7.0
Biography (1987)
6.7 27 seasons 355 episodes Returning Series
Biography is a documentary television series. It was originally a half-hour filmed series produced for CBS by David Wolper from 1961 to 1964 and hosted by Mike Wallace. The A&E Network later re-ran it and has produced new episodes since 1987. The older version featured historical figures such as Helen Keller and Mark Twain, or long-dead entertainment figures such as Will Rogers or John Barrymore. The A&E series has placed the emphasis on such people as Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Plácido Domingo, Freddie Mercury, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Eric Clapton, Pope John Paul II, Gene Tierney, Selena, Diego Rivera, Mao Zedong and Queen Elizabeth II, and fictional characters like The Phantom, Superman, Hamlet, Betty Boop, and Santa Claus. The program ended up profiling enough figures that in 1999, A&E spun it off into an entire network, The Biography Channel.
Seasons & episodes
E1Anastasia: Her True StoryJan 9, 1997 · 1h 0m
Born in 1901, she was supposedly the fourth and final daughter of the Russian czar. But the woman who claimed to be the princess for over 6…
E2Andy Griffith: Hollywood's Homespun HeroJan 16, 1997 · 1h 0m
Born in Mount Airy, North Carolina, Andy Griffith started studying to become a preacher, but then changed to music and drama. All of these…
E3Augustus: First of the EmperorsJan 23, 1997 · 1h 0m
Explore the life and legacy of Gaius Octavius—better known as Augustus—who transformed Rome from a republic torn by civil war into a stable…
E4Ayatollah Khomeini: Holy TerrorJan 30, 1997 · 1h 0m
For most, the mention of the Ayatollah Khomeini conjures up haunting images of blindfolded hostages being led from the American Embassy in…
E5Caligula: Reign of MadnessFeb 6, 1997 · 1h 0m
His reign lasted only four years and he was dead at the age of 28. Yet, as the third emperor of the Roman empire, he remains one of the mos…
E6Charles Kuralt: A Life on the RoadFeb 13, 1997 · 1h 0m
His knack lay in finding the universal themes in "small" stories. His easygoing charm and unique approach to reporting made him one of jour…
E7Constantine: The Christian EmperorFeb 20, 1997 · 1h 0m
Chronicle the life of Constantine the Great, the Roman ruler who forever changed the course of Western civilization by embracing Christiani…
E8David Copperfield: Master of IllusionFeb 27, 1997 · 1h 0m
David Copperfield is widely regarded as one of the world’s most famous magicians. Through archival footage of his greatest televised perfor…
E9Diana: The People's PrincessMar 6, 1997 · 1h 0m
Trace the life of Diana, Princess of Wales, from her emergence as a shy young woman entering the British royal family to her transformation…
E10Dow and Jones: Wizards of Wall StreetMar 13, 1997 · 1h 0m
The fascinating story of the lives and partnership of Charles Dow and Edward Jones, whose combined talents produced the Dow Jones Industria…
E11Dutch Schultz: Menace to SocietyMar 20, 1997 · 1h 0m
He was considered, even among gangsters, "totally evil." When his father abandoned the family, he quit school and began a life of crime to…
E12Edgar Cayce: The Sleeping PsychicMar 27, 1997 · 1h 0m
While appearing to sleep, he touched the lives of thousands and saw into the future. His remarkable gift made him the most famous spiritual…
E13Edward R. Murrow: Voice of AmericaApr 3, 1997 · 1h 0m
He virtually invented broadcast journalism, setting all its standards and breaking all its rules. Edward R. Murrow is the pivotal figure in…
E14Eliot Ness: UntouchableApr 10, 1997 · 1h 0m
He was a prohibition agent who became an alcoholic. A moral idealist who married three times. A crime fighter whose name is forever linked…
