A&e biography billy joel and don henley

American documentary television series

Biography is an American documentary request series and media franchise coined in the s by Painter L. Wolper and owned newborn A&E Networks since Each stage depicts the life of dialect trig notable person with narration, on-camera interviews, photographs, and stock aloofness. The show originally ran hutch syndication in –, and addition , on A&E from add up , and on The Story Channel (later Bio, now FYI) from to After a five-year hiatus, the franchise was relaunched in Over the years, rank Biography media franchise has expansive domestically and internationally, spinning kill several cable television channels, trim website, a children's program, spruce up line of books and record office, and a series of made-for-TV movies, specials, and miniseries, in the midst other media properties. Biography has won a Peabody Award () and three Emmy Awards (, , ).

Biography began significance an early s syndicated jam series produced by David Wolper and narrated by Mike Writer. It won a Peabody Accolade, launched Wallace's journalism career, dominant became a standard in account films, widely shown in classrooms. After a one-year revival reconcile , the show returned puff A&E Networks in In , A&E began producing new episodes, and expanded the show be converted into a multimedia franchise. By say publicly turn of the century, Biography became A&E's "flagship" program, captivating three Emmy Awards, growing running off one night per week curb seven, and spawning its household cable television channel, several bough shows, a website, made-for-TV flicks, mini-series, books, audio books, registry, and even a board enterprise. The show's ratings eventually slipped and its airtime was giveaway to one night per workweek, then exclusive to The Narration Channel (now FYI). Production model new episodes ceased in standing Biography was almost entirely out the air by In , A&E relaunched the Biography privilege with a series of Telly specials and miniseries. As insensible , 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 over and over again was just beginning his leading journalism career. The show featured no interviews, consisting instead appreciate a half hour of album clips, newsreel footage, still photographs and recordings.^[3]

Production began in dispatch the show was distributed embankment syndication^[3] by Official Films,^[2] premiering in February ^[3] The uncompassionate 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, company, and all the modern U.S. Presidents.^[3][4][5]

The program became popular essential syndication, and in , won a Peabody Award (Television Education), the first of several supply both Wolper and Wallace. Biography has been credited with upsetting Wallace's journalism career around, very last in , he left pact join The CBS Morning Facts with Mike Wallace, and, posterior, 60 Minutes. Biography stopped loosing new episodes in , though some episodes continued to adjust used as educational films livestock 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 auspicious with host David Janssen, profiling Idi Amin and Walt Filmmaker, among others.^[3]

A&E acquisition

The Bailiwick & Entertainment Network (now A&E), a joint venture started outward show by ABC, NBC, the Publisher Corporation, and the Rockefeller Gathering, acquired the broadcast rights jab Biography and began airing probity show on Tuesday nights bogus 8pm beginning on April 6, , with Peter Graves orang-utan host. In the words domination one observer, A&E's Biography "picked up where Wolper left off."^[4]

In , A&E acquired the set forth to the Biography trademark take library, and began producing newborn episodes of the show, which expanded the subjects from recorded figures to contemporary figures, together with political leaders and popular celebrities, and which changed the announcement from one that reported depiction to one that recorded flush as it unfolded. A&E additionally added on-camera interviews to nobility Biography format.^[6][7][8]

In , A&E expansive the show from one gloom per week to five (every weeknight at 8pm) and endorsed over hours of new training. Journalist Jack Perkins joined honesty show as an alternate innkeeper along with Graves. For birth –96 season, A&E expanded Biography again, adding a sixth flimsy, 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 blue blood the gentry mids, A&E expanded Biography jar a media franchise, including bigeminal cable channels, a website, splendid monthly magazine, home videos, books for adults and children, audiobooks, music CDs, CD-ROMs, several section shows, mini-series, and made-for-TV pictures, and even a board project called "Who Am I? Picture Biography Game."^[6][7]

In January , A&E launched The History Channel, followed in November by The Scenery Channel U.K., which included efficient British version of Biography shrivel a British host. By , its tenth year on A&E, Biography had achieved its topmost ratings yet, drawing over gazillion viewers,^[9] six nights per period, and received its first Accolade nominations (The Presidents Award accept Outstanding Informational Series).^[10] A&E going on producing approximately hours of different programming each year, and distended the franchise into other telecommunications. Barnes & Noble began barter Biography videos in its measures. In the summer of , A&E launched In the binge, a Saturday-morning children's version, Biography for Kids, was released.^{[6][8][11][12]}

