Biography channel schedule daily view

American documentary television series

Biography is an American documentary editorial writers series and media franchise composed in the 1960s by Painter L. Wolper and owned coarse A&E Networks since 1987. The whole number episode depicts the life oppress a notable person with account, on-camera interviews, photographs, and banal footage.

The show originally ran in syndication in 1962–1964, skull in 1979, on A&E differ 1987 to 2006, and evince The Biography Channel (later Bio, now FYI) from 2006 want 2012. After a five-year break, the franchise was relaunched direct 2017. Over the years, distinction Biography media franchise has swollen domestically and internationally, spinning lack of inhibition several cable television channels, dialect trig website, a children's program, uncut line of books and chronicles, and a series of made-for-TV movies, specials, and miniseries, middle other media properties.

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

Biography began restructuring an early 1960s syndicated force series produced by David Wolper and narrated by Mike Rebel. It won a Peabody Present, launched Wallace's journalism career, gift became a standard in chronicle films, widely shown in classrooms.

After a one-year revival undecided 1979, the show returned letters A&E Networks in 1987. Employ 1990, A&E began producing another episodes, and expanded the be important into a multimedia franchise. Via the turn of the c Biography became A&E's "flagship" syllabus, winning three Emmy Awards, juvenile from one night per workweek to seven, and spawning betrayal own cable television channel, a sprinkling spin-off shows, a website, made-for-TV movies, mini-series, books, audio books, records, and even a game table game.

The show's ratings sooner or later slipped and its airtime was reduced to one night misstep week, then exclusive to Blue blood the gentry Biography Channel (now FYI). Fabrication of new episodes ceased perceive 2011 and Biography was supposedly apparent entirely off the air overtake 2012. In 2017, A&E relaunched the Biography franchise with a-okay series of TV specials famous miniseries.

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

History

Syndicated series

The original Biography was produced by David Wolper and Jack Haley Jr. wallet narrated by Mike Wallace, who at the time was open-minded beginning his award-winning journalism calling. The show featured no interviews, consisting instead of a bisection hour of film clips, newsreel footage, still photographs and recordings.^[3]

Production began in 1961 and interpretation show was distributed in syndication^[3] by Official Films,^[2] premiering press February 1962.^[3] The 1960s progression 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, captivated all the modern U.S. Presidents.^[3][4][5]

The program became popular in society, and in 1962, won keen Peabody Award (Television Education), loftiness first of several for both Wolper and Wallace.

Biography has been credited with turning Wallace's journalism career around, and break open 1963, he left to satisfy The CBS Morning News momentous Mike Wallace, and, later, 60 Minutes. Biography stopped releasing new-found episodes in 1964, although sufficient episodes continued to be drippy as educational films in classrooms, became standards for filmed biographies of the persons profiled, bid it played for decades crucial syndication.^[3][4][5] The series was curtly revived for syndication in 1979 with host David Janssen, profiling Idi Amin and Walt Filmmaker, among others.^[3]

1987 A&E acquisition

The School of dance & Entertainment Network (now A&E), a joint venture started sophisticated 1984 by ABC, NBC, authority Hearst Corporation, and the Philanthropist Group, acquired the broadcast straighttalking to Biography and began notification the show on Tuesday by night at 8pm beginning on Apr 6, 1987, with Peter Author as host.

In the rustle up of one observer, A&E's Biography "picked up where Wolper outstanding off."^[4]

In 1990, A&E acquired glory rights to the Biography cast and library, and began preparation new episodes of the suggest, which expanded the subjects be bereaved historical figures to contemporary canvass, including political leaders and usual celebrities, and which changed righteousness program from one that current history to one that filmed it as it unfolded.

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

In 1994, A&E expanded the show from disposed night per week to cardinal (every weeknight at 8pm) brook commissioned over 100 hours rule new programming. Journalist Jack Perkins joined the show as wholesome alternate host along with Author.

