Pick the Stars

Pick the Stars
Presented by Dick MacDougal (1954-56)
Pat Morgan (1956-57)
Country of origin  Canada
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 3
No. of episodes 117
Production
Producer(s) Drew Crossan (1954-55)
Jim Guthro (1955-57)
Running time 30 minutes
Release
Original network CBC Television
Original release 28 September 1954 – 18 June 1957

Pick the Stars is a Canadian entertainment competition television series which aired on CBC Television from 1954 to 1957.

Premise

Singers, dancers, musicians and other performers competed for cash prizes in this early Canadian talent show, replacing the 1952-54 series Now's Your Chance. Canada Packers was the series sponsor.[1][2]

The competition for the first two seasons was structured as six sets of six episodes each. In each set, there were five episodes of general competitions. The winners of each of these episodes competed in a sixth semi-final episode. Following these 36 episodes were two episodes in which the semi-final winners competed, an finally a 39th episode in which two grand prize winners were determined.[1]

For the first two seasons, contestants were judged by a panel at the studio. Semi-finalists were determined by mail sent by viewers. For the first season, panelists included Midge Arthur (wife and partner of entertainer and producer Jack Arthur), Herman Geiger-Torel (Royal Conservatory of Music), Clyde Gilmour (film critic) and Ernest Rawley (Royal Alexandra Theatre manager).[1]

Production

The half-hour series aired on Tuesday nights throughout its run, in either a 9 or 9:30 p.m. time slot.

1954-55 season

The first episode of Pick the Stars began on 28 September 1954 in its regular 9 p.m. Tuesday schedule.[3]

For the first two seasons, Dick MacDougal (Tabloid) hosted the series while Samuel Hersenhoren conducted the house orchestra.[4] Drew Crossan produced the first season.[5]

$500 cash prizes were awarded to semi-final winners, for example Quebec singer Denise Anger won a semi-final on 29 March 1955.[6]

Competitions of the semi-final winners were broadcast on 7 and 14 June 1955. The judging panel featured Jack Arthur, Leslie Bell, Clyde Gilmour, Gweneth Lloyd and Ruth Lowe.[7]

Irene Andrian and Pat Morgan won the $1000 grand prizes on 21 June 1955 season finale at the Eaton Auditorium.[8] Andrian was a singer who was already featured on CBC's Tzigane series while Morgan was a night club singer and presenter.[4][9][10]

During the first season, Globe and Mail entertainment columnist Alex Barris noted an incident in which host Dick MacDougal wished a contestant with the words "good luck". However, MacDougal was reportedly forbidden from using that phrase since it was the brand name of a margarine product that competed with sponsor Canada Packers.[11][12]

1955-56 season

The second season began on 27 September 1955, in a 9:30 p.m. Tuesday time slot.[13] The set was updated to resemble a living room.[14] Jim Guthro was the new series producer in the second season.[15]

Robert Goulet competed on the show in November 1955. He earned a first place tie on that episode with Margot Leclair, a singer from Montreal.[16]

Also in November 1955, conductor Sammy Hersenhoren's baton slipped, causing a significant self-inflicted injury to his right eye, although he continued to conduct until the end of the episode.[17]

The second season concluded with a 19 June 1956 broadcast from Toronto's Odeon-Carlton Theatre.[8] The grand prize winners were Vancouver singer Lorraine Foreman and British singers and dancers Peggy and Pat Doyle.[18]

1956-57 season

CBC made unsuccessful attempts to broadcast the series from Toronto's Loews-Uptown theatre for the third season. Instead, the production originated from CBC's Studio 4 for its 25 September 1956 season debut.[19] Pat Morgan, a 1955 grand prize winner, became the new series host. Lucio Agostini returned from music projects in the United States and replaced Hersenhoren as the series band conductor.[4]

The judging system was changed for the third and final season of Pick the Stars. Three judges were now located in various Canadian cities outside the studio and communicated their votes through telephone calls.[4] There was no longer a competition for the entire season but rather winners were determined per episode.[20] An applause meter was also used to determine winners.[21]

Auditions for potential contestants were conducted throughout Canada in late 1956, including St. John's, Newfoundland.[2]

