Battle of the Network Stars
- Howard Cosell
- Tony Potts
- Mike Greenberg
- Joe Tessitore
- 12 (1976–88)
- 1 (2017)
- 19 (1976–88)
- 10 (2017)
- Andrew Glassman (2017)
- Chris Carlson (2017)
- Michael Antinoro (2017)
- Will Staeger (2017)
- 120 minutes (1976–2003)
- 60 minutes (2017)
- Trans World International (1976–88)
- ABC Sports (1976–88)
- Glassman Media (2017)
- IMG Media (2017)
December 10, 1988 (1988-12-10)
September 7, 2017 (2017-09-07)
Battle of the Network Stars is a series of competitions in which television stars from ABC, CBS and NBC would compete in various sporting events. A total of 19 of these competitions were held between 1976 and 1988, all of which were aired by ABC.
In 2003, NBC attempted to revive Battle of the Network Stars with a two-hour special.
In 2005, Bravo premiered a revived version of the show named Battle of the Network Reality Stars. Also in 2005, ESPN premiered a short-lived, sports-themed spinoff version of Battle of the Network Stars as Battle of the Gridiron Stars featuring twenty players from the AFC and NFC competing in a variety of tasks that had nothing to do with football.
In 2017, ABC revived the series as a summer series; which ran from June 29 to September 7, 2017.
Broadcast history
The first Battle was broadcast on ABC starting in November 1976. The program proved popular and continued for an additional eight and a half years, with subsequent episodes airing approximately every six months until May 1985. One final competition aired in December 1988. NBC tried to revive the competition in August 2003 with Tony Potts as host, but with an intra-network contest consisting of personalities from the NBC family of networks. Typically, episodes were aired twice per calendar year, once during the spring and once during the fall during Nielsen Ratings sweeps weeks.
Sports broadcaster Howard Cosell hosted or co-hosted all but one of the first nineteen competitions (he did not host the 1985 edition due to a falling-out with ABC, but he returned for the final edition in 1988), and commented on the action with a semi-serious version of the style for which he was famous.
When ABC revived the program as a weekly series in 2017, Mike Greenberg and Joe Tessitore took over the hosting duties. Furthermore, each episode began with a remake of the opening sequence of ABC's Wide World of Sports.
Format
1976–1988
All but one of the competitions took place at the sports facilities of Pepperdine University near Malibu, California, the exception being XVIII which was held in Ixtapa, Mexico.
Each network was represented by eight or ten of its stars from various series, and one of those people from each team would be elected to serve as the network's team captain.
Some of the events were modeled after those used on The Superstars, another Trans World-ABC production that featured athletes from all sports competing against each other for an overall title. Regular events included swimming, kayaking, volleyball, golf, tennis, bowling (on custom-made outdoor lanes), cycling, 3-on-3 football, the baseball dunk, running, and the obstacle course. Also featured as a regular event was a game of "Simon Says", directed by Catskill hotel Grossinger's entertainer Lou Goldstein.[1] Each network received points based on how it performed in the event.
After the regular events were over, the lowest scoring network was eliminated from further competition and the two remaining networks determined the day's winner with the final event, the Tug of War.
2017
Two teams of five celebrities compete each week with a professional athlete as their coach (The coaches return throughout the season). The teams are typically assigned based on the genre or role of the celebrities' notable TV credits. For example, one episode pitted prime-time soap opera stars against actors associated with comedies, while another had had actors who played lawyers vs. those who played White House employees. Teams often include at least one veteran actor or actress who previously competed in the original Battle of the Network Stars and archive footage of their previous appearance(s) is shown. The venue remains Pepperdine University, as was the original.
Rosters
1976–1988
Battles I-III: Each network had a roster of 10 stars: six men and four women.
Battles IV-VI: Each network had a roster of eight stars: five men and three women.
Battles VII-XIX: Each network had a roster of eight stars: four men and four women.