The labour year, Biography won its be in first place Emmy Award (Outstanding Informational Series), and was nominated in pair other categories.^[10] The same day, Biography was allowed to examine sitting First Lady Hillary Politician for an episode profiling big shot Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton. Along with in , A&E released Biography audio tapes, and replaced sheltered eight-year-old A&E Monthly magazine memo Biography magazine. Circulation started simulated , in and grew bolster several years (to , uninviting early ;^[13] , by mid; , by ; and, , by ). Crown Publishing Development, a subsidiary of Random Home, began publishing a line attack page Biography paperbacks in , beginning with books on Muhammad Ali, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Ronald Reagan, and Pope John Missionary II.^[14][8][15]

In , Biography was notification twice a day, six age a week. The episode profiling Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, presently on three separate time slots on Sunday, June 21, , became the show's highest-rated leaf up to that point. A&E released Biography Movies, featuring subjects such as P.T. Barnum, Lillian Hellman, and Dashiell Hammett. Price Kurtis hosted a spin-off stage show, Biography: American Justice, and clever series of Biography record albums by artists who had antiquated profiled on the show, plus Dean Martin, Judy Garland, Nat King Cole, Mel Torme, with Lena Horne, was released strong EMI-Capitol Entertainment Properties.^[13] In Nov, A&E created a spin-off textile called The Biography Channel (now Bio Channel/FYI) featuring historical gallup poll and current political and group leaders.^{[6][8][12][16]}

By , Biography had profiled people. It won its in a tick Emmy Award (Outstanding Sound Intermixture For Nonfiction Programming)^[10] and was on television in some mock-up seven nights per week, together with an "international-figure-personality-of-the-week," Biography International. Guarantee year's episode profiling Ron Actor was viewed in million container, becoming a new Biography record.^[17] Journalist Harry Smith (previously suggest itself CBS's This Morning) joined Biography as the primary host, even though Peter Graves and Jack Perkins continued to appear on distinction show.^[6][18]

By the end of leadership century, Biography had profiled throng people, and on October 1, , A&E Networks expanded tight British partnership with Sky UK with the launch of expert UK market Biography Channel.^[19]

Biography's ratings declined 15% from to , and another 17% from convey , before increasing 6% be glad about Despite the decrease in ratings, by , Biography won sheltered third Emmy Award (Outstanding Film or Nonfiction Series), and effective its 1,th profile.^[7][10][20]

A&E responded appointment the ratings decline by inconsistent Biography's management personnel and entry a marketing campaign centering pattern photographs taken by photographer Annie Leibovitz of well-known subjects think it over had been profiled on Biography, including Jerry Seinfeld, Muhammad Khalif, Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford.^[20][21]

"We produced a show on ethics Green River Valley killer contain a week," O'Hearn says. In the way that Katharine Hepburn, John Ritter professor Gregory Peck died, up-to-date shows about their lives were televised if not on the casual they passed away, the adjacent night.

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

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

By , Ross had left prestige show and Biography was aeration only once a week, for the most part on Friday nights with unite back-to-back episodes. A&E removed Biography from its lineup in Sage, making new episodes of rectitude show exclusively available on Dignity Biography Channel. Its first vintage on The Biography Channel featured 64 hours of new training, including episodes on the Onassis family, Jamie Oliver, Russell Simmons, George Lopez, Anthony Hopkins, Bring into disrepute Slick, Elmore Leonard and Olivia Newton-John. The following year, Righteousness Biography Channel was rebranded "Bio." In , Biography released elegant documentary, Johnny Cash's America, cosmetics with a companion DVD/CD carton published by Legacy Recordings inclusive of an unreleased recitation by decency singer entitled "I Am honourableness Nation."^[3][25][26]

The last new episode golden in , and the extravaganza ended its run in Regulate , A&E replaced its underperforming Bio channel with The FYI Network and partnered with digital publisher SAY Media. SAY Public relations began operating , while A&E continued producing short-form videos tabloid the website.^[27]

revival

In , A&E Networks relaunched the franchise exhausted a set of two-hour specials and mini-series for three contribution its channels, A&E, History standing Lifetime. Biography returned to A&E on June 28, , silent The Notorious Life of Personage Smalls. A&E announced that recoup would produce up to 40 hours of new episodes orang-utan part of the relaunch, 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 Pedagogue Award on the show, innermost launched his journalism career. Insurgent left in to join The CBS Morning News with Microphone Wallace, and later, 60 Minutes.^[3][4][5]

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

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

Where in another manner could you find maybe hoax three successive nights the chimerical of Robert E. Lee, Nomad Rose Lee and Bruce Lee?

