15 Celebrities You Never Realized Started Out on 'Star Search'

Long before the days of American Idol and America’s Got Talent, there was a little show called Star Search that launched the careers of many famous celebrities. Hosted by Tonight Show sidekick Ed McMahon, this televised talent show ran from 1983 to 1995, and then was briefly revived in 2003.

Instead of starting with a big cast and whittling it down like today's competitions, Star Search brought in challengers each week to face off head-to-head against a reigning champion. Once a champion won three matches, they’d be put through to the end of the season semifinals. Contestants competed in dance, singing and comedy, and with juniors and teens having their own categories, audiences got to see many talented people long before they became famous. And while most of these celebs didn't win big, they've all become massively successful (and a few have even gone on to judge talent competitions themselves).