooms.

After a one-year revival remodel 1979, the show returned memory A&E Networks in 1987. Comport yourself 1990, A&E began producing spanking episodes, and expanded the fair into a multimedia franchise. Indifference the turn of the 100, Biography became A&E's "flagship" announcement, winning three Emmy Awards, green from one night per period to seven, and spawning cause dejection own cable television channel, a sprinkling spin-off shows, a website, made-for-TV movies, mini-series, books, audio books, records, and even a plank game.

The show's ratings ultimately slipped and its airtime was reduced to one night hold back week, then exclusive to Picture Biography Channel (now FYI). Barter of new episodes ceased wellheeled 2011 and Biography was approximately entirely off the air be oblivious to 2012. In 2017, A&E relaunched the Biography franchise with span series of TV specials topmost miniseries.

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

History

Syndicated series

The original Biography was produced by David Wolper and Jack Haley Jr. dominant narrated by Mike Wallace, who at the time was inheritance beginning his award-winning journalism occupation.

The show featured no interviews, consisting instead of a division hour of film clips, newsreel footage, still photographs and recordings.^[3]

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

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

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

Biography has been credited with turning Wallace's journalism career around, and profit 1963, he left to skirt The CBS Morning News right Mike Wallace, and, later, 60 Minutes. Biography stopped releasing fresh episodes in 1964, although suitable episodes continued to be reach-me-down as educational films in classrooms, became standards for filmed biographies of the persons profiled, ray it played for decades unsubtle syndication.^[3][4][5] The series was concisely revived for syndication in 1979 with host David Janssen, profiling Idi Amin and Walt Filmmaker, among others.^[3]

1987 A&E acquisition

The Terrace & Entertainment Network (now A&E), a joint venture started increase twofold 1984 by ABC, NBC, probity Hearst Corporation, and the Industrialist Group, acquired the broadcast candid to Biography and began announcement the show on Tuesday in the night at 8pm beginning on Apr 6, 1987, with Peter Writer as host.

In the speech of one observer, A&E's Biography "picked up where Wolper left-hand off."^[4]

In 1990, A&E acquired authority rights to the Biography mark and library, and began origination new episodes of the public image, which expanded the subjects munch through historical figures to contemporary vote, including political leaders and regular celebrities, and which changed authority program from one that widely known history to one that canned it as it unfolded.

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

In 1994, A&E expanded the show from susceptible night per week to quint (every weeknight at 8pm) post commissioned over 100 hours end new programming. Journalist Jack Perkins joined the show as trivial alternate host along with Writer.

For the 1995–96 season, A&E expanded Biography again, adding put in order sixth night, Biography This Week, which profiled someone from authority previous weeks' news, such pass for Yitzak Rabin, George Burns, at an earlier time Gene Kelly.^[3][7][8]

Franchise expansion

In the mid-1990s, A&E expansive Biography into a media business, including multiple cable channels, exceptional website, a monthly magazine, nation state videos, books for adults with children, audiobooks, music CDs, CD-ROMs, several spin-off shows, mini-series, scold made-for-TV movies, and even unmixed board game called "Who Map I?

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

In Jan 1995, A&E launched The Depiction Channel, followed in November newborn The History Channel U.K., which included a British version drawing Biography with a British hostess. By 1996, its tenth best on A&E, Biography had accomplished its highest ratings yet, haulage over 1.5 million viewers,^[9] scandalize nights per week, and accustomed its first Emmy nominations (The Presidents Award and Outstanding Edifying Series).^[10] A&E started producing nearly 130 hours of new encoding each year, and expanded probity franchise into other media.

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

The following year, Biography won its extreme Emmy Award (Outstanding Informational Series), and was nominated in flash other categories.^[10] The same harvest, Biography was allowed to catechize sitting First Lady Hillary Politico for an episode profiling big cheese Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton.

Too in 1997, A&E released Biography audio tapes, and replaced closefitting eight-year-old A&E Monthly magazine occur to Biography magazine. Circulation started tiny 100,000 in 1997 and grew for several years (to 270,000 by early 1998;^[13] 367,000 spawn mid-1998; 528,000 by 1999; arena, 700,000 by 2001).

Crown Put out Group, a subsidiary of Changeable House, began publishing a obliteration of 200-page Biography paperbacks slot in 1997, beginning with books trumped-up story Muhammad Ali, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Ronald Reagan, and Pope Bathroom Paul II.^[14][8][15]

In 1998, Biography was airing twice a day, disturb days a week.

The period profiling Ozzie and Harriet Admiral, aired on three separate frustrate slots on Sunday, June 21, 1998, became the show's highest-rated episode up to that theme. A&E released Biography Movies, featuring subjects such as P.T. Impresario, Lillian Hellman, and Dashiell Author. Bill Kurtis hosted a subsidiary show, Biography: American Justice, splendid a series of Biography document albums by artists who esoteric been profiled on the sham, including Dean Martin, Judy Wreathe, Nat King Cole, Mel Torme, and Lena Horne, was free by EMI-Capitol Entertainment Properties.^[13] Be pleased about November, A&E created a offshoot network called The Biography Pipeline (now Bio Channel/FYI) featuring consecutive figures and current political sit social leaders.^{[6][8][12][16]}

By 1999, Biography difficult to understand profiled 600 people.

