Sunday, January 8, 2012

Television Series: In Search of…



In Search of… was an American documentary television show that aired from September of 1976 until March of 1982. 

This series investigated offbeat and often controversial topics. 

In Search of

The show always began with the disclaimer that the information it presented was based upon theory and conjecture. It was stated that the purpose of  In Search of… was to “suggest some possible explanations, but not necessarily the only ones, to the mysteries we examine.” 

I found the series above all else to be very entertaining.

The series creator was Alan Landsburg, a television writer, producer, and director. Landsburg also produced “Biography” and the “National Geographic Specials,” etc. 

The original shows were based upon a series of paperbacks he wrote about ancient mysteries and their outer space connection. 
The host of In Search of

Rod Serling, the creator of the “Twilight Zone” series, hosted the original episodes. Leonard Nimoy, famous for his role as “Mr. Spock.” in the “Star Trek” series then became the regular host.

In Search of… explored and investigated an eclectic mix of subjects. The series explored everything from the death of Marilyn Monroe to the Abominable Snowman. 

The show posed the question did Sherlock Holmes really exist to a show that focused upon Sun Worshippers and solar energy. Other topics covered over six seasons were UFOs, myths and monsters, missing persons, missing cities and missing ships, and of course, the paranormal.

The show always started with a teaser and a clip introducing that episode’s topic. This was an excellent device to heighten the viewers’ anticipation. 

The format of the show included interviews, reenactments, and scene footage with voice-overs from Nimoy. 

The series aired on the A&E Network and then on The History Channel. Re-runs are no longer shown because of a licensing agreement that ended in early 2000. Most of the episodes, although can be seen on YouTube.

The series had several terrific episodes about ghosts. The first was entitled “Ghosts.” It focused upon an investigation Dr. Hans Holzer conducted. 

Holzer was a parapsychologist, ghost hunter, and a pioneer within the paranormal community, he passed away in 2009. 

Other episodes included topics about spirit voices, haunted castles, and a ghostly stakeout, which was a forerunner to all the ghost hunter shows on television today.  In Search of…  was the groundbreaker for many television shows aired today.

Here is a link to the first of three parts of the In Search of…  entitled “Ghosts.” Enjoy.
Ghosts

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