2 comments about Biography - King George III.

1. In the United States, children are taught that the war of independence against Great Britain was due to the tyrannical practices of King George III as well as a Parliament that placed onerous taxes on the colonies. Both of these positions are incorrect, the actions of Parliament were thoroughly reasonable, given the British war debt. In fact the British population was more heavily taxed and they were united in believing that the colonists should pay their "fair share." George was in fact no way a tyrant, being extremely frugal in his personal finances and subject more to the will of elected representatives than other monarchs. While he eventually went mad, that had little to do with governmental practices leading to the war.
   One underlying theme that runs through the tape is the knowledge that the British people were not enamored of their monarchs until the nineteenth century. George III was not popular until he started suffering from his illness, raising the interesting point that it took acts of madness to make him popular. I was also not aware that George may have been married and a father before he married the woman that was his queen. From the perspective of historical accuracy, hopefully some day DNA analysis will determine if that was indeed the case.
   The American history books reflect a cultural bias when they paint George III as a despot who ground down the colonists with a heavy burden until they could bear it no more. Other than his mental illness, he was a reasonable monarch, and he deeply regretted the loss of the American colonies. I enjoyed this tape, seeing sides of George that I never knew before. I would like to see this tape being shown to children in American history classes so that they can see that history is often interpreted rather than factual.



2. American history tells us that George III was the tyrant from whose brutal grip the American colonies declared and won their independence. The Declaration of Independence was largely directed at the king, despite the fact I have always found Parliament the more adversarial aspect of the British government in that era. I had never really given George III much thought, nor was I even aware that he eventually went mad. Thus, the A&E Biography documentary on the life of George III greatly increased my store of knowledge - clearly, here was a truly fascinating individual.

   The video doesn't go into many details concerning the political situation in Britain during the first two decades of George III's reign aside from the problems the king had finding a minister who could deal effectively with Parliament. Having succeeded his grandfather on the throne in 1760 (at the age of 21), George III found himself, just three years later, the king of the most powerful nation on earth. During his 50+ year reign, he would lead Britain through two wars with France and one with the rebellious colonies of America. Victory in the Seven Years' War with France did, as we all know, greatly tax the English economy and populace (and no one could accuse George III of being a profligate ruler), and so it was that Parliament began taxing the American colonists. By 1783, the United States was a reality, and the loss of the colonies greatly affected the already questionable health of the monarch.

   It is the health issue that makes George III so fascinating. Experts now believe he suffered from porphyria, and the signs of mental illness appeared (according to some historians) as early as 1765. In 1788, he was clearly mad; after attempting to kill the Prince of Wales (the future King George IV, for whose notorious ways George III had little use), he was taken away in a strait jacket and subjected to the some of the era's most barbarous treatments for insanity. Much to his successor's chagrin, George III eventually recovered and assumed the reigns of power once again. He was largely a figurehead in the first decade of the 19th century, and in 1810 madness overtook him once more - George III died ten years later blind, deaf, and insane.

   Perhaps the most interesting segment of the video concerns pretty convincing evidence that, before he became king (and married Charlotte, the queen who would bear him 15 children), George III married a commoner and had three children by her. I also found the discussion of the king's final years in power interesting; the video tells us that he finally became popular beginning in 1789 because the public sympathized with him over his dread illness and the notorious behavior of his sons. There is no mention of the disdain cast upon the king in the wake of the new tax burden that followed war with France in 1793, the fact that several attempts were made on his life over the ensuing years, and that some opponents were so outspoken against the king that new sedition laws were passed in the mid-1790s.

   In the end, my feelings about George III are still mixed, but his great significance on both British as well as American history makes him a subject well worth examining. While you can only cover so much of a long and significant life in some forty-five minutes, this look at the life of the mad king provides an informative albeit somewhat pro-George III introduction to one of the most fascinating rulers in history.

2 comments about Biography - Soupy Sales (Prince of Pies).

1. This excellent A&E Biography shows how superbly Soupy Sales taught the World to laugh inspite of itself!Funnier than a barrel of Monkeys and able to throw Cream Pies with precision accuracy,Soupy sales knocked em' dead on early television back in the 1950's-60's with the baby boom generation childrens show that featured continuous slapstick jokes and gags with the type of hip humor that caught on with the adults also.You'll also see clips on Soupy Sale's hilarious 1966 Debut REKNOWNED Movie "BIRDS DO IT!"co-starring Tab Hunter and Arthur O'Connell for which many of his fans are still anxiously awaiting it's video/dvd release including the film trailer will hopefully happen someday and should be a smashing hit and a cult classic,so spread the word,it's been very,very long overdue!!Video distributors both large and small should aggressively inquire about releasing the overlooked gem of a movie!!



