Puttin' on the Hits

Did You Know?

• A short-lived spinoff called Puttin' on the Kids, hosted by Michael Young, aired in the 1986–87 television season.
• Celebrity judges on Puttin' on the Kids awarded savings bonds to two weekly winners.

Description

The show originated from lip synching contests developed by William "Randy" Wood. Chris Bearde attended one of these contests with his daughter and subsequently created, developed, and sold Puttin' on the Hits, serving as executive producer alongside Dick Clark. Dick Clark's son, R.A. Clark, produced the series. MCA Television handled distribution, and taping occurred at Universal City Studios in Hollywood, California. Contestants frequently employed costumes and props to enhance their performances, ranging from a performer appearing as a severed head singing "I Ain't Got Nobody" to an Aretha Franklin impersonator using couch cushions as breasts. Other acts took a more conservative approach, emphasizing performance quality. The competition followed a format similar to other televised performance contests such as Star Search. A panel of celebrity judges evaluated each act on originality, appearance, and lip-sync abilities, awarding up to ten points per category. Combined scores could reach a maximum of ninety points. In case of a tie, the judges determined the winner. Each season operated as a tournament: preliminary winners received $1,000, semifinal winners earned $5,000, and the season's grand champion won $25,000. All contestants received complimentary gifts and a videotape of their performance. After the fourth season's tournament, the three previous season champions returned to compete against that season's winner, with the victorious act earning an additional $25,000. The show is credited with launching the careers of the group Troop and drag performer Jazzmun, who later appeared in many television shows. Kato Kaelin, a notable contestant, performed Steppenwolf's "Born to Be Wild" during the third season.