The classic radio and television series: "The Original Amateur Hour" has just been featured on a new web site devoted to the show that launched the careers of scores of stars of radio, TV, movies, and the stage. In addition, a new 2-DVD set featuring over 5 hours of memorable moments from the series has been released. It stars one of the "graduates" of "The Original Amateur Hour" ... singing icon Pat Boone.
Long before TV's "American Idol" became a mega-hit, there was one radio and television series that started the talent competition craze. It was called: "The Original Amateur Hour." Almost 50 major stars of movies, records, stage, screen and television got their start on this series. A new web site has just been inaugurated by the show's former talent scout and historian, Albert Fisher. It features movie clips, photographs and fascinating and nostalgic information about the classic series which starred Major Edward Bowes on radio, Ted Mack on television and Willard Scott on cable TV. Fisher noted: "This is a long overdue tribute to the longest running variety series in broadcasting which spanned the years from 1934 to 1970 and again in 1992. Creating the DVD and the web site was a labor of love for me. This show not only launched the careers of so many famous stars, it was also responsible for launching my own successful career in television."
The web site: www.originalamateurhour.com, gives glimpses of the first performances of struggling amateurs such as Frank Sinatra, Pat Boone, Nick Carter, Gladys Knight, Ann-Margret, Robert Klein, Raul Julia, Beverly Sills, Connie Francis and others. It also features the very last television appearance by the dancing legend Bill "Bojangles" Robinson.
Coinciding with the launch of the web site is the release by Kultur video of a major 2-DVD set of over 5 hours of performances by stars from the series, nostalgic reminisces, the history of early radio and TV, classic full-length shows, movie shorts and some of the funniest and zany novelty acts from "The Original Amateur Hour." The DVD is hosted by one of the stars from the early TV series, singing icon Pat Boone.
"The Original Amateur Hour" was the show that introduced to the world the famous "gong" and "The Wheel of Fortune" and the well-known phrase: "round' and round' she goes, and where she stops, nobody knows."
Through the Amateur Hour web site, viewers can order the DVD and can also find out how they can find family members or friends who were on the radio and television series in the past.
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