Long before American Idol or America's Got Talent there was Major Bowes.
Edward Bowes (1874-1946) made it big with his Amateur Hour, first aired in April 1934 on New York City's WHN radio station. It moved to NBC on March 24, 1935, then to CBS in September 1936 until it had completed its radio run. Bowes hosted the show until his death on June 13, 1946, the day before his 72nd birthday. Hosting duties were then taken over by Ted Mack, who had joined the Bowes operation in 1935; after a few months, Mack transitioned the show to the fledgling medium of television, while the show also continued to run on radio until 1952. During the 1950-1951 season, both versions were simply titled Original Amateur Hour. In 1955, the television show became Ted Mack and the Original Amateur Hour until it closed in 1970. During its run, the show had appeared on all four major television networks.
Bowes's avuncular personality had a lot to do with the show's success. His was one of the most recognized voices during the Golden Age of radio. The rapid popularity of his show, which provided Americans with a bit of relief from the massive unemployment of the Great Depression, made him as famous as the many persons he ushered into stardom. Among the some of his better-know contestants were opera stars Lily Pons, Robert Merrill, and Beverly Sills, comedian Jack Carter, and pop singers Teresa Brewer and Frank Sinatra. Sinatra had fronted a group known as The Hoboken Four; there were so popular that Bowles reportedly brought them back week after week under different names.
I don't think there were many famous names among the contestants in the show linked below, but it does give you a good feel for the show and what Major Bowles meant for American audiences.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1kmd0qLSjQ
As a bonus, here's The Hoboken Four from 1935, with what is believed to be Frank Sinatra's first recorded song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BM5O_elYnU&list=PL6IqODMTNHPVuodLARp32vsW7EXsbzcFV&index=9
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