2. At long last!
   
   TV's favorite pie throwing funnyman..Soupy Sales
   
   has his life story recalled on A&E TV's "Biography!".
   
   In this hour long tribute to one of kids tv's most
   
   inovative but neglected performers..The show looks
   
   back at Sales' early days as a popular kid in Frank-
   
   linton,N.C.
   
   Where "His Imagination was fired up by the movies"
   
   of "The Marx & Ritz Brothers",Charlie Chaplin,Buster
   
   Keaton and "The Keystone Kops".
   
   From there,the story recalls the untimely death of
   
   Soupy's father..Struggling dry goods dealer:Irving
   
   Supman to his family's move to Huntington,West,Va.
   
   Where Soupy begins his show biz career as a copy
   
   writer and later on as a radio host and performer on
   
   a local station.
   
   After working on local West Va radio and in the
   
   nightclubs..he's invited to audition for tv station:
   
   WKRC TV in Cincinatti,Ohio..where he continues to de-
   
   vlop his talents as a broadcaster on radio & tv and
   
   as a performer on radio,nightclubs and on tv.
   
   The show continues as it goes onto to Cleveland
   
   where on a late night comedy/variety program Soupy
   
   gets his first pie in the face during a skit that
   
   spoofs the movie western:"Broken Arrow" and then
   
   his move to WXYZ TV In Detriot,Mi.
   
   When in 1953 he would host the tv comedy show for
   
   which Sales will always be remembered:"12 o'Clock Comics"/
   
   "Lunch With Soupy Sales"/"The Soupy Sales Show".
   
   While the "Biography"tribute skims over the pro-
   
   blems Sales had with network and station execs..who
   
   continiously and stupidly interferred with his creative
   
   freedom to do his tv shows his way..until they forced him
   
   off the air.
   
   The Show does give some insight into his work
   
   techniques and his love for his work,his family,his
   
   friends and most importantly..his fans!
   
   
   If You want a tv tribute that is warm,caring,
   
   honest, informative and fun?
   
   This is the one to have..Be sure to get a
   
   VHS Print of"Biography's"TV tribute to"Soupy Sales'
   
   :The Prince Of Pies!" this Christmas and Hanakah!
   
   Kevin S.Butler

5 comments about Biography - Johnny Cash, Man in Black.

1. This is a very good program. I had viewed it on the television show a few years ago, but it has not been televised lately since the movie was released in the theaters. The DVD is a good movie about the real Johnny Cash and his life. It is very informational about his life story and I really enjoyed watching it.



2. Was a little disappointed in this. It seemed too regimented and formal. Also skimmed over a lot of things without going into depth on anything. Worthwhile having but not as good as expected.



3. I saw this A&E biography on its release back in 1998, and it is what made me become a huge Johnny Cash fan. This is a terrific DVD that was well put together and thorough in its research. Whether you are just curious about Johnny Cash or are already familiar with him I think this DVD is a great document of his life and is something that can be appreciated even after multiple viewings.



4. If you are a Johnny Cash fan this is great. I got it for a Christmas gift for a co-worker and they love.



5. Trying to fit Johnny Cash's life & career into 60 minutes left me wishing the program was longer. The interviews with sister, Louise, brother, Tommy, and daughter, Rosanne, added to the many clips of live performances and gave me a better insight to the megastar. He was a very special human being who gave his fans his all through his music.

No comments about Biography - Jimmy Doolittle: King of the Sky.

No comments about Biography - Rodney Dangerfield.

2 comments about Biography - Paul Revere: The Midnight Rider.