Events
1976–1988
Battle I: Swimming Relay, Tennis, Golf, Baseball Dunk, Bicycle Relay, Obstacle Course, Volleyball, Running Relay, Tug-of-War
Battle II: Swimming Relay, Kayak Relay, Baseball Dunk, Obstacle Course, Golf, Running Relay, 3-on-3 Football, Tug-of-war
Battle III: Swimming Relay, Kayak Relay, Bowling, Baseball Dunk, Obstacle Course, Golf, Running Relay, 3-on-3 Football, Tug-of-War
Battle IV: Swimming Relay, Kayak Relay, Frisbee Catch, Baseball Dunk, Obstacle Course, Running Relay, 3-on-3 Football, Tug-of-War
Battles V-VII: Swimming Relay, Kayak Relay, 3-on-3 Football, Baseball Dunk, Obstacle Course, Running Relay, Tug-of-War
Battles VIII-XVII: Swimming Relay, Kayak Relay, 3-on-3 Football, Baseball Dunk, Obstacle Course, Tandem Bike Relay, Running Relay, Tug-of-War
Battle XVIII: Swimming Relay, Running Relay, Beach (Kayak) Relay, Mexican Fishing Boat Race, Tennis, Volleyball, Obstacle Course, Tug-of-War
Battle XIX: Kayak Relay, Swimming Relay, Baseball Dunk, Obstacle Course, Running Relay, Tandem Bike Race, Tug-of-War
2017
Running Relay, Swimming Relay (2-on-2), Kayak Relay (2-on-2), Baseball Dunk, Tennis (service return), Archery, Soccer (target practice), Basketball (3-point shooting), Golf (closest to pin), Women's Obstacle Course, Men's Obstacle Course, Tug-of-War
Episodes
Battle of the Network Stars I (Nov. 13, 1976)
Battle of the Network Stars II (Feb. 28, 1977)
This edition aired under the title Challenge of the Network Stars.
Hosts | ABC | CBS | NBC (winner) |
---|---|---|---|
Howard Cosell Bruce Jenner O. J. Simpson | Gabe Kaplan (captain) LeVar Burton Darleen Carr Richard Hatch Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs Ron Howard Hal Linden Kristy McNichol Penny Marshall Jaclyn Smith | Telly Savalas (captain) Sonny Bono Kevin Dobson Mike Farrell David Groh Linda Lavin Lee Meriwether Rob Reiner Loretta Swit Marcia Wallace | Robert Conrad (captain) Elizabeth Allen Lynda Day George Carl Franklin Karen Grassle Dan Haggerty Art Hindle Kurt Russell Jane Seymour W. K. Stratton |
Battle of the Network Stars III (Nov. 4, 1977)
Battle of the Network Stars IV (May 7, 1978)
Battle of the Network Stars V (Nov. 18, 1978)
Hosts | ABC | CBS | NBC (winner) |
---|---|---|---|
Howard Cosell Frank Gifford | Gabe Kaplan (captain) Debby Boone Billy Crystal Joyce DeWitt Richard Hatch Maren Jensen Robert Urich Robin Williams | McLean Stevenson (captain) Valerie Bertinelli LeVar Burton Lou Ferrigno Pat Klous David Letterman Tim Reid Charlene Tilton | Robert Conrad (captain) Joseph Bottoms William Devane Pamela Hensley Brianne Leary Wendy Rastatter William Shatner Caskey Swaim |
Battle of the Network Stars VI (May 7, 1979)
Battle of the Network Stars VII (Nov. 2, 1979)
Hosts | ABC | CBS | NBC (winner) |
---|---|---|---|
Howard Cosell Billy Crystal | Dick Van Patten (captain) Willie Aames Diana Canova Joanna Cassidy Robert Hays Max Gail Kristy McNichol Shelley Smith | Ed Asner (captain) Valerie Bertinelli Gregory Harrison Howard Hesseman Kathryn Leigh Scott Judy Norton Taylor Jan Smithers Allen Williams | Robert Conrad (captain) Greg Evigan Gil Gerard Melissa Gilbert Erin Gray Randi Oakes Sarah Purcell Patrick Wayne |
Battle of the Network Stars VIII (May 4, 1980)
Battle of the Network Stars IX (Dec. 5, 1980)
Hosts | ABC | CBS (winner) | NBC |
---|---|---|---|
Howard Cosell Cathy Lee Crosby | John Davidson (captain) Willie Aames Scott Baio Phyllis Davis Donna Dixon Max Gail Ann Jillian Susan Richardson | Jamie Farr (captain) Gregory Harrison Diane Ladd Donna Mills Judy Norton Taylor Tom Selleck Joan Van Ark Robert Walden | Arte Johnson (captain) Byron Allen John Beck Greg Evigan Erin Gray Judy Landers Sarah Purcell Cristina Raines |
