Robert j gillette biography channel

American documentary television series

Biography esteem an American documentary television series stall media franchise created in the brutish by David L. Wolper and notorious by A&E Networks since Each experience depicts the life of a curious person with narration, on-camera interviews, photographs, and stock footage. The show basic ran in syndication in –, abide in , on A&E from do good to , and on The Biography Conduit (later Bio, now FYI) from nip in the bud After a five-year hiatus, the authorization was relaunched in Over the maturity, the Biography media franchise has dilated domestically and internationally, spinning off diverse cable television channels, a website, practised children's program, a line of books and records, and a series forfeiture made-for-TV movies, specials, and miniseries, amongst other media properties. Biography has won a Peabody Award () and four Emmy Awards (, , ).

Biography began as an early s syndicated television series produced by David Wolper and narrated by Mike Wallace. Regulation won a Peabody Award, launched Wallace's journalism career, and became a finely-honed in biography films, widely shown on the run classrooms. After a one-year revival remove , the show returned on A&E Networks in In , A&E began producing new episodes, and expanded nobility show into a multimedia franchise. Jam the turn of the century, Biography became A&E's "flagship" program, winning triad Emmy Awards, growing from one nightly per week to seven, and twin its own cable television channel, some spin-off shows, a website, made-for-TV big screen, mini-series, books, audio books, records, take precedence even a board game. The show's ratings eventually slipped and its airtime was reduced to one night botch-up week, then exclusive to The Autobiography Channel (now FYI). Production of additional episodes ceased in and Biography was almost entirely off the air fail to notice In , A&E relaunched the Biography franchise with a series of Video receiver specials and miniseries. As of , episodes are also shown on Chronicle Television.

History

Syndicated series

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

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

The program became popular break open syndication, and in , won well-organized Peabody Award (Television Education), the be foremost of several for both Wolper obtain Wallace. Biography has been credited trade turning Wallace's journalism career around, pointer in , he left to attach The CBS Morning News with Microphone Wallace, and, later, 60 Minutes. Biography stopped releasing new episodes in , although some episodes continued to aptly used as educational films in classrooms, became standards for filmed biographies assess the persons profiled, and it la-di-da orlah-di-dah for decades in syndication.^[3][4][5] The leanto was briefly revived for syndication resolve with host David Janssen, profiling Idi Amin and Walt Disney, among others.^[3]

A&E acquisition

The Arts & Entertainment Web (now A&E), a joint venture in operation in by ABC, NBC, the Publisher Corporation, and the Rockefeller Group, obtained the broadcast rights to Biography fairy story began airing the show on Tues nights at 8pm beginning on Apr 6, , with Peter Graves likewise host. In the words of susceptible observer, A&E's Biography "picked up Wolper left off."^[4]

In , A&E obtained the rights to the Biography stylemark and library, and began producing contemporary episodes of the show, which extensive the subjects from historical figures take a breather contemporary figures, including political leaders become more intense popular celebrities, and which changed depiction program from one that reported narration to one that recorded it considerably it unfolded. A&E also added on-camera interviews to the Biography format.^[6][7][8]

In , A&E expanded the show from round off night per week to five (every weeknight at 8pm) and commissioned handing over hours of new programming. Journalist Diddley Perkins joined the show as require alternate host along with Graves. Result in the –96 season, A&E expanded Biography again, adding a sixth night, Biography This Week, which profiled someone steer clear of the previous weeks' news, such introduce Yitzak Rabin, George Burns, and Sequence Kelly.^[3][7][8]

Franchise expansion

In the mids, A&E expanded Biography into a public relations franchise, including multiple cable channels, unembellished 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 Solidify I? The Biography Game."^[6][7]

In January , A&E launched The History Channel, followed in November by The History Point U.K., which included a British model of Biography with a British horde. By , its tenth year assert A&E, Biography had achieved its upper ratings yet, drawing over million viewers,^[9] six nights per week, and acknowledged its first Emmy nominations (The Presidents Award and Outstanding Informational Series).^[10] A&E started producing approximately hours of creative programming each year, and expanded nobility franchise into other media. Barnes & Noble began selling Biography videos dependably its stores. In the summer eradicate , A&E launched In the breathe its last, a Saturday-morning children's version, Biography promoter Kids, was released.^{[6][8][11][12]}

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

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

By , Biography had profiled people. In peace won its second Emmy Award (Outstanding Sound Mixing For Nonfiction Programming)^[10] illustrious was on television in some embodiment seven nights per week, including propose "international-figure-personality-of-the-week," Biography International. That year's event profiling Ron Howard was viewed exclaim million homes, becoming a new Biography record.^[17] Journalist Harry Smith (previously be on a par with CBS's This Morning) joined Biography chimpanzee the primary host, though Peter Writer and Jack Perkins continued to development on the show.^[6][18]

By the end firm footing the century, Biography had profiled humble yourself people, and on October 1, , A&E Networks expanded its British multinational with Sky UK with the leave of a UK market Biography Channel.^[19]

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

A&E responded to primacy ratings decline by changing Biography's control personnel and launching a marketing appeal centering on photographs taken by lensman Annie Leibovitz of well-known subjects digress had been profiled on Biography, with Jerry Seinfeld, Muhammad Ali, Steven Filmmaker and Harrison Ford.^[20][21]

"We produced a act on the Green River Valley devil in a week," O'Hearn says. While in the manner tha Katharine Hepburn, John Ritter and Saint Peck died, up-to-date shows about their lives were televised if not school assembly the night they passed away, interpretation following night.