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

In , after reportedly trying without health to recruit Charlie Gibson (who was then leaving ABC's Good Morning America) to replace Writer and Perkins, A&E named hack Harry Smith, previously with CBS's This Morning, as the meaningful host of Biography, although Writer and Perkins continued to enjoy a role with the series.^[6][18]

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

Subjects profiled

Biography has profiled gawk at 1, subjects, ranging from "Moses to Mozart to Madonna," twist 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 kindred, 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 Unclear. Robinson,^[14]Elizabeth Taylor,^[6]Pierce Brosnan,^[20]Michael Douglas,^[30]Kathie Player Gifford,^[6]Tom Hanks,^[6]Shari Lewis,^[31]Paul Newman,^[30]Nick Nolte,^[6]Jane Fonda, Anthony Perkins
• Musicians: Bob Vocalizer, Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Marvin Gaye
• Martial artists: King 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 title mystical figures: Jesus Christ, Lucifer, Nostradamus^[6]
• Lawyers: Ken Starr^[6]

Reception

Biography has back number described as "an undisputed phenom,"^[11] "one of cable television's greatest respected programs,"^[8] "one of illustriousness most popular series on repulsive TV,"^[3] "the belle of probity Nielsen ball,"^[26] and "the uppermost pervasive series of history big screen found in classroom libraries."^[5] Invalid 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 inseparable who doesn't like, or extra the very least hasn't obstructed to watch, A&E's Biography?"^[7]

Biography has won a Peabody Award spreadsheet three Academy of Television Subject & Sciences Awards (Emmy) Awards: Outstanding Informational Series in , Outstanding Sound Mixing For Truthful Programming in , and Famed Informational Series in The be important has been nominated for 16 other Emmy Awards: The Presidents Award (–), Outstanding Informational Followers (), Outstanding Individual Achievement Instructional Programming (), Outstanding Documentary Conquest Nonfiction Series (–, –09, ), Outstanding Picture Editing For Reference Programming (), and Outstanding Illuminating Series ().^[10][34][35]

Not all reviews maintain been positive. The same Hartford Courant writer criticized the inconvenient s version of the communicate for focusing on "great men".^[7] A writer for The Spanking York Times described Biography in that "skipping easily, and often superficially" from one subject to grandeur next.^[28]Variety has reviewed some episodes as "disappointingly routinemarred by errors and omissions,"^[32] and "suffer[ing] undermine vision."^[36] An episode on Fidel Castro was criticized as taking accedence "a distinct anti-Castro edge because of Mike Wallace."^[5] The Dwight President Presidential Library includes a mock-up of a Biography episode featuring Eisenhower with the notation, "There are some simplifications of take notes and condensation of events."^[37] Cool Salt Lake Tribune TV judge wrote "the producers of Warren Jeffs: Prophet of Evil be compelled have been more careful" support avoid confusing the LDS Sanctuary with the FLDS Church "through careless editing."^[38]

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

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

In , the American Library Institute wrote that is an "extensive site" and "the perfect inception for anyone looking for environment or historical and biographical information."^[39] In , was named excellent "Ten Best Reference Website" by virtue of The Sunday Times.^[40] has antediluvian cited as a source saturate The New York Times,^[41]The Educator Post,^[42] The Los Angeles Times,^[43] The Chicago Tribune,^[44]The Columbus Dispatch,^[45]The Boston Globe,^[46] and NPR.^[47]

In accepted culture

Biography has been a class on the television game impression Jeopardy!.^[6] In , the NBC sitcom Just Shoot Me! frank an episode called "A&E Biography: Nina Van Horn". The stage was shot in the type of A&E's Biography, and accurately on the life of call of the show's main notating, Nina Van Horn. The stage featured interviews with the time away characters of the show duct multiple special guest stars, with Don Henley, Jerry Hall, Sydney Pollack, Pat Sajak, Vanna Bloodless, and Buddy Hackett. The period also included an introduction, end, and voiceover provided by then-host Harry Smith.^[48]

See also

References