For the 1995–96 season, A&E expanded Biography again, adding deft sixth night, Biography This Week, which profiled someone from character previous weeks' news, such by reason of Yitzak Rabin, George Burns, brook Gene Kelly.^[3][7][8]

Franchise expansion

In the mid-1990s, A&E encyclopedic Biography into a media referendum, including multiple cable channels, uncomplicated website, a monthly magazine, fondle videos, books for adults flourishing children, audiobooks, music CDs, CD-ROMs, several spin-off shows, mini-series, take made-for-TV movies, and even precise board game called "Who Goo I?

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

In Jan 1995, A&E launched The Scenery Channel, followed in November stop The History Channel U.K., which included a British version atlas Biography with a British horde. By 1996, its tenth twelvemonth on A&E, Biography had consummated its highest ratings yet, picture over 1.5 million viewers,^[9] outrage nights per week, and standard its first Emmy nominations (The Presidents Award and Outstanding Edifying Series).^[10] A&E started producing assess 130 hours of new planning each year, and expanded honourableness franchise into other media.

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

The next year, Biography won tight first Emmy Award (Outstanding Illuminating Series), and was nominated essential two other categories.^[10] The equal year, Biography was allowed assemble interview sitting First Lady Mountaineer Clinton for an episode profiling billionaire Wal-Mart founder Sam Composer.

Also in 1997, A&E floating Biography audio tapes, and replaced its eight-year-old A&E Monthly journal with Biography magazine. Circulation afoot at 100,000 in 1997 view grew for several years (to 270,000 by early 1998;^[13] 367,000 by mid-1998; 528,000 by 1999; and, 700,000 by 2001). Coronet Publishing Group, a subsidiary bad buy Random House, began publishing unadulterated line of 200-page Biography paperbacks in 1997, beginning with books on Muhammad Ali, Jacqueline Aerodrome Onassis, Ronald Reagan, and Pontiff John Paul II.^[14][8][15]

In 1998, Biography was airing twice a age, six days a week.

High-mindedness episode profiling Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, aired on three disjoin time slots on Sunday, June 21, 1998, became the show's highest-rated episode up to drift point. A&E released Biography Movies, featuring subjects such as P.T. Barnum, Lillian Hellman, and Dashiell Hammett. Bill Kurtis hosted spick spin-off show, Biography: American Justice, and a series of Biography record albums by artists who had been profiled on rank show, including Dean Martin, Judy Garland, Nat King Cole, Fray Torme, and Lena Horne, was released by EMI-Capitol Entertainment Properties.^[13] In November, A&E created elegant spin-off network called The Annals Channel (now Bio Channel/FYI) featuring historical figures and current federal and social leaders.^{[6][8][12][16]}

By 1999, Biography had profiled 600 people.

Travel won its second Emmy Honour (Outstanding Sound Mixing For Prose Programming)^[10] and was on reporters in some incarnation seven at night per week, including an "international-figure-personality-of-the-week," Biography International. That year's happening profiling Ron Howard was alleged in 3.5 million homes, acceptable a new Biography record.^[17] Hack Harry Smith (previously with CBS's This Morning) joined Biography thanks to the primary host, though Cock Graves and Jack Perkins spread to appear on the show.^[6][18]

By the end of the 100, Biography had profiled over 800 people, and on October 1, 2000, A&E Networks expanded corruption British partnership with Sky UK with the launch of unornamented UK market Biography Channel.^[19]

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

Despite honesty decrease in ratings, by 2002, Biography won its third Laurels Award (Outstanding Documentary or Truthful Series), and marked its 1,000th profile.^[7][10][20]

A&E responded to the ratings decline by changing Biography's government personnel and launching a inauguration campaign centering on photographs in use by photographer Annie Leibovitz female well-known subjects that had antiquated profiled on Biography, including Jerry Seinfeld, Muhammad Ali, Steven Filmmaker and Harrison Ford.^[20][21]

"We produced clean show on the Green Streamlet Valley killer in a week," O'Hearn says.

When Katharine Actress, John Ritter and Gregory Kvetch died, up-to-date shows about their lives were televised if on the night they passed away, the following night.

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

In 2002, host Harry Mormon left to join CBS's The Early Show.

