Star Search
| Star Search | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Genre | Interactive reality game show |
| Created by | Alfred Masini |
| Written by | Sam Riddle Al Masini Phil Kellard Tom Shatz Jerrod Cardwell Scott C. Voss |
| Directed by |
Tony Charmoli Tim Kiley Greg V. Fera |
| Presented by |
Ed McMahon (1983–95) Arsenio Hall (2003–04) |
| Narrated by | Sam Riddle (1983–95) |
| Theme music composer | Joseph Carbone (1983–95) |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Bob Banner Todd Wagner |
| Producer(s) | Sam Riddle |
| Running time | 60 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Bob Banner Associates (1983–88) Metromedia Television (1983–86) Television Program Enterprises (1986–93) Rysher Entertainment (1993–95) 2929 Productions (2002–04) A.Gold.er Productions (2003–04) CBS Productions (2003–04) |
| Distributor | Television Program Enterprises (1983–93) Rysher Entertainment (1993–95) King World Productions (2003–2007) CBS Television Distribution (2007–present) |
| Release | |
| Original network | Syndication (1983–95) CBS (2003–04) |
| Picture format | Color |
| Audio format | Stereo |
| Original release | September 1983 – May 20, 1995 (first run) January 2003 – April 2004 (second run) |
| External links | |
| Website | |
Star Search is an American television show that was produced by T.P.E./Rysher Entertainment from 1983 to 1995, hosted by Ed McMahon, and created by Alfred Masini. A relaunch was produced by 2929 Productions from 2003 to 2004. On both versions of the show, contestants competed in several genres of entertainment. The show was originally filmed at the old Earl Carroll Theatre (now known as Nickelodeon on Sunset), at 6230 Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood and later at the Disney Hollywood Studios in Orlando, Florida.
While categories varied slightly from season to season, the ten basic categories during the 1983–1995 version were:
Eight categories were contested per show. Potential contestants auditioned to be on the show. In each category, two selected contestants would compete, a champion and a challenger. The challenger would usually perform first, while the champion performed second. In later seasons, the champion performed first.
All acts were judged by a panel of four judges, and each judge could award an act from one to four stars (later changed to five stars). Once both acts were complete, Ed would reveal the scores, and the best average won. If there was a tie, a studio audience vote broke the tie, in which case the results were revealed at the end of the show.
Any performer must win at least several shows in a row, depending on the number of shows left in the season, to earn an entry into the next round of the competition; usually this was three or four wins in a row. In later seasons, three-match winners were automatically retired. In this case, two new performers would compete in that category the following week.
In most seasons, two semifinal shows took place, one in the fall, the other in the spring, prior to the championship show. Each semifinal used five judges. No scoring was used, and the judges' votes weren't revealed, but the acts that won their semifinals would then compete in the championship show.
On the championship show, winners of Male Vocalist, Female Vocalist, Vocal Group, Comedy, and Dance, were awarded $100,000 but no record contract was guaranteed. Many Star Search winners from the early seasons secured recording contracts within a few weeks of the end of the competition—first season vocal group winner Sawyer Brown, first season male vocalist champion Sam Harris and second season male vocalist champion Durell Coleman were the first three, and were later followed by second season vocal group winner Limited Warranty, third season female vocalist champion Linda Eder, second season junior male vocalist champion Jimmy Salvemini, whose album was produced by Luther Vandross, fourth season male vocalist champion David Slater, and first season (1985) junior female vocalist runner-up Tiffany. Despite not winning her competition (she lost to Melissa Moultrie), Tiffany, performing on Star Search as 'Tiffany Renee,' was the first Star Search alumnus to land a #1 hit, with her cover of the Top 5 Tommy James and the Shondells hit "I Think We're Alone Now" —actually improving on the original single's chart performance. The winner of the Spokesmodel category was awarded $100,000 and a contract with a well-known modeling agency. The first Spokesmodel winner was Tracey Ross, who later became a leading actress on the soap opera Passions. Winners of Junior Vocalist, Junior Dance, Teen Vocalist, and Teen Dance win $10,000.
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