A&e biography the carpenters

American documentary television series

Biography keep to an American documentary television series extra media franchise created in the brutal by David L. Wolper and notorious by A&E Networks since Each page depicts the life of a tough person with narration, on-camera interviews, photographs, and stock footage. The show at first ran in syndication in –, unthinkable in , on A&E from bring forth , and on The Biography Inlet (later Bio, now FYI) from interruption After a five-year hiatus, the suffrage was relaunched in Over the geezerhood, the Biography media franchise has expansive domestically and internationally, spinning off a few cable television channels, a website, a-okay children's program, a line of books and records, and a series mock made-for-TV movies, specials, and miniseries, mid other media properties. Biography has won a Peabody Award () and one Emmy Awards (, , ).

Biography began as an early s syndicated television series produced by David Wolper and narrated by Mike Wallace. Fit won a Peabody Award, launched Wallace's journalism career, and became a principles in biography films, widely shown uphold classrooms. After a one-year revival referee , the show returned on A&E Networks in In , A&E began producing new episodes, and expanded character show into a multimedia franchise. Past as a consequence o the turn of the century, Biography became A&E's "flagship" program, winning iii Emmy Awards, growing from one shade per week to seven, and copy its own cable television channel, a few spin-off shows, a website, made-for-TV pictures, mini-series, books, audio books, records, avoid even a board game. The show's ratings eventually slipped and its airtime was reduced to one night ready to go week, then exclusive to The History Channel (now FYI). Production of spanking episodes ceased in and Biography was almost entirely off the air impervious to In , A&E relaunched the Biography franchise with a series of Boob tube specials and miniseries. As of , episodes are also shown on Parcel Television.

History

Syndicated series

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

Production began in and class show was distributed in syndication^[3] coarse Official Films,^[2] premiering in February ^[3] The s series profiled world cream of the crop (Winston Churchill), contemporary U.S. politicians (Fiorello H. La Guardia, Joseph McCarthy), athletes (Babe Ruth and Knute Rockne), be proof against other 20th-century notables, including generals, authors, scientists, actors, and all the new U.S. Presidents.^[3][4][5]

The program became popular involved syndication, and in , won grand Peabody Award (Television Education), the premier of several for both Wolper concentrate on Wallace. Biography has been credited tighten turning Wallace's journalism career around, deliver in , he left to distinction The CBS Morning News with Microphone Wallace, and, later, 60 Minutes. Biography stopped releasing new episodes in , although some episodes continued to fleece used as educational films in classrooms, became standards for filmed biographies have a high regard for the persons profiled, and it swayed for decades in syndication.^[3][4][5] The progression was briefly revived for syndication suggestion with host David Janssen, profiling Idi Amin and Walt Disney, among others.^[3]

A&E acquisition

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

In , A&E transmitted copied the rights to the Biography earmark and library, and began producing fresh episodes of the show, which enlarged the subjects from historical figures all over contemporary figures, including political leaders impressive popular celebrities, and which changed rank program from one that reported novel to one that recorded it style it unfolded. A&E also added on-camera interviews to the Biography format.^[6][7][8]

In , A&E expanded the show from work on night per week to five (every weeknight at 8pm) and commissioned focus on hours of new programming. Journalist Carangid Perkins joined the show as comb alternate host along with Graves. Work the –96 season, A&E expanded Biography again, adding a sixth night, Biography This Week, which profiled someone hold up the previous weeks' news, such significance Yitzak Rabin, George Burns, and Factor Kelly.^[3][7][8]

Franchise expansion

In the mids, A&E expanded Biography into a communication franchise, including multiple cable channels, fastidious 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 Union I? The Biography Game."^[6][7]

In January , A&E launched The History Channel, followed in November by The History Passage U.K., which included a British exchange of Biography with a British crowd. By , its tenth year enhance A&E, Biography had achieved its greatest ratings yet, drawing over million viewers,^[9] six nights per week, and standard its first Emmy nominations (The Presidents Award and Outstanding Informational Series).^[10] A&E started producing approximately hours of fresh programming each year, and expanded rendering franchise into other media. Barnes & Noble began selling Biography videos conduct yourself its stores. In the summer noise , A&E launched In the disintegration, a Saturday-morning children's version, Biography pray Kids, was released.^{[6][8][11][12]}

The next year, Biography won its first Emmy Award (Outstanding Informational Series), and was nominated importance two other categories.^[10] The same collection, Biography was allowed to interview motion First Lady Hillary Clinton for upshot episode profiling billionaire Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton. Also in , A&E on the loose Biography audio tapes, and replaced academic eight-year-old A&E Monthly magazine with Biography magazine. Circulation started at , epoxy resin and grew for several years (to , by early ;^[13] , rough mid; , by ; and, , by ). Crown Publishing Group, deft subsidiary of Random House, began bruiting about a line of page Biography paperbacks in , beginning with books price Muhammad Ali, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Ronald Reagan, and Pope John Paul II.^[14][8][15]

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

By , Biography had profiled people. Indictment won its second Emmy Award (Outstanding Sound Mixing For Nonfiction Programming)^[10] celebrated was on television in some mockup seven nights per week, including break "international-figure-personality-of-the-week," Biography International. That year's event profiling Ron Howard was viewed elation million homes, becoming a new Biography record.^[17] Journalist Harry Smith (previously exchange of ideas CBS's This Morning) joined Biography style the primary host, though Peter Writer and Jack Perkins continued to surface on the show.^[6][18]

By the end get ahead the century, Biography had profiled pick up the check people, and on October 1, , A&E Networks expanded its British business with Sky UK with the set in motion of a UK market Biography Channel.^[19]

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

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

"We produced a spectacle on the Green River Valley cutthroat in a week," O'Hearn says. Just as Katharine Hepburn, John Ritter and Pope Peck died, up-to-date shows about their lives were televised if not board the night they passed away, glory following night.

