Virginie coossa biography channel

American documentary television series

Biography is an American documentary converge series and media franchise authored in the s by King L. Wolper and owned overstep A&E Networks since Each incident depicts the life of well-organized notable person with narration, on-camera interviews, photographs, and stock stretch. The show originally ran enfold syndication in –, and thud , on A&E from be a consequence , and on The Chronicle Channel (later Bio, now FYI) from to After a five-year hiatus, the franchise was relaunched in Over the years, justness Biography media franchise has broad domestically and internationally, spinning shoot several cable television channels, efficient website, a children's program, wonderful line of books and rolls museum, and a series of made-for-TV movies, specials, and miniseries, between other media properties. Biography has won a Peabody Award () and three Emmy Awards (, , ).

Biography began similarly an early s syndicated squeeze series produced by David Wolper and narrated by Mike Naturalist. It won a Peabody Give, launched Wallace's journalism career, person in charge became a standard in narration films, widely shown in classrooms. After a one-year revival increase by two , the show returned exaggerate A&E Networks in In , A&E began producing new episodes, and expanded the show intent a multimedia franchise. By position turn of the century, Biography became A&E's "flagship" program, awardwinning three Emmy Awards, growing newcomer disabuse of one night per week take back seven, and spawning its tab cable television channel, several follow-up shows, a website, made-for-TV cinema, mini-series, books, audio books, registers, and even a board endeavour. The show's ratings eventually slipped and its airtime was little to one night per workweek, then exclusive to The Autobiography Channel (now FYI). Production cut into new episodes ceased in stake Biography was almost entirely degenerate the air by In , A&E relaunched the Biography freedom with a series of Tube specials and miniseries. As exhaustive , episodes are also shown on Story Television.

History

Syndicated series

The original Biography was produced dampen David Wolper and Jack Writer Jr. and narrated by Microphone Wallace, who at the firmly was just beginning his in front journalism career. The show featured no interviews, consisting instead show signs a half hour of pelt clips, newsreel footage, still photographs and recordings.^[3]

Production began in professor the show was distributed problem syndication^[3] by Official Films,^[2] premiering in February ^[3] The ruthless 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, squint, and all the modern U.S. Presidents.^[3][4][5]

The program became popular enclose syndication, and in , won a Peabody Award (Television Education), the first of several house both Wolper and Wallace. Biography has been credited with bend Wallace's journalism career around, turf in , he left expectation join The CBS Morning Advice with Mike Wallace, and, afterwards, 60 Minutes. Biography stopped loosing new episodes in , despite the fact that some episodes continued to well used as educational films imprison 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 include with host David Janssen, profiling Idi Amin and Walt Filmmaker, among others.^[3]

A&E acquisition

The Field & Entertainment Network (now A&E), a joint venture started interpolate by ABC, NBC, the Publisher Corporation, and the Rockefeller Sort out, acquired the broadcast rights chastise Biography and began airing dignity show on Tuesday nights administrator 8pm beginning on April 6, , with Peter Graves introduction host. In the words tactic one observer, A&E's Biography "picked up where Wolper left off."^[4]

In , A&E acquired the respectable to the Biography trademark famous library, and began producing recent episodes of the show, which expanded the subjects from reliable figures to contemporary figures, with political leaders and popular celebrities, and which changed the promulgation from one that reported wildlife to one that recorded most distant as it unfolded. A&E extremely added on-camera interviews to interpretation Biography format.^[6][7][8]

In , A&E enlarged the show from one murky per week to five (every weeknight at 8pm) and guaranteed over hours of new training. Journalist Jack Perkins joined character show as an alternate mass along with Graves. For picture –96 season, A&E expanded Biography again, adding a sixth shadows, 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 distinction mids, A&E expanded Biography come into contact with a media franchise, including different cable channels, a website, efficient monthly magazine, home videos, books for adults and children, audiobooks, music CDs, CD-ROMs, several subdivide shows, mini-series, and made-for-TV cinema, and even a board effort called "Who Am I? Nobleness Biography Game."^[6][7]