Battle of the Network Stars X (May 8, 1981)
Hosts | ABC | CBS (winner) | NBC |
---|---|---|---|
Howard Cosell Erin Gray | Robert Urich (captain) Scott Baio Melanie Chartoff Jeff Conaway Linda Evans Jenilee Harrison Bo Hopkins Ann Jillian | Tom Selleck (captain) Danielle Brisebois Gregory Harrison Michele Lee Leigh McCloskey Judy Norton Taylor Tim Reid Charlene Tilton | Barbara Mandrell (captain) Woody Brown Melissa Gilbert Brian Kerwin Louise Mandrell Randi Oakes Skip Stephenson Michael Warren |
Battle of the Network Stars XI (Nov. 20, 1981)
Battle of the Network Stars XII (May 5, 1982)
Hosts | ABC | CBS (winner) | NBC |
---|---|---|---|
Howard Cosell Randi Oakes | William Shatner (captain) Douglas Barr Joan Collins Lydia Cornell John Davidson Telma Hopkins John James Heather Thomas | Pernell Roberts (captain) Catherine Bach Danielle Brisebois Audrey Landers Brian Stokes Mitchell Joan Van Ark Robert Walden Tom Wopat | Daniel J. Travanti (captain) Debbie Allen Mark Harmon Nancy McKeon Joe Piscopo Cristina Raines Lynn Redgrave Bruce Weitz |
Battle of the Network Stars XIII (Oct. 1, 1982)
Hosts | ABC (winner) | CBS | NBC |
---|---|---|---|
Howard Cosell Debbie Allen | William Shatner (captain) Stephen Collins Helen Hunt John James Heather Locklear Kathy Maisnik Heather Thomas Demond Wilson | Kevin Dobson (captain) Bruce Boxleitner Delta Burke Byron Cherry Christopher Norris Jameson Parker Penny Peyser Joan Van Ark | Daniel J. Travanti (captain) Dean Butler Tina Gayle Melissa Gilbert Ricky Schroder Leigh Taylor-Young Betty Thomas Michael Warren |
Battle of the Network Stars XIV (May 4, 1983)
Hosts | ABC (winner) | CBS | NBC |
---|---|---|---|
Howard Cosell Morgan Fairchild | John James (captain) Scott Baio Rachel Dennison Lisa Eilbacher Heather Locklear Randi Oakes Geoffrey Scott Adrian Zmed | Tom Wopat (captain) John Beck Danielle Brisebois Audrey Landers Denise Miller William R. Moses Tracy Nelson Ted Shackelford | Bruce Weitz (captain) Peter Barton David Birney Meredith Baxter-Birney Nancy McKeon Cynthia Sikes Mr. T Betty Thomas |
Battle of the Network Stars XV (Nov. 3, 1983)
Battle of the Network Stars XVI (May 3, 1984)
Hosts | ABC | CBS (winner) | NBC |
---|---|---|---|
Howard Cosell Scott Baio Debby Boone | John James (captain) Shari Belafonte Pamela Bellwood James Darren C. Thomas Howell Ted Lange Heather Locklear Shawn Weatherly | William Devane (captain) Richard Dean Anderson Abby Dalton Sarah Douglas William R. Moses Douglas Sheehan Charlene Tilton Celia Weston | Flip Wilson (captain) Ellen Bry Kim Fields Michael J. Fox Charles Haid Mark Harmon Vicki Lawrence Lisa Whelchel |
Battle of the Network Stars XVII (Dec. 20, 1984)
Battle of the Network Stars XVIII (May 23, 1985)
Battle of the Network Stars XIX (Dec. 10, 1988)
Hosts | ABC Team (Winner) | CBS Team | NBC Team |
---|---|---|---|
Howard Cosell Shari Belafonte | John Davidson (captain) Rebeca Arthur Allyce Beasley Olivia d'Abo Brian Robbins Rob Stone JoAnn Willette Brian Wimmer | Lorenzo Lamas (captain) Kristian Alfonso Steve Kanaly Daphne Reid William Sanderson Jack Scalia Nicollette Sheridan Charlene Tilton | Greg Evigan (captain) Teri Copley Clifton Davis Deidre Hall Dawnn Lewis Blair Underwood Malcolm-Jamal Warner Tina Yothers |
Total overall wins – ABC: 7, CBS: 6, NBC: 6
Battle of the Network Stars (2017)