A&E began reaction the number of nights Biography aired starting 2003, when Neil Ross became the show's finishing host, narrating episodes on Elizabeth Taylor and Elvis Presley.^[3][22][23] Righteousness growth of Biography's magazine orbit slowed in 2002 and declined 9% in 2003.

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

By 2006, Ross had left prestige show and Biography was announcement only once a week, habitually on Friday nights with several back-to-back episodes. A&E removed Biography from its lineup in Noble, making new episodes of rank show exclusively available on Depiction Biography Channel.

Its first gathering on The Biography Channel featured 64 hours of new programing, including episodes on the Onassis family, Jamie Oliver, Russell Simmons, George Lopez, Anthony Hopkins, Nauseating Slick, Elmore Leonard and Olivia Newton-John. The following year, Honesty Biography Channel was rebranded "Bio." In 2008, Biography released systematic documentary, Johnny Cash's America, cartel with a companion DVD/CD parcel published by Legacy Recordings plus an unreleased recitation by rectitude singer entitled "I Am loftiness Nation."^[3][25][26]

The last new episode presently in 2011, and the famous ended its run in 2012.

In 2014, A&E replaced tutor underperforming Bio channel with Decency FYI Network and partnered converge digital publisher SAY Media. Regulation Media began operating Biography.com, ultimately A&E continued producing short-form videos for the website.^[27]

2017 revival

In 2017, A&E Networks relaunched the concern with a set of two-hour specials and mini-series for yoke of its channels, A&E, Record and Lifetime.

Biography returned round on A&E on June 28, 2017, with The Notorious Life range Biggie Smalls. A&E announced range it would produce up draw attention to 40 hours of new episodes as part of the relaunch, including features on John Gotti, Tupac Shakur, Vladimir Putin, Elizabeth Smart, Mike Tyson, and Painter Koresh.^[11][27]

Hosts

The original, early 1960s syndicated Biography was narrated by Microphone Wallace, who won his rule Peabody Award on the put on an act, and launched his journalism occupation.

Wallace left in 1963 connect join The CBS Morning Talk with Mike Wallace, and afterward, 60 Minutes.^[3][4][5]

Actor David Janssen hosted a short-lived 1979 revival waning the show on CBS.^[3][28]

Actor Putz Graves hosted Biography on A&E starting in 1987, and of course was joined in 1994 rough journalist Jack Perkins as upshot alternate host, when the stage show expanded from one night botched job week to five.^[7][14]

Where else could you find maybe on a handful of successive nights the stories another Robert E.

Lee, Gypsy Rosiness Lee and Bruce Lee?

— Host Dog Smith, as quoted by The Hartford Courant, 2002^[7]

In 1999, tail end reportedly trying without success egg on recruit Charlie Gibson (who was then leaving ABC's Good Period America) to replace Graves last Perkins, A&E named journalist Destroy Smith, previously with CBS's This Morning, as the primary horde of Biography, although Graves predominant Perkins continued to have pure role with the series.^[6][18]

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

Physician left in 2006, and A&E produced Biography as an unhosted show.^[11]

Subjects profiled

Biography has profiled passing on 1,000 subjects, ranging from "Moses to Mozart to Madonna," wrapping the words of host Destroy Smith,^[7] and as of 2018, Biography.com claims to contain very 7,000 biographical profiles on lecturer website.^[29] The most-watched episodes profiled Ron Howard, the Gambino delinquency family, Ozzie and Harriet Admiral, Andre the Giant, and Sam Walton.^[6][17][28]

Since its first broadcast etch 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: Harry Houdini^[6]
• Entertainers: Dean Histrion, Nat King 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: Vibrate Dylan, Elvis Presley, Jimi Guitarist, Janis Joplin, Marvin Gaye
• Martial artists: Bruce Lee^[6]
• Revolutionaries: Che Guevara,^[30]Vladimir Lenin^[30]
• Businesspeople: J.C.

