1956 Stars of Tomorrow


On Saturday, January 28, 1956 the music department of Trion schools held a talent contest at the high school auditorium as part of Atlanta TV host Freddie Miller's Stars of Tomorrow television talent show.



future stars
Miller (upper right) is shown with some of the talent show contestants who were divided into three age groups. The "12 and Unders" included Victor Pettett Jr., Andrea Maddux, Steve Langston, Letha Miller and Gordon Allen, Billy Thomas, Michael Staton, Kitty Pettett, Susan Little, Donald Henderson, Anne Williams, and Diane Cantrell.  Those in the 13 to 16 age group included Max Stowe, Lamar Perkins, Jimmy Lee, Marvin Drennan, Sue McCauley, Cathy Mitchell, Wayne Haggard, Sandra and Linda DeMonia, Michael Sprayberry, Michael Mitchell, Kenneth Day, Tommy Baker, Judy Flippo, Linda Hix, Marvin Drennan, and Anne Parham. After intermission, the final portion of the contest included those 17 years of age: Dewey Lamar Faugh, Gwen Hegwood, Patsy Jackson, Annette Mosely, Mary Coffey, Sue Wesson, Buddy Daniel, Marilyn Bagley, Charlotte Cavin, and ten Trion girls who sang (names not listed).



gordon and Leatha
Gordon Allen and Letha Miller were a crowd-pleasing dancing duo.



piano
Wayne Haggard and an unidentified accompanist.



school
The negative of this image was found in the same envelope as the others. If you can identify anyone or the connection to the talent show, please contact me and I will update the caption.



quartet
Tommy Baker, Michael Mitchell, Mike Sprayberry, and Terry Massey formed the Trion High School Quartet.



the winners
These talent contest winners were scheduled to appear on the Stars of Tomorrow program broadcast from Atlanta on WAGA-TV, Channel 5, the following Sunday afternoon from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. From left to right (front row) program emcee Freddie Miller, Sue McCauley, Kathy Mitchell, Sandra and Linda Demonia, Judy Flippo, Linda Hix, and Marvin Drennan; (back row) Jimmy Lee, Max Stowe, Lamar Perkins, Wayne Haggard, Tommy Baker, Michael Mitchell, and Terry Cassey.




I remember doing homework while watching Freddie Miller when he hosted Dialing For Dollars weekday afternoons on Channel 11. He is perhaps best known as an announcer on Georgia Wrestling shows, according to his Wikipedia bio. His catchphrase was, "Don't miss it. Be there!"



The names were transcribed from Summerville News microfilm of the event. Due to the poor image quality, some of the names may have been misspelled. Please contact me with any corrections.


Photographs by T. Emmett Nunn. Courtesy of Chattooga County Library.
Names and other information from the Summerville News.




Copyright 2013 Greg W. McCollum.  All rights reserved.