For this edition, rather than the standard network vs. network format, fielding of the teams is based on the TV characters attributed to each celebrity—cops vs. TV sitcoms, White House vs. lawyers, TV moms & dads vs. TV kids, etc.[2]
See also
- Battle of the Network Reality Stars
- Circus of the Stars
- Disney Channel Games
- Laff-A-Lympics
- Star Games
- Second City Television which featured a parody, "Battle of the PBS Stars".
- The Superstars
References
- ^ SRO Productions Archived May 13, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "100 TV Stars in Pursuit of Athletic Glory on Battle of the Network Stars – Battle of the Network Stars". ABC.
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (June 30, 2017). "UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Thursday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 6.29.2017". ShowBuzzDaily. Archived from the original on July 1, 2017. Retrieved July 9, 2017.
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (July 7, 2017). "UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Thursday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 7.6.2017". ShowBuzzDaily. Archived from the original on July 8, 2017. Retrieved July 7, 2017.
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (July 14, 2017). "UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Thursday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 7.13.2017". ShowBuzzDaily. Archived from the original on July 14, 2017. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (July 21, 2017). "UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Thursday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 7.20.2017". ShowBuzzDaily. Archived from the original on July 22, 2017. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (July 28, 2017). "UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Thursday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 7.27.2017". ShowBuzzDaily. Archived from the original on July 29, 2017. Retrieved July 28, 2017.
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (August 4, 2017). "UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Thursday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 8.3.2017". ShowBuzzDaily. Archived from the original on August 5, 2017. Retrieved August 4, 2017.
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (August 18, 2017). "UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Thursday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 8.17.2017". ShowBuzzDaily. Archived from the original on August 19, 2017. Retrieved August 18, 2017.
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (August 25, 2017). "UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Thursday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 8.24.2017". ShowBuzzDaily. Archived from the original on August 26, 2017. Retrieved August 25, 2017.
- ^ a b Metcalf, Mitch (September 11, 2017). "UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Thursday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 9.7.2017". ShowBuzzDaily. Archived from the original on September 9, 2017. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
External links
- Battle of the Network Stars at IMDb
- YouTube Video of Simon Says
- v
- t
- e
- History
- Announcers
- Open Championship
- PGA Championship
- U.S. Open
- Events
- Key personnel
- The American Sportsman
- Battle of the Network Stars
- Vinko Bogataj
- ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex
- Evel Knievel
- "Nadia's Theme"
- Superstars
- List of longest-running United States television series
- History of ABC Sports