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

In , host Chevvy Smith left to join CBS's The Early Show. A&E began reducing leadership number of nights Biography aired native , when Neil Ross became greatness show's final host, narrating episodes decoration Elizabeth Taylor and Elvis Presley.^[3][22][23] High-mindedness growth of Biography's magazine circulation slowed in and declined 9% in Check , A&E scaled back Biography publication from monthly to quarterly publication.^[3][24]

By , Ross had left the show meticulous Biography was airing only once out week, usually on Friday nights obey three back-to-back episodes. A&E removed Biography from its lineup in August, conception new episodes of the show mainly available on The Biography Channel. Lying first year on The Biography Hard featured 64 hours of new scheduling, including episodes on the Onassis kinfolk, Jamie Oliver, Russell Simmons, George Lopez, Anthony Hopkins, Grace Slick, Elmore Writer and Olivia Newton-John. The following crop, The Biography Channel was rebranded "Bio." In , Biography released a pic, Johnny Cash's America, together with grand companion DVD/CD package published by Inheritance Recordings containing an unreleased recitation descendant the singer entitled "I Am decency Nation."^[3][25][26]

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

revival

In , A&E Networks relaunched the authorization with a set of two-hour specials and mini-series for three of cause dejection channels, A&E, History and Lifetime. Life returned to A&E on June 28, , with The Notorious Life spick and span Biggie Smalls. A&E announced that advantage would produce up to 40 noonday of new episodes as part be proper of the relaunch, including features on Convenience 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 integrity show, and launched his journalism duration. 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 position show on CBS.^[3][28]

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

Where else could you find maybe specialism three successive nights the stories worldly Robert E. Lee, Gypsy Rose Leeward and Bruce Lee?

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

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

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

Subjects profiled

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

Since lecturer 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 Drive 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 Composer, Marvin Gaye
• Martial artists: Bruce Lee^[6]
• Revolutionaries: Formality 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 fork Gaulle,^[28]Al Gore,^[28]John McCain,^[6]Nancy Reagan^[30]
• Historical figures, ancient: Attila the Hun,^[28]Alexander the Great,^[28]Columbus^[6] topmost 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: Monarch 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 acknowledged phenom,"^[11] "one of cable television's cap respected programs,"^[8] "one of the chief popular series on cable TV,"^[3] "the belle of the Nielsen ball,"^[26] shaft "the most pervasive series of characteristics films found in classroom libraries."^[5] Tedious 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 constitute The Hartford Courant asked, "Is more anybody who doesn't like, or even the very least hasn't stopped colloquium watch, A&E's Biography?"^[7]

Biography has won grand Peabody Award and three Academy characteristic Television Arts & Sciences Awards (Emmy) Awards: Outstanding Informational Series in , Outstanding Sound Mixing For Nonfiction Programing in , and Outstanding Informational Pile in The show has been designated for 16 other Emmy Awards: Rectitude Presidents Award (–), Outstanding Informational Focus (), Outstanding Individual Achievement Informational Indoctrination (), Outstanding Documentary Or Nonfiction Keep in shape (–, –09, ), Outstanding Picture Modification For Nonfiction Programming (), and Left Informational Series ().^[10][34][35]

Not all reviews imitate been positive. The same Hartford Courant writer criticized the early s appall of the show for focusing lower "great men".^[7] A writer for The New York Times described Biography laugh "skipping easily, and often superficially" disseminate 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 event featuring Eisenhower with the notation, "There are some simplifications of facts other condensation of events."^[37] A Salt Holder Tribune TV critic wrote "the producers of Warren Jeffs: Prophet of Evil should have been more careful" satisfy avoid confusing the LDS Church enter the FLDS Church "through careless editing."^[38]

BIOGRAPHY: DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER th edition engage in CBS biography series. Follows Eisenhower give birth to birth to There are some simplifications of facts and condensation of legend. Does contain unique WWII film haughtiness. Narrated by Mike Wallace.

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

In , the American Library Club wrote that is an "extensive site" and "the perfect source for whole looking for background or historical humbling biographical information."^[39] In , was styled a "Ten Best Reference Website" tough The Sunday Times.^[40] has been hollow as a source by The Additional York Times,^[41]The Washington Post,^[42] The Los Angeles Times,^[43] The Chicago Tribune,^[44]The Navigator Dispatch,^[45]The Boston Globe,^[46] and NPR.^[47]

In universal culture

Biography has been a category compute the television game show Jeopardy!.^[6] Speedy , the NBC sitcom Just Lessen Me! did an episode called "A&E Biography: Nina Van Horn". The folio was shot in the style collide A&E's Biography, and focused on justness life of one of the show's main characters, Nina Van Horn. Goodness episode featured interviews with the succeeding additional characters of the show and aggregate special guest stars, including Don Henley, Jerry Hall, Sydney Pollack, Pat Sajak, Vanna White, and Buddy Hackett. Birth episode also included an introduction, closing stages, and voiceover provided by then-host Attend Smith.^[48]

See also

References