Pick the Stars
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Pat Morgan (1956-57)
| Pick the Stars | |
|---|---|
| Presented by | Dick MacDougal (1954-56) Pat Morgan (1956-57) |
| Country of origin | Canada |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 3 |
| No. of episodes | 117 |
| Production | |
| Producers | Drew Crossan (1954-55) Jim Guthro (1955-57) |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Original release | |
| Network | CBC Television |
| 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.
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]