The Price is Right

The Price Is Right is a popular game show based on contestants guessing the retail prices of featured prizes and other promotional products. The modern United States version, which premiered on September 4, 1972 and is hosted by Bob Barker, still airs today on CBS. The original 1956 version of the show was hosted by Bill Cullen. The show is known in pop culture for phrases such as "Come on down!"

TPIR Series

TPIR Series: 1956 Version

The original daytime version of The Price is Right ran from November 23, 1956 to September 6, 1963, on NBC, and from September 9, 1963, to September 3, 1965, on ABC. A weekly nighttime version ran concurrently from September 23, 1957, to September 3, 1963, on NBC, and from September 18, 1963, to September 11, 1964, on ABC. The show originated from New York City in a Broadway theater converted for television. Although no color kinescopes or videotapes are known to exist from either NBC or ABC, The Price is Right became the first regularly airing game show series to be aired in color in 1957.

Related Topics:
November 23 - 1956 - September 6 - 1963 - NBC - September 9 - September 3 - 1965 - ABC - September 23 - 1957 - September 18 - September 11 - 1964 - New York City - Broadway - Kinescope - Videotape

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Bill Cullen hosted both the daytime and nighttime versions of the show. For two seasons (1959-1960 and 1960-1961), the show was eighth in the Nielsen ratings, making it by far the most watched game show on television at the time. Cullen's easygoing personality was a key part of the show's success. The announcers of the show were Don Pardo and Jack Clark on NBC and Johnny Gilbert on ABC. The first theme song used was called the "Sixth Finger Tune" by Charles Strouse.

Related Topics:
Bill Cullen - 1959 - 1960 - 1961 - Nielsen ratings - Announcer - Don Pardo - Jack Clark - Johnny Gilbert - Charles Strouse

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

On the original version of The Price is Right, four contestants chosen from the studio audience bid on items or ensembles of items in an auction-style format. They could bid higher as long as they wanted or they could freeze their bids. When time ran out, the players who did not freeze had one more bid. Whoever's bid was nearest the actual retail price of the merchandise without going over won the merchandise. Depending on the item, a minimum bid increment restriction was implemented. Some rounds were one-bid rounds which were like today's Contestants' Row. The contestant who accumulated the most value in cash and prizes was the returning champion on the next show.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The multi-prize packages, or "showcases," remain in today's CBS version – as does the announcer phrase "This showcase (featuring prizes revealed...) can be YOURS if the price is right."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Sometimes when winning a prize, a bell would ring indicating that the contestant had won a bonus surprise. (On the nighttime show, which had a larger prize budget than the daytime show, some of these prizes were a 1926 Rolls-Royce with chauffeur, a Ferris wheel, shares of corporate stock, and an island in the St. Lawrence Seaway.) In later years, bonus games (not necessarily pricing games) were also added.

Related Topics:
Rolls-Royce - Ferris wheel - St. Lawrence Seaway

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Price is Right was created and produced by Bob Stewart for Mark Goodson-Bill Todman Productions. Stewart already had created one hit series for Goodson-Todman, To Tell the Truth, and he would later create the enormously successful Password. After the cancellation of the show, Stewart left Goodson-Todman to strike out on his own. His follow-up to The Price is Right was Eye Guess, a delightful sight-and-memory game with Bill Cullen as host (it was loosely based on a Price is Right bonus game). Later, Stewart hit the jackpot with the popular The $10,000 Pyramid and its successors.

Related Topics:
Bob Stewart - Mark Goodson - Bill Todman - To Tell the Truth - Password - Eye Guess - The $10,000 Pyramid

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

TPIR Series: 1972 Version and Related Versions

The most recognized version of the show premiered September 4, 1972, on CBS and has been hosted by Bob Barker through its entire broadcast run. The show was first called The New Price is Right (and shortly afterward simply renamed The Price is Right), and still airs today as the last network daytime game show that is still running.

Related Topics:
September 4 - 1972 - CBS - Bob Barker

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

From 1972 to 1975, The Price is Right was a half-hour long. It featured 3 pricing games rather than 6. There was no Showcase Showdown; the top 2 winners of the day participated in the Showcase. This was changed in 1975 to the hour-long version that continues today. (Nine weeks before the permanent change, CBS tried out an hour-long TPIR for one week, during which a different, sideways-spinning Big Wheel was used in the Showcase Showdowns.)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

As of May 26, 2005, contestants won all 6 pricing games on a single episode only 70 times.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Other short-lived versions of the show have aired as well. A weekly syndicated version of the show aired from 1972 through 1980. This show was hosted by Dennis James from 1972 to 1977, then Bob Barker from 1977 to 1980.

Related Topics:
1980 - Dennis James - 1977

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Two daily syndicated versions were attempted: in 1985 with host Tom Kennedy (The Nighttime Price is Right), and in 1994 with host Doug Davidson (The New Price is Right). Both were quickly cancelled—Kennedy's after a year, Davidson's after five months.

Related Topics:
Syndicated - 1985 - Tom Kennedy - 1994 - Doug Davidson

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Kennedy version experimented with a $500 perfect bid bonus, which the daytime show adopted in 1998, and the Davidson version's doors were used in the daytime version starting in September 1996, albeit painted over with the patterns from the daytime doors.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

TPIR Series: Prime Time Specials

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

find a better image, this one looks like the audience member is Tom Kennedy

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~