Star Search (TV series)
"Star Search" is a talent competition television series that premiered on September 17, 1983, on CBS and became a defining show of the 1980s. Hosted by Ed McMahon, the show featured contestants competing in various categories, including Male Vocalist, Female Vocalist, Young Performer, Group, Fashion Model/Spokesperson, and Comedy. Each episode showcased a challenger against a returning champion, with performances evaluated by a panel of celebrity judges who scored them on a scale from one to four stars. The competition's unique format allowed the winner to return for subsequent episodes, while the audience participated in deciding ties. Over time, the series evolved to include audience voting in the semifinal and final rounds. Contestants could win significant cash prizes, with $100,000 awarded for wins in major categories. "Star Search" is credited with influencing modern reality talent shows like "American Idol" and helped launch the careers of several now-famous entertainers, including Drew Carey and Rosie O'Donnell. The program remains significant in the history of television for its role in shaping the talent show genre.
Star Search (TV series)
Identification Television talent and variety show
Date Aired from 1983 to 1995
Star Search was a nightly prime-time television talent competition, in which contestants competed against one another in six different categories for money and a chance at fame.
On September 17, 1983, Star Search premiered on the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) network and became a staple of 1980’s television. The program was originally broadcast from the Earl Carroll Theater on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, California, and later from the Hollywood Center Studios on Las Palmas Boulevard in Hollywood. The show was hosted by the longtime cohost of The Tonight Show, Ed McMahon, and its announcer was Sam Riddle. Star Search was based on traditional talent competitions and variety shows: Contestants competed in various categories for a chance to remain on the program and ultimately to compete in the semifinal and final rounds. Before they could compete on the show, would-be contestants had to audition off-camera, and the competition was fierce. Once on the show, contestants sought to win nightly competitions against newcomers. The winner of each competition returned, and the loser was eliminated.Star Search competition was divided into six categories: Male Vocalist, Female Vocalist, Young Performer, Group, Fashion Model/Spokesperson, and Comedy. Each episode would pit a challenger against a returning champion, with the challenger having the advantage of performing first. After the brief performances, a panel of five celebrity judges voted on each contestant. Each judge could award a performance one to four stars. The scores were revealed after both performances, and the contestant with the highest average of votes would appear on the following program. In the event of a tie, the audience would cast the deciding vote, which would be revealed at the end of the show.
Originally, the contestant that remained on the show the longest in each category would win the grand prize in that category. Throughout the run of the series, however, the rules changed, and a rule was adopted that any contestant who managed to win three consecutive matches would be retired and invited to return the following week. For the semifinal and final rounds, the panel of judges was removed and replaced by audience voting. Winners of the Vocalist, Fashion Model/Spokesperson, and Comedy categories were awarded $100,000, and the winning youth performer was awarded $25,000.
Impact
Building on traditional variety- and talent-show platforms, Star Search created the foundation for reality talent shows such as American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance, Dancing with the Stars, and many more. Star Search also gave several notable celebrities their breaks in show business, including Drew Carey, Ray Romano, Dennis Miller, Rosie O’Donnell, and Sinbad.
Bibliography
Craig, Michael-Dante. The Totally Awesome 80’s TV Trivia Book. Lincoln, Nebr.: Writers Club Press, 2001.
Mansour, David. From Abba to Zoom: A Pop Culture Encyclopedia of the Late Twentieth Century. Riverside, N.J.: Andrews McMeel, 2005.
Rettenmund, Matthew. Totally Awesome 80’s: A Lexicon of the Music, Videos, Movies, TV Shows, Stars, and Trends of That Decadent Decade. New York: St. Martin’s Griffin, 1996.