Biography is a documentary television series that had three original runs, twice on CBS and the current on A&E then The Biography Channel then FYI. It was originally a half-hour filmed series produced for CBS by David Wolper from to and hosted by Mike Wallace. The A&E Network later re-ran it and has produced new episodes since 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, Carmen Miranda, 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. A revival of Biography briefly aired on CBS covering a new set of celebrities ranging from Idi Amin to Walt Disney, which was then narrated by David Janssen. The program ended up profiling enough figures that in , A&E spun it off into an entire network, The Biography Channel.
The 30 best documentaries on Netflix
13th ()
The 13th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, but this searing documentary argues that both have only taken on different forms in the years since its adoption. The Emmy-winning work, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Ava DuVernay, traces the systematic oppression of Black Americans following the official end of slavery in , from segregation to the disproportionate targeting of minorities during the war on drugs to the prison-industrial complex, of which private contractors have benefited financially.
DuVernay tackles varied and complicated forms of corruption here, but 13th is carefully plotted to show how each act of disenfranchisement leads to another, serving as a riveting rallying cry. —Kevin Jacobsen
Where to watch 13th: Netflix
EW grade: A (read the review)
Director: Ava DuVernay
Read Ava DuVernay's powerful Peabody Awards acceptance speech
American Factory ()
This first film from Barack and Michelle Obama's production company Higher Ground — and winner of the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature — is an even-handed look at the trials and tribulations o
Best-Reviewed Documentaries of All Time
(Photo by Producers Distribution Agency/Courtesy Everett Collection. Featured: Neon /Courtesy Everett Collection)
Capturing truth, life, and reality &#; one movie at a time. The best documentaries allow us to see the world with a fresh set of eyes, from social experiments (Super Size Me) to quirky competitions (The King of Kong) to political exposés (Citizenfour) to the ultimate cat video (Kedi). These are the top movies of the form, with each accredited Certified Fresh from at least critics reviews. Most recently, additions include The Rescue (documenting the miraculous Thai cave operation), Roadrunner (a raw portrait of Anthony Bourdain), Summer of Soul (which won the Golden Tomato Award for Best Documentary), Flee (a moving memoir of self-discovery), Val (exploring iconic actor Kilmer&#;s life), Fire of Love (a cinematic vista centered on a doomed romance), The Truffle Hunters (a savory delight), and musical odysseys with David Bowie, The Velvet Underground, Billie Eilish, and Sparks. Now, we present the best-reviewed documentaries, ranked by Tomatometer. &#;Alex Vo
#1
Critics Consensus: James Marsh
10 Biographical Documentaries to Watch on Netflix Now That You’ve Finished ‘Harry & Meghan'
Everyone has their own story: in the fast-paced and glamorized world of film and TV, authenticity is needed. Where dramatizations make good entertainment, sometimes a story is best told by the person who lived through it. Biographical documentaries encourage this. They have allowed people who have lived in extraordinary circumstances to claim agency over their narratives.
RELATED: 8 Filmmakers Who Have Made Both Great Fictional Films & Great Documentaries
These kinds of documentaries give us an intimate look into the truth of human lives, regardless of how exposed they may be. Where Harry & Meghanis a recent example of this, public figures are not the only ones whose stories deserve to be told. The beauty of Netflix is that there's a wide spectrum of biographical documentaries at the audience's fingertips that are guaranteed to captivate, entertain and move all.
'Sr' ()
Where the world may know Robert Downey Jr., this story is about his late father, Robert Downey Sr., the visionary filmmaker who made waves in Hollywood in the s with his absurdist and
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