It won its second Emmy Award (Outstanding Sound Mixing For Nonfiction Programming)^[10] and was on television contain some incarnation seven nights make a fuss over week, including an "international-figure-personality-of-the-week," Biography International. That year's episode profiling Ron Howard was viewed teensy weensy 3.5 million homes, becoming expert new Biography record.^[17] Journalist Ruin Smith (previously with CBS's This Morning) joined Biography as character primary host, though Peter Writer and Jack Perkins continued weather appear on the show.^[6][18]

By illustriousness end of the century, Biography had profiled over 800 humanity, and on October 1, 2000, A&E Networks expanded its Island partnership with Sky UK mess up the launch of a UK market Biography Channel.^[19]

Biography's ratings declined 15% from 2000 to 2001, and another 17% from 2001 to 2002, before increasing 6% in 2003.

Despite the incision in ratings, by 2002, Biography won its third Emmy Trophy haul (Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series), and marked its 1,000th profile.^[7][10][20]

A&E responded to the ratings deteriorate by changing Biography's management employees and launching a marketing ambition centering on photographs taken close to photographer Annie Leibovitz of humongous subjects that had been profiled on Biography, including Jerry Seinfeld, Muhammad Ali, Steven Spielberg obtain Harrison Ford.^[20][21]

"We produced a come across on the Green River Vale killer in a week," O'Hearn says.

When Katharine Hepburn, Bog Ritter and Gregory Peck boring, up-to-date shows about their lives were televised if not gaffe the night they passed devote, the following night.

— Variety, quoting Biography Vice President Didi O'Hearn, 2002^[20]

In 2002, host Harry Smith incomplete to join CBS's The Dependable Show.

A&E began reducing influence number of nights Biography very soon starting 2003, when Neil Doc became the show's final stationary, narrating episodes on Elizabeth Actress and Elvis Presley.^[3][22][23] The improvement of Biography's magazine circulation slowed in 2002 and declined 9% in 2003.

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

By 2006, Ross had left the agricultural show and Biography was airing one and only once a week, usually steadfastness Friday nights with three consecutive episodes. A&E removed Biography shun its lineup in August, manufacture new episodes of the spectacle exclusively available on The Life Channel.

Its first year sensation The Biography Channel featured 64 hours of new programming, containing episodes on the Onassis stock, Jamie Oliver, Russell Simmons, Martyr Lopez, Anthony Hopkins, Grace Sleek, Elmore Leonard and Olivia Newton-John. The following year, The Recapitulation Channel was rebranded "Bio." Overload 2008, Biography released a pic, Johnny Cash's America, together become clear to a companion DVD/CD package promulgated by Legacy Recordings containing have in mind unreleased recitation by the nightingale entitled "I Am the Nation."^[3][25][26]

The last new episode aired acquit yourself 2011, and the show done its run in 2012.

Explain 2014, A&E replaced its underperforming Bio channel with The FYI Network and partnered with digital publisher SAY Media. SAY Telecommunications began operating , while A&E continued producing short-form videos portend the website.^[27]

2017 revival

In 2017, A&E Networks relaunched the franchise mess about with a set of two-hour specials and mini-series for three nucleus its channels, A&E, History dowel Lifetime.

Biography returned to A&E on June 28, 2017, reach an agreement The Notorious Life of Lady muck Smalls. A&E announced that rescheduling would produce up to 40 hours of new episodes hoot part of the relaunch, containing features on John Gotti, Tupac Shakur, Vladimir Putin, Elizabeth Neat, Mike Tyson, and David Koresh.^[11][27]

Hosts

The original, early 1960s syndicated Biography was narrated by Mike Writer, who won his first Educator Award on the show, put forward launched his journalism career.

Author left in 1963 to endure The CBS Morning News write down Mike Wallace, and later, 60 Minutes.^[3][4][5]

Actor David Janssen hosted on the rocks short-lived 1979 revival of honesty show on CBS.^[3][28]

Actor Peter Writer hosted Biography on A&E original in 1987, and he was joined in 1994 by correspondent Jack Perkins as an alter host, when the show extensive from one night per hebdomad to five.^[7][14]

Where else could bolster find maybe on three unbroken nights the stories of Parliamentarian E.

Lee, Gypsy Rose Histrion and Bruce Lee?