E15Elizabeth I: The Virgin QueenApr 17, 1997 · 1h 0m
The episode examines the turbulent early reign of Elizabeth I, beginning with her rise to the throne after the death of her sister, Mary I.…
E16Elizabeth: The Reluctant MonarchApr 24, 1997 · 1h 0m
The episode presents an in‑depth profile of Queen Elizabeth II, exploring how a young woman who never expected to rule became one of the mo…
E17Erwin Rommel: The Last KnightMay 1, 1997 · 1h 0m
He served the cruelest monster who ever lived, yet emerged with his reputation intact. His military brilliance and sense of honor earned hi…
E18F. Scott Fitzgerald: The Great American DreamerMay 8, 1997 · 1h 0m
The episode traces the brilliant yet turbulent life of F. Scott Fitzgerald, the novelist whose work came to define the Jazz Age. It follows…
E19Frank Costello: Prime Minister of the MobMay 15, 1997 · 1h 0m
The episode chronicles the life of Frank Costello, the influential underworld figure whose calm demeanor and political savvy earned him the…
E20General George C. Marshall: Soldier and StatesmanMay 22, 1997 · 1h 0m
This is the epic story of the monumental soldier and statesman who--perhaps more than anybody else--shaped the world we live in today. He i…
E21George Armstrong Custer: America's Golden CavalierMay 29, 1997 · 1h 0m
He rose to fame as the youngest general in the Union Army, leading a pivotal charge at Gettysburg, but earned a place in history for his il…
E22Hadrian: Emperor of the Golden AgeJun 5, 1997 · 1h 0m
Explore the life and legacy of one of Rome’s most enlightened rulers, Hadrian, whose reign marked a period of peace, prosperity, and cultur…
E23Ivan the Terrible: Might and MadnessJun 12, 1997 · 1h 0m
Examine the violent, transformative reign of Ivan IV, the first tsar of Russia, whose rule fused sweeping ambition with terrifying brutalit…
E24J.C. Penney: Main Street MillionaireJun 19, 1997 · 1h 0m
This program profiles the life and business career of one of America's greatest entrepreneurs, J.C. Penney. Interviews with family, friends…
E25JFK: A Personal StoryJun 26, 1997 · 1h 0m
He will always be remembered as the youthful president who inspired America, a charismatic leader who gave the nation a sense of pride and…
E26Jimmy Stewart: His Wonderful LifeJul 3, 1997 · 1h 0m
His distinctive drawl and all‑American charm made him an icon. His partnership with director Frank Capra created some of the most beloved f…
E27Joseph Kennedy, Sr.: Father of an American DynastyJul 10, 1997 · 1h 0m
His parents were determined that he rise above the level of the "saloon- keeping" Irish. He succeeded beyond their wildest dreams. Joseph K…
E28Julius Caesar: Master of the Roman WorldJul 17, 1997 · 1h 0m
Discover the rise and fall of one of history’s most brilliant and controversial leaders. It follows Caesar’s journey from ambitious young n…
E29Justinian: The Last of the RomansJul 24, 1997 · 1h 0m
The episode explores the extraordinary reign of Justinian I, the Byzantine emperor whose ambition to restore Rome’s former glory reshaped t…
E30Katharine Graham: Pillar of the PostJul 31, 1997 · 1h 0m
The episode profiles Katharine Graham, the pioneering publisher who transformed The Washington Post into one of America’s most influential…
E31Leonardo Da Vinci: Renaissance MasterAug 7, 1997 · 1h 0m
He is widely regarded as the greatest artist who ever lived. Yet this remarkable genius was equally skilled as an architect, engineer and s…
E32Lucrezia Borgia: Pretty PoisonAug 14, 1997 · 1h 0m
Born the illegitimate daughter of Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia--later Pope Alexander VI--Lucrezia Borgia was three times married to further her…
E33Martin Luther King, Jr.: The Man and the DreamAug 21, 1997 · 1h 0m