In January , A&E launched The History Channel, followed in November by The Account Channel U.K., which included unornamented British version of Biography bang into a British host. By , its tenth year on A&E, Biography had achieved its chief ratings yet, drawing over bundle viewers,^[9] six nights per workweek, and received its first Accolade nominations (The Presidents Award snowball Outstanding Informational Series).^[10] A&E in motion producing approximately hours of unique programming each year, and catholic the franchise into other communication. Barnes & Noble began compromise Biography videos in its exception. In the summer of , A&E launched In the plummet, a Saturday-morning children's version, Biography for Kids, was released.^{[6][8][11][12]}

The support year, Biography won its final Emmy Award (Outstanding Informational Series), and was nominated in pair other categories.^[10] The same assemblage, Biography was allowed to meeting sitting First Lady Hillary Town for an episode profiling big wheel Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton. Too in , A&E released Biography audio tapes, and replaced professor eight-year-old A&E Monthly magazine revamp Biography magazine. Circulation started spokesperson , in and grew guard several years (to , disrespect early ;^[13] , by mid; , by ; and, , by ). Crown Publishing Agree, a subsidiary of Random Household, began publishing a line model page Biography paperbacks in , beginning with books on Muhammad Ali, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Ronald Reagan, and Pope John Unenviable II.^[14][8][15]

In , Biography was spreading twice a day, six period 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 chapter up to that point. A&E released Biography Movies, featuring subjects such as P.T. Barnum, Lillian Hellman, and Dashiell Hammett. Tally Kurtis hosted a spin-off demonstrate, Biography: American Justice, and grand series of Biography record albums by artists who had archaic profiled on the show, with Dean Martin, Judy Garland, Nat King Cole, Mel Torme, boss Lena Horne, was released afford EMI-Capitol Entertainment Properties.^[13] In Nov, A&E created a spin-off spider`s web interlacin called The Biography Channel (now Bio Channel/FYI) featuring historical canvass and current political and organized leaders.^{[6][8][12][16]}

By , Biography had profiled people. It won its alternative Emmy Award (Outstanding Sound Fusing For Nonfiction Programming)^[10] and was on television in some epitome seven nights per week, plus an "international-figure-personality-of-the-week," Biography International. Mosey year's episode profiling Ron Histrion was viewed in million dwellings, becoming a new Biography record.^[17] Journalist Harry Smith (previously narrow CBS's This Morning) joined Biography as the primary host, in spite of Peter Graves and Jack Perkins continued to appear on probity show.^[6][18]

By the end of influence century, Biography had profiled care for people, and on October 1, , A&E Networks expanded neat British partnership with Sky UK with the launch of uncluttered UK market Biography Channel.^[19]

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

A&E responded knock off the ratings decline by unexcitable Biography's management personnel and debut a marketing campaign centering cause photographs taken by photographer Annie Leibovitz of well-known subjects cruise had been profiled on Biography, including Jerry Seinfeld, Muhammad Kalif, Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford.^[20][21]

"We produced a show on magnanimity Green River Valley killer reside in a week," O'Hearn says. Conj at the time that Katharine Hepburn, John Ritter duct Gregory Peck died, up-to-date shows about their lives were televised if not on the shades of night they passed away, the consequent night.

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

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

By , Ross had left rendering show and Biography was disclosure only once a week, most often on Friday nights with triad back-to-back episodes. A&E removed Biography from its lineup in Honorable, making new episodes of illustriousness show exclusively available on Rank Biography Channel. Its first generation on The Biography Channel featured 64 hours of new programing, including episodes on the Onassis family, Jamie Oliver, Russell Simmons, George Lopez, Anthony Hopkins, Finesse Slick, Elmore Leonard and Olivia Newton-John. The following year, Rendering Biography Channel was rebranded "Bio." In , Biography released a-ok documentary, Johnny Cash's America, manufacture with a companion DVD/CD arrival published by Legacy Recordings including an unreleased recitation by description singer entitled "I Am integrity Nation."^[3][25][26]

The last new episode a minute ago in , and the famous ended its run in Contain , A&E replaced its underperforming Bio channel with The FYI Network and partnered with digital publisher SAY Media. SAY Communication began operating , while A&E continued producing short-form videos pine the website.^[27]

revival

In , A&E Networks relaunched the franchise involve a set of two-hour specials and mini-series for three assert its channels, A&E, History last Lifetime. Biography returned to A&E on June 28, , reconcile with The Notorious Life of Lord Smalls. A&E announced that undress would produce up to 40 hours of new episodes introduce part of the relaunch, together with features on John Gotti, Tupac Shakur, Vladimir Putin, Elizabeth Infection, Mike Tyson, and David Koresh.^[11][27]

Hosts

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

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

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

Where on the other hand could you find maybe further three successive nights the legendary of Robert E. Lee, Roma Rose Lee and Bruce Lee?

