Artists & Authors

Biography - Bruce Lee: The Immortal Dragon (A&E DVD Archives)

Bruce Lee was an amazingly prolific, influential, and graceful man, and his mark on the world have been assured even if he hadn't made a single film. But those five films he made as an adult (he was a child actor in Hong Kong before returning to the U.S.), along with his untimely death, have captured the imagination of generations of martial arts fans. Because of his high profile, though, Lee's life has been well documented over the years--so this A&E Biography proves somewhat redundant, despite its quality. The Immortal Dragon may be more accurate than other offerings--Dragon, the Lee bio that starred Jason Scott Lee (no relation, but a remarkable resemblance), is probably the most entertaining--but there aren't enough revelations here to make it indispensable. At a scant 50 minutes, The Immortal Dragon may not have enough time to fulfill on its initial promise. How unlike Lee. --Randy Silver

He fought his way from the mean streets of Hong Kong to international superstardom. With blazing fists and a burning passion, he became one of the most celebrated kung-fu masters of all time. In classic films like Fists of Fury and Enter the Dragon, he created the martial arts action genre that has become a favorite of moviegoers worldwide. But just as he reached the height of fame, he was struck down by a mysterious ailment or was it the curse that supposedly follows his family? This fascinating program examines the short, meteoric life of Bruce Lee. Exclusive interviews with friends and family including his late son Brandon and extensive footage from home movies, screen-tests and his legendary films help reveal the man behind the myth of the Immortal Dragon.

Biography - Johnny Depp

His boyish charms have enchanted a young audience while his acting talents have captivated the older crowd leaving little doubt as to the superstar status of Johnny Depp. This entry into the Biography series takes a look at Depp's life and career drawing on comments from a number of his personal friends and associates.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DOCUMENTARIES/MISC. Rating: NR UPC: 733961752793 Manufacturer No: AAE-75279

Biography - Ernest Hemingway: Wrestling with Life (A&E DVD Archives)

Mariel Hemingway narrates this feature-length profile of her grandfather.System Requirements:Running Time 100 MinFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: DOCUMENTARIES/MISC. Rating: NR UPC: 733961719307 Manufacturer No: AAE-71930

Biography - Bob Dylan (A&E DVD Archives)

A special feature-length portrait of the kid from Hibbing, Minnesota, who became "the voice of a generation" in the turbulent 1960s. Follows Dylan's journey from folk troubadour to rock'n'roll trailblazer, and looks at his struggles to raise a family, his surprising conversion to Christianity, and the songs that made him a cultural icon by the age of 25.

Biography - Shirley Temple: The Biggest Little Star

"The Biggest Little Star," as this 100-minute video is titled, child actor-singer-dancer Shirley Temple saved a Hollywood studio and brightened the lives of Depression-era filmgoers. Peter Graves's narration is complemented by interviews of actors such as Gloria Stuart and the late Roddy McDowall, President Gerald Ford, as well as biographers and her on-set tutor. From her beginnings in a series of disquietingly sexual low-budget "Kiddie Burlesk" spoofs to her heyday in wholesome pictures such as The Little Colonel and Heidi, the sausage-curled Temple grew up onscreen before an adoring public. An accomplished dancer she was paired with the likes of Buddy Ebsen and Bill "Bojangles" Robinson. When she held hands with the latter, a black man, the pint-sized reformer not only made a small step for race relations, she inspired theaters in the Deep South to edit those parts out of her films. Her costars included Ronald Reagan and, as a pre-reader, she learned her lines from her mother before bedtime. But by age 12 she was a has-been and the very studio she had saved from bankruptcy, 20th Century Fox, released her from her contract. The resilient Temple went on to a second career in Republican politics, losing a California congressional run, but securing appointments under presidents Nixon, Ford, and Bush. This video biography, part of the excellent A&E series, is crammed with clips from her movies and offers plenty of information on her two careers. Unlike others in the series, however, it provides scant details on the personal front, shedding little light on her relationships with her stage mother and apparently somewhat uninvolved father or on her two marriages. --Kimberly Heinrichs

