Season 25 • Episode 2
LatestThis entry in the "Biography" series showcases the life and career of the late comedian Rodney Dangerfield. Included are highlights of his early career--many people don't know that he began his comedy career in the 1940s under the name Jack Roy--and includes clips from his performances and interviews with friends, family, admirers and colleagues.
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.
Production
Archival footage treasure hunting across decades
Writing
Narrative arcs that actually land emotional punches
Editing
Snappy pacing keeps 60 minutes from dragging
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Launched an entire cable network — The Biography Channel in 1999 — because America couldn't get enough lives summarized.
Mike Wallace hosted the original 1961-64 run, proving this franchise has been mining graves and gossip for over six decades.
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