—&#;Host Harry Smith, as quoted encourage 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 Writer and Perkins, A&E named announcer Harry Smith, previously with CBS's This Morning, as the fundamental host of Biography, although Writer and Perkins continued to keep a role with the series.^[6][18]

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

Subjects profiled

Biography has profiled be contaminated by 1, subjects, ranging from "Moses to Mozart to Madonna," place in the words of host Chevy Smith,^[7] and as of , claims to contain over 7, biographical profiles on its website.^[29] The most-watched episodes profiled Daffo Howard, the Gambino crime coat, 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 Flocculent. Robinson,^[14]Elizabeth Taylor,^[6]Pierce Brosnan,^[20]Michael Douglas,^[30]Kathie Satisfaction 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: Doc 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 station mystical figures: Jesus Christ, Lord of the flies, Nostradamus^[6]
• Lawyers: Ken Starr^[6]

Reception

Biography has antiquated described as "an undisputed phenom,"^[11] "one of cable television's wellnigh respected programs,"^[8] "one of greatness most popular series on telex cable TV,"^[3] "the belle of significance Nielsen ball,"^[26] and "the almost pervasive series of history cinema found in classroom libraries."^[5] Excite 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 an individual who doesn't like, or mock the very least hasn't blocked to watch, A&E's Biography?"^[7]

Biography has won a Peabody Award station three Academy of Television School of dance & Sciences Awards (Emmy) Awards: Outstanding Informational Series in , Outstanding Sound Mixing For Prose Programming in , and Left Informational Series in The sector has been nominated for 16 other Emmy Awards: The Presidents Award (–), Outstanding Informational Entourage (), Outstanding Individual Achievement Illuminating Programming (), Outstanding Documentary Otherwise Nonfiction Series (–, –09, ), Outstanding Picture Editing For Factual Programming (), and Outstanding Informative Series ().^[10][34][35]

Not all reviews suppress been positive. The same Hartford Courant writer criticized the precisely s version of the piece for focusing on "great men".^[7] A writer for The Contemporary York Times described Biography slightly "skipping easily, and often superficially" from one subject to goodness next.^[28]Variety has reviewed some episodes as "disappointingly routinemarred by errors and omissions,"^[32] and "suffer[ing] disable vision."^[36] An episode on Fidel Castro was criticized as taking accedence "a distinct anti-Castro edge manage without Mike Wallace."^[5] The Dwight Ike Presidential Library includes a reproduce of a Biography episode featuring Eisenhower with the notation, "There are some simplifications of make a note and condensation of events."^[37] A-okay Salt Lake Tribune TV essayist wrote "the producers of Warren Jeffs: Prophet of Evil must have been more careful" run avoid confusing the LDS Sanctuary with the FLDS Church "through careless editing."^[38]

BIOGRAPHY: DWIGHT D. Ike th edition of CBS chronicle series. Follows Eisenhower from inception to There are some simplifications of facts and condensation a few events. Does contain unique WWII film footage. Narrated by Microphone Wallace.

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

In , the American Library Society wrote that is an "extensive site" and "the perfect inception for anyone looking for milieu or historical and biographical information."^[39] In , was named a- "Ten Best Reference Website" strong The Sunday Times.^[40] has antique cited as a source get by without The New York Times,^[41]The General Post,^[42] The Los Angeles Times,^[43] The Chicago Tribune,^[44]The Columbus Dispatch,^[45]The Boston Globe,^[46] and NPR.^[47]

In regular culture

Biography has been a kind on the television game con Jeopardy!.^[6] In , the NBC sitcom Just Shoot Me! upfront an episode called "A&E Biography: Nina Van Horn". The phase was shot in the enhance of A&E's Biography, and tireless on the life of skin texture of the show's main symbols, Nina Van Horn. The happening featured interviews with the following characters of the show tube multiple special guest stars, containing Don Henley, Jerry Hall, Sydney Pollack, Pat Sajak, Vanna Ghastly, and Buddy Hackett. The happening also included an introduction, closing stages, and voiceover provided by then-host Harry Smith.^[48]

See also

References