The series kicks off with coverage of open casting calls in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Viewers will see inventors of all ages present their most prized inventions, featuring everything from the wacky to the heart warming.

National casting calls were held in six major cities across the country -- Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, New York, Houston and Tampa. Thousands of inventors, tinkerers and entrepreneurs of all ages applied.

"American Inventor" is the biggest search for the next great invention with wide consumer appeal. The panel of expert judges will narrow down the initial entries and choose one finalist from each city who will be given $50,000 seed money to further develop and refine his or her product for the semifinal round. In the end, it will be up to the American viewing audience to call in and vote for one of three finalists and the invention they feel is worthy of the one million dollar grand prize, moving that person one step closer to the dream of mass producing a product. The show will make the American dream come true for one innovative person who dared to act on an idea and was bold enough to go the distance to make his/her unique invention a reality.