Host | |
Natalie Cole | |
Broadcast | |
Syndication (Weekly): 9/15/1990-2/23/1991 | |
Packager | |
Multimedia Entertainment |
Big Break (not to be confused with Your Big Break or The Big Break) was a short-lived talent contest show. Some say that this show is a knockoff of Star Search.
Premise[]
The weekly one-hour series featured singers and musicians competing for a $100,000 cash prize with guest appearances. Winners from each week competed in the semi-finals and then the final. Voting was then done by the studio audience.
Stations[]
Stations that aired this included:
- New York - WCBS
- Los Angeles - KCBS
- Chicago - WFLD
- Philadelphia - WTXF
- San Francisco - KGO
- Washington D.C. - WJLA
- Detroit - WDIV
- Dallas - WFAA
- Houston - KHTV (now KIAH)
- Atlanta - WSB
- Tampa - WTSP
- Minneapolis - WCCO
- Seattle - KIRO
- Miami - WPLG
- Pittsburgh - KDKA
- St. Louis - KSDK
- Phoenix - KPNX
- Sacramento - KOVR
- Baltimore - WJZ
- Hartford-New Haven - WFSB
- Orlando - WFTV
- Indianapolis - WRTV
- Portland, OR - KATU
- Cincinnatti - WLWT
- Kansas City - KMBC
- Charlotte - WJZY
- Raleigh - WRAL
- Greenville, SC - WSPA
- New Orleans - WVUE
- Memphis - WPTY (now WATN)
- Oklahoma City - KOCO
- Norfolk - WTKR
- Providence - WJAR
- Birmingham - WBRC
- West Palm Beach - WPEC
- Albany, NY - WRGB
- Jacksonville - WJXT
- Tulsa - KJRH
- Mobile, AL - WALA
- Shreveport - KSLA
- Richmond - WRLH
- Toledo - WTVG
- Green Bay - WLUK
- Des Moines - WHO
- Roanoke - WSET
- Omaha - KETV
- Rochester, NY - WROC
- Cedar Rapids - KWWL
- Tucson - KOLD
- Jackson, MS - WLBT
- Columbia, SC - WACH
- Huntsville - WTRT (now defunct; previously WYLE)
- Madison - WMSN
- Las Vegas - KLAS
- Evansville - WEHT
- Waco - KXXV
- Fort Myers - WBBH
- Colorado Springs - KKTV
- El Paso - KCIK (now KFOX)
- Lansing - WLNS
- Montgomery - WCOV
- Charleston, SC - WCBD
- Lafayette, LA - KADN
- Columbus, GA - WXTX
- Fort Smith - KPOM
- Tallahassee - WTLH
- Macon - WMAZ
- Florence - WPDE
- Tyler - KLTV
- Bangor - WLBZ
- Anchorage - KIMO
- Bristol, VA - WCYB
- Boston - WCVB
- Milwaukee - WTMJ
- Columbus, OH - WCMH
- Cleveland - WKYC
- Calgary, AB - CKKX (now CICT)
- Topeka - WIBW
- Fresno - KFSN
- Portland, ME - WMTW
- Burlington, VT - WCAX
- Little Rock - KARK
- Honolulu, HI - KHNL
- Springfield, MO - KSPR
- Albuquerque, NM - KGSW (now defunct)
- Louisville - WDRB
- Grand Junction, CO - KREX
- Denver, CO - KMGH
- Santa Barbara - KCOY
- San Diego - KNSD
- Eugene, OR - KVAL
- Wilmington, NC - WITN
- Fort Wayne, IN - WPTA
- Rapid City, SD - KOTA
- Scottsbluff, NE - KDUH
- Ottumwa, IA/Kirksville, MO - KTVO
- Lexington, KY - WTVQ
- Peoria, IL - WEEK
- Boise, ID - KBCI
- Ada, OK - KTEN
- Syracuse, NY - WSTM
- Toronto, ON - CITY
- Elmira, NY - WENY
- Atlantic City, NJ - WMGM
- Erie, PA - WSEE
Trade Ads[]
Theme Lyrics[]
Rapper[]
- Have you ever dreamed about being a star?
- Singin', Dancin', Rappin', playin' Guitar!
- Well I'm here to tell you I knew a place!
- It's an avenue, where everyone can see your face!
- Get on the mic, do what'cha like!
- Might be the opportunity of your life!
- If you feel like your ready and you got what it takes,
- Hit the stage, 'cause this your Big Break!
Singers[]
- (Group) You got to be, in the place to be!
- (Female) Ai Yeah!
- (Both) Big Break!
- (Short Interlude)
- (Group) You need to be, in the place to be!
- (Female) Hey, Hey!
- (Both) Big Break!
Studio[]
Stage 28, Universal Studios Hollywood
Trivia[]
Known as "The Pied Piper of R&B", famed R&B singer, songwriter, record producer (& disgraced public figure) R. Kelly along with his former short-lived, all-black male singing group called MGM (Mentally Gifted Men) once competed on an episode of this short-lived series along with winning $100,000.
In Popular Culture[]
From only the first season, a brief clip of R. Kelly and MGM winning on this series can be briefly seen in the 2019 Lifetime documentary series Surviving R. Kelly in the first episode called ironically enough "The Pied Piper of R&B".
YouTube Video[]
'Big Break' Promo From 1990
Big Break clip (1990 Star Search knockoff starring Natalie Cole)
Big Break clip #2 (1990)
Full Episode from 1990
Full Episode from 1991