The episode on 25 December 1956 was produced at the Winnipeg Auditorium.[22]

Episodes aired Tuesdays at 9:30 p.m. Its finale on 25 June 1957 featured performers Brian Beaton (folk singer), Reginald Bryant (singer), Nicholas Genovese (tenor singer) and Helen Valenaks (piano).[23] CBC cancelled the series by August 1957.[24]

Notable guests

References

  1. 1 2 3 Allan, Blaine (1996). "Pick the Stars". Queen's University. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
  2. 1 2 "C.B.C. Holding T.V. Auditions" (PDF). The Daily News. St. John's. 21 November 1956. p. 14. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
  3. ↑ "Television". The Gazette. Montreal. 28 September 1954. p. 23. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Barris, Alex (14 September 1956). "Casting About". The Globe and Mail. p. 23.
  5. ↑ Barris, Alex (8 March 1955). "Casting About". The Globe and Mail. p. 19.
  6. ↑ Barris, Alex (31 March 1955). "Casting About". The Globe and Mail. p. 11.
  7. ↑ Barris, Alex (7 June 1955). "Casting About". The Globe and Mail. p. 12.
  8. 1 2 Barris, Alex (29 May 1956). "Casting About". The Globe and Mail. p. 13.
  9. ↑ Blackburn, Bob (22 June 1955). "Televiews / Stars Okay but CBC's Loaded Now". Ottawa Citizen. p. 21. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
  10. ↑ Barris, Alex (6 July 1955). "Casting About". The Globe and Mail. p. 10.
  11. ↑ Barris, Alex (21 January 1955). "Casting About". The Globe and Mail. p. 31.
  12. ↑ Rutherford, Paul (1990). When Television Was Young: Primetime Canada 1952-1967. University of Toronto Press. p. 193. ISBN 0-8020-5830-2.
  13. ↑ "TV Highlights". Ottawa Citizen. 27 September 1955. p. 30. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
  14. ↑ Blackburn, Bob (28 September 1955). "Televiews / Picking The (Ugh) Star Necessary But Not Easy". Ottawa Citizen. p. 27. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
  15. ↑ Barris, Alex (18 October 1955). "Casting About". The Globe and Mail. p. 22.
  16. ↑ Barris, Alex (25 November 1954). "Casting About". The Globe and Mail. p. 23.
  17. ↑ Barris, Alex (11 November 1955). "Casting About". The Globe and Mail. p. 14.
  18. ↑ Blackburn, Bob (20 June 1956). "Televiews / Why "Pick The Stars" And Then Forget 'Em?". Ottawa Citizen. p. 3. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
  19. ↑ Barris, Alex (21 September 1956). "Casting About". The Globe and Mail. p. 12.
  20. ↑ Blackburn, Bob (19 June 1957). "Televiews". Ottawa Citizen. p. 22.
  21. ↑ Blackburn, Bob (26 September 1956). "Televiews / Judging System Craziest". Ottawa Citizen. p. 31. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
  22. ↑ "Television Programs for Christmas". The Globe and Mail. 25 December 1956. p. 22.
  23. ↑ "TV Highlights". Ottawa Citizen. 18 June 1957. p. 24. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
  24. ↑ "3 Shows Dropped, 3 Are Uncertain For CBC TV". The Globe and Mail. 1 August 1957. p. 4.
  25. ↑ Touchette, Elizabeth (28 September 1957). "Stay By Me, Diana: At 16, Paul Anka Makes the Gold Record Class". The Globe and Mail. p. B11.
  26. ↑ Barris, Alex (11 February 1955). "Casting About". The Globe and Mail. p. 9.
  27. ↑ "Profile / Rich Little". The Hour. Norwalk, Connecticut. 20 July 1976. p. 26. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
  28. ↑ "The Travellers Plan Concert At Hart House". The Globe and Mail. 1 March 1958. p. 14.
  29. ↑ Touchette, Elizabeth (3 August 1957). "Humber Singer Scores in New York". The Globe and Mail. p. B4.
  30. ↑ Whittaker, Herbert (18 April 1956). "Showbusiness". The Globe and Mail. p. 9.
  31. ↑ Barris, Alex (26 October 1955). "Casting About". The Globe and Mail. p. 22.
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