1. All American children learn about the �midnight ride of Paul Revere� in elementary school. However, that event was only one of many things he did in the struggle that separated the American colonies from Great Britain. Furthermore, it did not really occur in the way that it is described in the famous poem, so this tape is a way to learn what really happened. He was originally a silversmith, and he used those skills to construct anti-British propaganda, which is still admired for the artistic expression today. Revere was also one of the Sons of Liberty and helped organize the famous Boston Tea Party.
   He rose to the rank of Colonel in the Continental army, although his military record is dubious, albeit somewhat unclear. It is highly likely that his most important contribution to the new nation was his role in manufacturing after the war was over. Like all colonies that gain independence, the newly freed colonies were lacking many of the economic assets that nations need, for they had previously been supplied by the colonial power. His business activity after the war helped provide some economic stability to the struggling new nation.
   Like so many people who are identified with one event, Revere�s life was far more interesting and historically significant than that event would indicate. I enjoyed this video, the re-creations with actors give it a reality that nothing else can provide. The depth of examination into his life beyond one event makes me hope that all school children view it so that they can see his many contributions to the fight for independence.



2. Paul Revere is one of our most honored heroes of the Revolution, but - as this video makes clear - the famous story of his midnight ride is a little less than accurate. The Paul Revere most of us know is basically a mythological hero, one who was borne from the pages of an 1861 poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Just because the traditional story isn't true doesn't mean Paul Revere was not a great patriot, of course - he was, as viewers of this video will learn.

   Economic self-interest seemed to play a role in Revere's Revolutionary ardor, but no one can question his commitment to the cause. As English taxes began to hurt his smithing business, Revere turned to additional means to support his growing family - he learned dentistry (and even made false teeth), and he also practiced the art of engraving. In fact, many of his propagandistic engravings played an important role in the buildup of popular support in Boston for the inevitable Revolutionary War (although he was known to copy the work of others). In the months and years leading up to the outbreak of war, Revere joined a number of secret societies and organized what was essentially a spy network of artisans and men of the working class. He also became an important courier for the Patriot cause. Revere himself, while rather successful in business, was not of the upper class - and this helps explain why history tells us little of him in the years following his famous ride.

   On the night of April 18, 1775, Revere did indeed ride out on horseback to spread the word of British troops on the move, but he was only one of many such "midnight riders." The lights in the church tower were actually meant to inform those in the distance in case Revere was unable to get through and deliver his message. He did alert farmers and villagers along the way, but he would not have said "The British are coming" because, as one historian explains, he and all the Revolutionaries were themselves British. Before reaching Lexington, Revere was actually captured by a couple of redcoats, but he basically bluffed his way to freedom (although he did lose his horse) and was there in Lexington to hear "the shot fired round the world."

   You really never hear of Paul Revere after that momentous April night in 1775; it's a mixed story. His middle class status denied him the privilege of serving as an officer in the war, but he did help lead one significant mission, the largest amphibious assault of the war - it was, to put it lightly a disaster, and Revere ended up being accused of insubordination and cowardice. He fought for the right to a court-martial hearing and was eventually acquitted of all charges. After that, he basically built up his business, expanded into a number of new industries, and died a rather wealthy man at the age of 83.

   We might never have heard of Paul Revere had not Henry Wadsworth Longfellow immortalized him in poetic form, but he was an important Patriot in the fight for American independence. As a man who in many ways represented the artisan and lower classes, his life is a conduit to the thoughts and deeds of many an unsung hero of the Revolution. Personally, I have no problem with perpetuating the myth of the midnight ride, but getting to know the real Paul Revere is also an instructional privilege.

2 comments about Biography - Richard Nixon: Man and President.

1. Great biography but if studying the life of Nixon one will need more research material.The video is not really fairly balanced and is a bit more negative then it has to be.Too much is placed on Watergate and not enough on the positives of his work.



2. But if it's got Tricky Dick Nixon in it, you KNOW it has to be good...

2 comments about Biography - The Rat Pack.

1. I saw this series when it aired on A&E and just loved it. It talks about all of the Fab Five's lives individually, as well as their lives together. There's good footage of them performing , which is a special treat to see. The series also gets into Sinatra's connection to the Kennedy election and some interesting political coincidences...



2. The Rat Pack had The World by it's Tail.these Cats did whatever they wanted&set the rules.I saw the whole thing on A&E&it was fantastic.The Rat Pack were The Ground-Breakers of Bringing Hollywood to Politics.these Guys had no Limits.these Cats were True MACKS.they didn't have to Roll with the in Crowd they were The Standard.

No comments about Biography - George Bush: His World War II Years.

No comments about Biography: Her Majesty, The Queen Mother In Public.