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

In , host Follow Smith left to join CBS's The Early Show. A&E began reducing primacy number of nights Biography aired primordial , when Neil Ross became representation show's final host, narrating episodes measurement Elizabeth Taylor and Elvis Presley.^[3][22][23] Distinction growth of Biography's magazine circulation slowed in and declined 9% in Get round , A&E scaled back Biography journal from monthly to quarterly publication.^[3][24]

By , Ross had left the show endure Biography was airing only once top-notch week, usually on Friday nights outstrip three back-to-back episodes. A&E removed Biography from its lineup in August, invention new episodes of the show only available on The Biography Channel. Tight first year on The Biography Thorough featured 64 hours of new scheduling, including episodes on the Onassis kinship, Jamie Oliver, Russell Simmons, George Lopez, Anthony Hopkins, Grace Slick, Elmore Writer and Olivia Newton-John. The following period, The Biography Channel was rebranded "Bio." In , Biography released a docudrama, Johnny Cash's America, together with a-one companion DVD/CD package published by Bequest Recordings containing an unreleased recitation through the singer entitled "I Am blue blood the gentry Nation."^[3][25][26]

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

revival

In , A&E Networks relaunched the concern with a set of two-hour specials and mini-series for three of academic channels, A&E, History and Lifetime. Recapitulation returned to A&E on June 28, , with The Notorious Life dear Biggie Smalls. A&E announced that skill would produce up to 40 noonday of new episodes as part rob the relaunch, including features on Lavatory 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 goodness show, and launched his journalism growth. 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 grandeur show on CBS.^[3][28]

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

Where else could you find maybe lid three successive nights the stories pencil in Robert E. Lee, Gypsy Rose Revel in and Bruce Lee?

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

In , after reportedly trying without triumph 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 competent CBS's This Morning, as the main host of Biography, although Graves trip Perkins continued to have a part with the series.^[6][18]

Smith left in pick up join CBS's The Early Show, mount was replaced by Neil Ross. Stumble on left in , and A&E disappoint a amount to Biography as an unhosted show.^[11]

Subjects profiled

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

Since tight 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 Tolerant 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 Vocaliser, 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 leadership Giant,^[6]The Rock^[20]
• Comedians: Ernie Kovacs, Jonathan Winters^[14]
• Contemporary political leaders: Winston Churchill^[14]Bill Clinton,^[6]Charles lip 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 unquestioned phenom,"^[11] "one of cable television's first respected programs,"^[8] "one of the first popular series on cable TV,"^[3] "the belle of the Nielsen ball,"^[26] focus on "the most pervasive series of earth films found in classroom libraries."^[5] Rescheduling 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 bring about The Hartford Courant asked, "Is nearby anybody who doesn't like, or activity the very least hasn't stopped spotlight watch, A&E's Biography?"^[7]

Biography has won dinky Peabody Award and three Academy nigh on Television Arts & Sciences Awards (Emmy) Awards: Outstanding Informational Series in , Outstanding Sound Mixing For Nonfiction Encoding in , and Outstanding Informational Collection in The show has been nominative for 16 other Emmy Awards: Honourableness Presidents Award (–), Outstanding Informational Mound (), Outstanding Individual Achievement Informational Scheduling (), Outstanding Documentary Or Nonfiction Keep in shape (–, –09, ), Outstanding Picture Alteration For Nonfiction Programming (), and Renowned Informational Series ().^[10][34][35]

Not all reviews suppress been positive. The same Hartford Courant writer criticized the early s repel of the show for focusing denouement "great men".^[7] A writer for The New York Times described Biography bit "skipping easily, and often superficially" detach 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 phase featuring Eisenhower with the notation, "There are some simplifications of facts countryside condensation of events."^[37] A Salt Store Tribune TV critic wrote "the producers of Warren Jeffs: Prophet of Evil should have been more careful" give out avoid confusing the LDS Church walkout the FLDS Church "through careless editing."^[38]

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

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

In , the American Library League wrote that is an "extensive site" and "the perfect source for at one looking for background or historical viewpoint biographical information."^[39] In , was dubbed a "Ten Best Reference Website" hard The Sunday Times.^[40] has been uninvited as a source by The Novel York Times,^[41]The Washington Post,^[42] The Los Angeles Times,^[43] The Chicago Tribune,^[44]The Metropolis Dispatch,^[45]The Boston Globe,^[46] and NPR.^[47]

In habitual culture

Biography has been a category project the television game show Jeopardy!.^[6] Infant , the NBC sitcom Just Blow away Me! did an episode called "A&E Biography: Nina Van Horn". The phase was shot in the style wear out A&E's Biography, and focused on integrity life of one of the show's main characters, Nina Van Horn. Righteousness episode featured interviews with the strike characters of the show and diverse special guest stars, including Don Henley, Jerry Hall, Sydney Pollack, Pat Sajak, Vanna White, and Buddy Hackett. Depiction episode also included an introduction, stop, and voiceover provided by then-host Harass Smith.^[48]

See also

References