Editing In Search of... (TV series) (section)

== Format ==
[[File:Leonard nimoy 1980.jpg|thumb|right|The show was originally hosted by [[Leonard Nimoy]].]]
Each episode of the program explored a general or specific topic in one of several general categories as given in the opening titles: Extraterrestrials, Magic & Witchcraft, Missing Persons, Myths & Monsters, Lost Civilizations, and Special Phenomena (changed to Strange Phenomena from season 3 onward).<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-02-08 |title=Theory and Conjecture: 'In Search of…' and the Golden Age of Paranormal TV |url=https://wearethemutants.com/2018/02/08/theory-and-conjecture-in-search-of-and-the-golden-age-of-paranormal-investigation/ |access-date=2023-12-04 |website=We Are the Mutants |language=en}}</ref> The program conducted investigations into the controversial and [[paranormal]] (e.g., [[unidentified flying object|UFO]]s, [[Bigfoot]], and the [[Loch Ness Monster]]). Additionally, it featured episodes about mysterious historical events and personalities such as [[Anna Anderson]], the [[Abraham Lincoln#Assassination|Lincoln Assassination]], the [[Jack the Ripper]] murders, infamous cults (e.g., [[Jim Jones]]), and missing persons, cities, and ships (e.g., [[Amelia Earhart]], [[Jimmy Hoffa]], [[D. B. Cooper]], the ''[[Mary Celeste]]'', the ''[[RMS Titanic|Titanic]]'', the lost [[Roanoke Colony]]). Each episode's opening credits included a verbal disclaimer about the conjectural nature of the evidence and theories to be presented:<ref>{{Citation |title=In Search Of... Intro/Outro Music, Season 1 vs 2-6 | date=January 14, 2013 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZCGocLDrR4 |access-date=2023-12-04 |language=en}}</ref>

{{cquote|This series presents information based in part on theory and conjecture. The producer's purpose is to suggest some possible explanations, but not necessarily the only ones, to the mysteries we will examine.}}

The program included interviews, reenactments, and host segments including Nimoy on location or in studio, and each episode featured voiceovers by Nimoy. The music was composed by Laurin M. Rinder and W. Michael Lewis. A soundtrack album was released on AVI (American Variety International) Records in 1977.<ref>Release catalog number AVL 6008 by American Variety International Records Distributing Corp. 9220 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, California 90069.</ref>

Nimoy wrote an episode about the turbulent life of artist [[Vincent van Gogh]], having earlier played the artist's brother Theo in a one-man show.<ref>{{Citation |last=Nimoy |first=Leonard |title=Vincent |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0937245/ |type=Biography |access-date=2023-12-04 |others=Leonard Nimoy |publisher=Petunia Productions, Plenty to Do Productions, ABC Video Enterprises}}</ref> As part of his research, Nimoy found records in the archives of the hospital where Van Gogh was treated that suggested that he suffered from [[epilepsy]] rather than insanity.

The show also spawned at least six spin-off books, all written by Landsburg with forewords by Nimoy: ''In Search of Lost Civilizations,'' ''In Search of Extraterrestrials,'' ''In Search of Magic and Witchcraft,'' ''In Search of Strange Phenomena,'' ''In Search of Missing Persons,'' and ''In Search of Myths and Monsters,'' with an additional book that collected the best segments from these existing volumes.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Alan Landsburg |url=https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/503411.Alan_Landsburg |access-date=2023-12-04 |website=www.goodreads.com}}</ref>

In 1978, Landsburg produced a Bigfoot documentary using portions of two ''In Search of...'' episodes ("The Monster Hunters" and "The Yeti") called ''Manbeast! Myth or Monster,'' based on his book ''In Search of Myths and Monsters.'' Though Nimoy had written the foreword to Landsburg's book, he did not narrate this documentary.<ref>{{Citation |last=Webster |first=Nicholas |title=Manbeast! Myth or Monster? |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0248977/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 |type=Documentary, Mystery |access-date=2023-12-04 |others=Celia Byrne, Peter Byrne, Don Hood}}</ref>

Reruns of the ''In Search of...'' series aired during the early 1990s on the [[A&E (TV channel)|A&E Network]]. In the later 1990s, the show aired on another of the [[A&E Television Networks]]' properties, the [[History (U.S. TV network)|History Channel]]. The licensing agreement with [[MCA Television]]/Universal Domestic Television expired in the early 2000s, ending the show's run. When the show aired on A&E, a re-recording of the original theme music was used plus a new alternate theme. The original opening titles were also modernized. In this incarnation virtually all of Nimoy's on-camera appearances in the series were replaced with reused footage, so viewers could hear Nimoy but not see him.

A short-lived revival of the show, featuring [[Mitch Pileggi]], aired on the [[Syfy|Sci-Fi Channel]] in 2002.

In January 2018, it was announced that [[Zachary Quinto]], who, like Nimoy, stars as [[Spock]] in the rebooted [[Star Trek (film series)#Reboot (Kelvin Timeline) films|''Star Trek'' films]], would host the revived version of the show on History Channel.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.realityblurred.com/realitytv/2018/01/history-in-search-of-zachary-quinto/|title=Zachary Quinto investigates the paranormal on History's revival of In Search Of – reality blurred|date=January 30, 2018|access-date=June 13, 2018}}</ref> On March 27, 2019, [[History Channel]] announced the series was renewed for a second season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://renewcanceltv.com/historys-in-search-of-renewed-for-season-2-new-series-the-unxplained-with-william-shatner/|title=History's 'In Search Of' Renewed For Season 2 + New Series 'The Unxplained' With William Shatner|date=March 29, 2019|publisher=RenewCancelTV|access-date=April 4, 2019}}</ref>