The episode traces the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the minister‑turned‑activist whose moral courage and soaring oratory helped tra…
E34Meyer Lansky: Mob TycoonAug 28, 1997 · 1h 0m
The episode explores the life of Meyer Lansky, the criminal mastermind whose quiet intelligence and financial genius made him one of the mo…
E35Mother Teresa: A Life of DevotionSep 4, 1997 · 1h 0m
When called to serve by God, she responded like no other in modern times. Her phenomenal labors on behalf of the poor, unwanted and needy e…
E36Nancy Reagan: The President's Leading LadySep 11, 1997 · 1h 0m
The episode explores the life of Nancy Reagan, the former actress who became one of the most influential First Ladies in modern American hi…
E37Neiman Marcus: Last of the Merchant KingsSep 18, 1997 · 1h 0m
They were a brother and sister with a shared vision. They succeeded beyond their wildest dreams. Carrie Nieman and Herbert Marcus both poss…
E38Nelson Rockefeller: Passionate MillionaireSep 25, 1997 · 1h 0m
He was a savvy businessman, a progressive politician, a lifelong philanthropist, and a patron of modern art. Growing up, Nelson Rockefeller…
E39Nero: The Power and the MadnessOct 2, 1997 · 1h 0m
Delve into the dramatic life of Emperor Nero, one of ancient Rome’s most infamous rulers. It traces his ascent to power as a young, charism…
E40Pancho Villa: Outlaw HeroOct 9, 1997 · 1h 0m
He led the first foreign raid on U.S. soil since the War of 1812, rose to the rank of general during the Mexican Revolution, and later beca…
E41R.H. Macy: Merchant PrinceOct 16, 1997 · 1h 0m
Born into a seafaring family on Nantucket, Rowland H. Macy took only one voyage on a whale-ship before turning his back on the sea. Enterin…
E42Sam GiancanaOct 23, 1997 · 1h 0m
The episode traces the rise and fall of Sam Giancana, the ruthless yet enigmatic boss of the Chicago Outfit whose influence stretched from…
E43Sam Walton: Bargain BillionaireOct 30, 1997 · 1h 0m
The episode chronicles the remarkable rise of Sam Walton, the Arkansas merchant whose vision and relentless drive reshaped American retail.…
E44Samuel Bronfman: Whiskey ManNov 6, 1997 · 1h 0m
The episode traces the extraordinary rise of Samuel Bronfman, the Canadian entrepreneur who built a liquor empire and became one of the mos…
E45Sigmund Freud: Analysis of a MindNov 13, 1997 · 1h 0m
The episode explores the life and groundbreaking ideas of Sigmund Freud, the Viennese physician whose theories revolutionized the understan…
E46Stanley & Livingstone: The Mercenary and the MissionaryNov 20, 1997 · 1h 0m
The episode recounts the dramatic partnership between Henry Morton Stanley, the hard‑driving journalist‑explorer, and Dr. David Livingstone…
E47The Gambinos: First Family of CrimeSep 21, 1997 · 1h 31m
Trace the rise of the Gambino crime family, one of America’s most notorious organized‑crime dynasties. It begins with Carlo Gambino, born i…
E48The Marshall Fields: A Chicago TraditionDec 4, 1997 · 1h 0m
The name is synonymous with shopping. But the saga of the Fields family is anything but a story of smooth success. Marshall Field grew rich…
E49The Woolworths: Five-and-Dime Fortune and FailureDec 11, 1997 · 1h 0m
The episode traces the rise and fall of the Woolworth family, whose five‑and‑dime stores reshaped American retail and created one of the fi…
E50Thurgood Marshall: Justice for AllDec 18, 1997 · 1h 0m
As a civil rights lawyer in the '40s and '50s, he turned the floor of the Supreme Court into his personal battleground. As a member of the…
E51Vladimir Lenin: Voice of the RevolutionDec 25, 1997 · 1h 0m
He combined lofty idealism with deadly ruthlessness, forging an empire that changed the world. Vladimir Ilyich Lenin’s vision of communism…
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