Biography Television

Jim Henson broke into television with a five-minute puppetry segment when he was only a freshman in college. He created puppets like none ever seen before, with expressive fabric faces and rod-controlled arms. His Muppets became world-renowned celebrities and formed the backbone of a media empire. This easy-to-listen-to biography will be published 20 years after Henson's untimely death.

In the tradition of Neil Postman's masterpiece Amusing Ourselves to Death, Audience of One shows how American media have shaped American society and politics, by interweaving two crucial stories. The first story follows the evolution of television from the three-network era of the 20th century, which joined millions of Americans in a shared monoculture, into today's zillion-channel, internet-atomized universe, which sliced and diced them into fractious, alienated subcultures. The second story is a cultural critique of Donald Trump.

Bruce Lee was a Chinese American action film star, martial arts instructor, filmmaker, and philosopher. His Hong Kong- and Hollywood-produced films elevated the traditional martial arts film to a new level of popularity and acclaim. Through such films as Way of the Dragon and Enter the Dragon, Lee helped to change the way Asians were presented in American films, and in the process he became an iconic figure known throughout the world.

The iconic actor best known for his role as Jim McDonald in Coronation Street, Charlie Lawson unveils a life as dramatic off-screen as his on-screen roles. In his own words, he recounts his shenanigans at boarding school, his experience of the Troubles in his native Northern Ireland, his time at drama school and his first acting roles–as well many boisterous nights out and a short-lived attempt to run an illicit club night in 1980s East London.

For over forty years, ventriloquist Shari Lewis and her sassy hand puppet Lamb Chop were the most beloved team in children's television. Together with her other puppets Charlie Horse and Hush Puppy, Shari raised three generations of kids and struggled to stay relevant in an industry that was constantly changing. In this audiobook, cowritten and recorded by Shari's daughter Mallory Lewis (who now performs with Lamb Chop) and producer-biographer Nat Segaloff, you'll hear how Shari survived using sheer will and talent.

Michael Jackson's journey to fame began in 1966 at age eight, when he started singing with his brothers in the Jackson 5. In the early 1970s, he launched a solo career, accumulating a dozen number-one singles. His record-breaking album, Thriller, has sold an estimated 110 million copies worldwide. He won 17 Grammy awards and was introduced into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice. In 2009, people of all ages mourned Michael's sudden death.

On the Frontlines of the Television War is the story of Yasutsune "Tony" Hirashiki's 10 years in Vietnam - beginning when he arrived in 1966 as a young freelancer with a 16mm camera but without a job or the slightest grasp of English and ending in the hectic fall of Saigon in 1975 when he was literally thrown on one of the last flights out. His memoir has all the exciting tales of peril, hardship, and close calls as the best of battle memoirs but it is primarily a story of very real and yet remarkable people: the soldiers, the reporters, and the photographers.

Why Is This Lying Bastard Lying To Me? – a question famously asked by grand inquisitor Jeremy Paxman – is Rob Burley’s deliciously irreverent and gossipy insider’s account of 25 years working at the very top of British political television – and the unique insight he’s gained on the country’s politicians on the way. In this unique book Rob Burley sets out to explore the state of democracy and accountability in an era when voters have come to expect untruthfulness from their leaders.

Want to know more about the life of Jennifer Lawrence? Listen to this audiobook to learn all about Jen's childhood, family, rise to stardom, likes and dislikes, romantic life, and more!

Could Steve Wright navigate the uneasy intersection between aggression and empathy without losing himself? The answer to this question determined the course of his NFL career and his life. Steve spent over a decade taping his knuckles and preparing for battle with the Cowboys, Colts, and Raiders. It was all part of a day at the office, along with blocking for some of the best in the game, including Tony Dorsett, Bo Jackson, Eric Dickerson, and Marcus Allen. But his journey didn’t begin or end there.

From Bob Beckel, the popular co-host of The Five on Fox News Channel, a deeply moving, redemptive memoir about his life as a political operative and diplomat, his long struggle with alcohol and drugs, and his unlikely journey to finding faith. Growing up poor in an abusive home, Bob Beckel learned to be a survivor: To avoid conflict, mask his feelings, and to lie - all skills that served him well in Washington, where he would become the youngest-ever Deputy Assistant Secretary of State and manage Walter Mondale's 1984 presidential campaign.

Arthur Smith is famous for his innovation and audacity, and as the man behind some of the longest-running unscripted series in television history. His groundbreaking hit Hell’s Kitchen forged the modern food competition reality genre, while his Emmy-nominated American Ninja Warrior has spawned a cultural movement, with Ninja-inspired gyms in every major American city. In Reach, Smith shares adventures, triumphs, and hard-won lessons from his astonishing career, beginning with his unprecedented ascension from the ranks of sports production to become the youngest-ever head of CBC Sports.

In Take Me Home from the Oscars, Schwab tells for the first time her story of living an amazing life in television while suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. Schwab recounts with incredible honesty how on the same day she produced and appeared in a major makeover segment for Live with Regis & Kelly in New York and then raced to Chicago to appear on Oprah!, all while balancing medications to ward off the relentless pain that plagued her on-camera and off.

A perfect storm of pop talent, Miley Cyrus has earned her place as America's sweetheart with herflair as an actress, singer, and songwriter. Miley became an overnight sensation when shewas cast inthe popular television show Hannah Montana, and then quickly cemented her place in the pop hall of fame with the success of her albums just a few months later.

In In the Volume, actor Hyde-White shares his story from Hollywood’s front lines, which spans more than four decades of the most transformational period in film and television history. This memoir chronicles Hyde-White’s early life growing up in England; moving to Palm Springs in the 1960s; graduating from high school at 16; getting started in Hollywood; working as a cab driver, bartender, waiter, and ski shop clerk while looking for acting gigs; playing his first part in a movie as the photographer in The Toy; and more, acting in some huge box office hits.

As a shy young boy, Fred Rogers found comfort in telling stories through puppets. When television grew in popularity, he knew he wanted to create a show that encouraged kindness and goodness. His show Mister Rogers' Neighborhood shaped modern television and cemented his legacy.

Walter's Perspective provides a unique glimpse into the rough-and-tumble Chicago news business as seen through the eyes of one of its legendary players. From his first news job working as a legman to his later role as a news anchor and political commentator, Jacobson battled along the front lines of an industry undergoing dramatic changes.

Producer of television’s iconic Degrassi franchise Stephen Stohn tells stories from behind the scenes and of making it in the music and television world in this star-studded, rock ’n’ roll trip through a Canadian show business explosion. Stohn, who has been at the heart of the entertainment industry for over forty years, shares a lifetime of experience and unique insights into how dreams are turned into reality.

How many meteorologists have ever gone viral for doing something positive? Not many, but Alan Sealls did! He was proclaimed “Best Weatherman Ever” by ‘the Internet’ in 2017 for his concise, coherent, enlightening and informative forecasts of Hurricane Irma, viewed millions of times around the world.

Tapie se livre comme jamais il ne l'a fait. Deux hommes vrais, dans un dialogue complice, émouvant, sans concession. Un portrait inédit et passionnant. Celui d'un personnage fort en gueule, d'une énergie débordante, intrépide et provocateur. Un autodidacte issu d'un milieu très modeste qui a eu mille vies. Bernard Tapie, l'une des personnalités françaises les plus populaires et authentiques, dont toute la France a suivi les aventures mouvementées et qui aura marqué la politique, le sport, le monde des affaires pendant près de cinquante ans.