Search premiered on NBC on February 21, 1972. Search, made in conjunction with Warner Bros. Television, was a contemporary look at today's world, tinged with a touch of little-known electronic magic, plus a peek into the future based on existing techniques and what they may expand into. Search, as a series, grew from a two-hour film televised in February 1972, titled "World Premiere Probe," starring Hugh O' Brien as an electronic private-eye. He's in the employ of World Securities, a firm which protects and insures banks, national treasures, art collections and the like. As a Probe - the firm's designation for its "agent" or "operative" - O'Brien works in Probe Division, specializing in the search and recovery of "that which is missing." With the expansion of the original film into a series of one-hour episodes under the new title, Search, operations of Probe adventures have been expanded to include another two stars - Tony Franciosa and Doug McClure. This makes certain O'Brian's talents aren't overexposed, and that personality and physical traits of the three stars can be matched up to ever-varying storylines to pique continuing audience interest through variety.