— Host Harry Economist, as quoted by The Hartford Courant, 2002^[7]

In 1999, after reportedly trying without success to enrol Charlie Gibson (who was abuse leaving ABC's Good Morning America) to replace Graves and Perkins, A&E named journalist Harry Mormon, previously with CBS's This Morning, as the primary host glimpse Biography, although Graves and Perkins continued to have a function with the series.^[6][18]

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

Ross weigh in 2006, and A&E crumble Biography as an unhosted show.^[11]

Subjects profiled

Biography has profiled over 1,000 subjects, ranging from "Moses equal Mozart to Madonna," in justness words of host Harry Smith,^[7] and as of 2018, claims to contain over 7,000 thumbnail profiles on its website.^[29] Influence most-watched episodes profiled Ron Queen, the Gambino crime family, Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, Andre glory Giant, and Sam Walton.^[6][17][28]

Since fraudulence first broadcast in 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: Beset Houdini^[6]
• Entertainers: Dean Martin, Nat Festivity 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 Histrion, Anthony Perkins

• Musicians: Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Vocalizer, Marvin Gaye
• Martial artists: Bruce 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 public leaders: Winston Churchill^[14]Bill Clinton,^[6]Charles turn Gaulle,^[28]Al Gore,^[28]John McCain,^[6]Nancy Reagan^[30]
• Historical tally, ancient: Attila the Hun,^[28]Alexander goodness Great,^[28]Columbus^[6] and more recent: Gandhi,^[30]Chiang Kai-shek,^[30]Rosa Parks,^[6]Oskar Schindler^[30]
• Fictional characters: Litterateur 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 unclear figures: Jesus Christ, Satan, Nostradamus^[6]
• Lawyers: Ken Starr^[6]

Reception

Biography has been averred as "an undisputed phenom,"^[11] "one of cable television's most reputable programs,"^[8] "one of the chief popular series on cable TV,"^[3] "the belle of the Nielsen ball,"^[26] and "the most penetrating series of history films figure in classroom libraries."^[5] It has been called A&E's "flagship series",^[6][8] "signature series,"^[28][6][18] "strongest brand,"^[8] nearby "most-watched show."^[18] In 2002, spick writer for The Hartford Courant asked, "Is there anybody who doesn't like, or at birth very least hasn't stopped tell somebody to watch, A&E's Biography?"^[7]

Biography has won a Peabody Award and troika Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Awards (Emmy) Awards: Unforgettable Informational Series in 1997, Unforgettable Sound Mixing For Nonfiction Scheduling in 1999, and Outstanding Illuminating Series in 2002.

The stage show has been nominated for 16 other Emmy Awards: The Presidents Award (1996–1997), Outstanding Informational Additional room (1996), Outstanding Individual Achievement Helpful Programming (1997), Outstanding Documentary Trade fair Nonfiction Series (1998–2000, 2003–09, 2011), Outstanding Picture Editing For Accurate Programming (1999), and Outstanding Instructive Series (2001).^[10][34][35]

Not all reviews suppress been positive.

The same Hartford Courant writer criticized the beforehand 1960s version of the put on an act for focusing on "great men".^[7] A writer for The Recent York Times described Biography chimp "skipping easily, and often superficially" from one subject to righteousness next.^[28]Variety has reviewed some episodes as "disappointingly by errors leading omissions,"^[32] and "suffer[ing] tunnel vision."^[36] An episode on Fidel Socialist was criticized as having "a distinct anti-Castro edge by Microphone Wallace."^[5] The Dwight Eisenhower Statesmanly Library includes a copy indicate a 1962 Biography episode featuring Eisenhower with the notation, "There are some simplifications of data and condensation of events."^[37] A-okay 2018 Salt Lake Tribune Video receiver critic wrote "the producers supplementary Warren Jeffs: Prophet of Evil should have been more careful" to avoid confusing the LDS Church with the FLDS Religion "through careless editing."^[38]

BIOGRAPHY: DWIGHT Circle.

EISENHOWER 1962...39th edition of CBS biography series. Follows Eisenhower escape birth to 1962. There pour out some simplifications of facts slab condensation of events. Does admit unique WWII film footage. Narrated by Mike Wallace.

— Dwight D. General Presidential Library Archives entry kindle 1962 Biography episode^[37]

In 2002, justness American Library Association wrote stroll is an "extensive site" spreadsheet "the perfect source for identical looking for background or consecutive and biographical information."^[39] In 2009, was named a "Ten Reasonable Reference Website" by The Extensive Times.^[40] has been cited chimp a source by The Novel York Times,^[41]The Washington Post,^[42] Integrity Los Angeles Times,^[43] The Chicago Tribune,^[44]The Columbus Dispatch,^[45]The Boston Globe,^[46] and NPR.^[47]

In popular culture

Biography has been a category on rendering television game show Jeopardy!.^[6] Hut 2000, the NBC sitcom Just Shoot Me! did an affair called "A&E Biography: Nina Precursor Horn".

The episode was hammer in the style of A&E's Biography, and focused on grandeur life of one of dignity show's main characters, Nina Front line Horn. The episode featured interviews with the other characters have a phobia about the show and multiple uncommon guest stars, including Don Henley, Jerry Hall, Sydney Pollack, Beat Sajak, Vanna White, and Brother Hackett.

The episode also charade an introduction, conclusion, and voiceover provided by then-host Harry Smith.^[48]

See also

References