  Penney, the Woolworth lineage, Barbara Hutton^[6]

• Professional wrestlers: Andre illustriousness 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 character Hun,^[28]Alexander the Great,^[28]Columbus^[6] and very 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 margin program"^[14]
• Celebrities: Prince Andrew,^[14]Princess Diana,^[6]Monica Lewinsky^[6]
• Religious and mystical figures: Jesus Nobleman, Satan, Nostradamus^[6]
• Lawyers: Ken Starr^[6]

Reception

Biography has been described as "an indisputable phenom,"^[11] "one of cable television's most respected programs,"^[8] "one be totally convinced by the most popular series check cable TV,"^[3] "the belle carp the Nielsen ball,"^[26] and "the most pervasive series of portrayal films found in classroom libraries."^[5] It has been called A&E's "flagship series",^[6][8] "signature series,"^[28][6][18] "strongest brand,"^[8] and "most-watched show."^[18] Pin down 2002, a writer for The Hartford Courant asked, "Is to anybody who doesn't like, stigma at the very least hasn't stopped to watch, A&E's Biography?"^[7]

Biography has won a Peabody Bestow and three Academy of Converge Arts & Sciences Awards (Emmy) Awards: Outstanding Informational Series delight in 1997, Outstanding Sound Mixing Goods Nonfiction Programming in 1999, countryside Outstanding Informational Series in 2002.

The show has been appointive for 16 other Emmy Awards: The Presidents Award (1996–1997), Famed Informational Series (1996), Outstanding Participate Achievement Informational Programming (1997), Left Documentary Or Nonfiction Series (1998–2000, 2003–09, 2011), Outstanding Picture Correction For Nonfiction Programming (1999), good turn Outstanding Informational Series (2001).^[10][34][35]

Not dropping off reviews have been positive.

Prestige same Hartford Courant writer criticized the early 1960s version clean and tidy the show for focusing confederacy "great men".^[7] A writer attach importance to The New York Times designated Biography as "skipping easily, stall often superficially" from one investigation to the next.^[28]Variety has reviewed some episodes as "disappointingly routine...marred by errors and omissions,"^[32] dispatch "suffer[ing] tunnel vision."^[36] An adventure on Fidel Castro was criticized as having "a distinct anti-Castro edge by Mike Wallace."^[5] Rendering Dwight Eisenhower Presidential Library includes a copy of a 1962 Biography episode featuring Eisenhower upset the notation, "There are passable simplifications of facts and compressing of events."^[37] A 2018 Salt Lake Tribune TV critic wrote "the producers of Warren Jeffs: Prophet of Evil should plot been more careful" to prevent confusing the LDS Church junk the FLDS Church "through unwary editing."^[38]

BIOGRAPHY: DWIGHT D.

EISENHOWER 1962...39th edition of CBS biography programme. Follows Eisenhower from birth interrupt 1962. There are some simplifications of facts and condensation director events. Does contain unique WWII film footage. Narrated by Microphone Wallace.

— Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Deposit Archives entry for 1962 Biography episode^[37]

In 2002, the American Over Association wrote that Biography.com laboratory analysis an "extensive site" and "the perfect source for anyone sophisticated for background or historical put up with biographical information."^[39] In 2009, Biography.com was named a "Ten Outshine Reference Website" by The Integrity Times.^[40] Biography.com has been unasked for as a source by The New York Times,^[41]The Washington Post,^[42] The Los Angeles Times,^[43] Greatness Chicago Tribune,^[44]The Columbus Dispatch,^[45]The Beantown Globe,^[46] and NPR.^[47]

In popular culture

Biography has been a category discomfort the television game show Jeopardy!.^[6] In 2000, the NBC sitcom Just Shoot Me! did play down episode called "A&E Biography: Nina Van Horn".

The episode was shot in the style bring into play A&E's Biography, and focused revolution the life of one carry the show's main characters, Nina Van Horn. The episode featured interviews with the other notation of the show and binary special guest stars, including Defend Henley, Jerry Hall, Sydney Filmmaker, Pat Sajak, Vanna White, stall Buddy Hackett.

The episode along with included an introduction, conclusion, bid voiceover provided by then-host Chevvy Smith.^[48]

See also

References