As America's princess, Shirley Temple captured the hearts of millions with her charm, youth, and talent. She debuted at age three and became a star at six when her mother landed her the lead role in Little Miss Marker, the box-office sensation of 1934. BIOGRAPHY® traces her short, bright career in Depression-era America, a time when audiences found welcome escape in her delightful singing and dancing. Witness rare clips from Bright Eyes, Curly Top, and The Littlest Rebel, and hear from costars such as Alice Faye. Learn how she disappeared from the public eye only to reappear in politics, where she remained active for almost two decades. From childhood stardom to her highly publicized battle with breast cancer, BIOGRAPHY® presents the story of Shirley Temple, America's original sweetheart. DVD Features: Interactive Menus; Scene Selection

Biography - Katharine Hepburn (A&E DVD Archives)

Katharine Hepburn's rare combination of sophistication and sex appeal made her one of Hollywood's greatest stars. Her real-life passion made her a legend. Katharine Hepburn's acting career from Little Women and Philadelphia Story to Guess Who's Coming to Dinner and On Golden Pond spanned six decades and garnered her four Academy Awards. Throughout her life she has epitomized the independent, modern woman both on-screen and off. From her dramatic family history to her tumultuous romances with Howard Hughes, John Ford and Spencer Tracy, her companion of 26 years, Hepburn has been in a class by herself. Now rare home movies, film outtakes, screen tests and interviews with family, friends and colleagues create an intimate profile of this Hollywood legend's life.Join BIOGRAPHY for an unforgettable look at the irrepressible Katharine Hepburn.

Biography - Frida Kahlo (A&E DVD Archives)

Portrait of the Mexican artist who began painting at age 15 while convalescing from a serious accident. Frida Kahlo sent her work to the great Diego Rivera, whom she later married. Pain, which dogged her all her life, and the suffering of women, are recurring and indelible themes in her often shocking works. Characterized by vibrant imagery, many of her pictures are striking self-portraits.

Biography - Jane Austen

In six extraordinary works she cast her ironic but ultimately sympathetic eye on the life of privilege in Georgian England. But her work was not appreciated until well after her lifetime.Jane Austen's books have been in print continuously for over two centuries. They have been made into movies sometimes several times in a single year. Her wit and wisdom remain undimmed though the world she chronicled has long since disappeared. And her incredible artistic achievement is all the more impressive when one considers that she wrote her two greatest novels Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility before she turned 21. From her brief life to her place in the literary canon BIOGRAPHY® draws on interviews with experts and Austen's own words to tell her unique tale.System Requirements:Running Time: 50 MinutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: DOCUMENTARIES/MISC. Rating: NR UPC: 733961764352 Manufacturer No: AAE-76435

Biography - The Osmonds: Pure and Simple

Suffice it to say that the stories related in A&E's Osmonds: Pure and Simple are all but squeaky clean. There are no secret drug problems, no criminal activities, and no one-night-stands with groupies. In fact, there's nothing the least bit scandalous to be found in the entire 50-minute program (except perhaps, those horrendous '70s outfits). What there is, however, are tales of spirit, growth, and triumph, all of which occur while the spotlight shines on one of the most popular families in show biz.

Four decades are covered, and the story begins, of course, with the marriage of the Osmond parents, who raised nine children in Salt Lake City's Mormon community. It was on a family trip to Yellowstone that the boys discovered their distinctive harmony and decided to form a quartet. Their parents opted not to pressure the boys into using their talents but allowed the group to make its own decisions--they decided to be entertainers. The program provides a well-written history of the group's rise from Disneyland Barbershop Quartet to their seven-year run on The Andy Williams Show in the mid-1960's, and through the pop chart successes that provided a launch pad for the solo careers of both Donny and Marie.

It's probably obvious that there's a happy ending to the program, which is filled with interviews featuring every member of the joyful clan and provides a fairly broad overview of this show business force. There's also plenty of clips from The Donny and Marie Show (both the 1970s and 1990s versions), which allow us to revel in this nostalgia along with the family that created it. --Zach Lively

Profile of the singing brothers who burst upon the pop scene in the seventies on the "Andy Williams Show", and went on to sell more than 80 million records and break countless hearts. Includes interviews with Alan, Donny, George, Jay, Jimmy, Merrill, Olive, Wayne, and Marie Osmond.

Biography - Oscar Wilde (A&E DVD Archives)

The life of the legendary writer and wit who was the toast of London in the 1890s, but who ended his days alone after a homosexual affair led to his imprisonment. Using a surprising wealth of archival material, including hundreds of photos, readings from Wilde's letters, and period cartoons and drawings, we recall the literary giant who delighted the highest rungs of society with his brilliance, charm, and aesthetic dress.