Author Topic: Paul Alter (Read 54046 times)

BillCullen1 · « **Reply #75 on:** May 06, 2009, 12:09:17 PM »

[quote name=\'TroubadourNando\' post=\'214648\' date=\'May 1 2009, 08:03 PM\'][quote name=\'fostergray82\' post=\'214632\' date=\'May 1 2009, 05:49 PM\']
[quote name=\'Ian Wallis\' post=\'214631\' date=\'May 1 2009, 05:46 PM\']
I'm under the impression Barker was a nice guy in the beginning, but got harder and harder to work with as time went on. Am I on track?[/quote]
I read somewhere (prolly here) that a lot of it stemmed (understandably) from his wife Dorothy Jo's death in 1981. Someone mentioned that she held him in line in many cases, esp. his attitude.
[/quote]

This is what I personally agree with, and why in the end I actually pity him.
[/quote]

I have no pity at all for him. Even if his wife kept his ego in check, bottom line he brought all the lawsuits and stuff on himself. He has a "Napoleon Complex" and thinks everything should revolve around him. People like that I can't stand or deal with.

pentellit · « **Reply #76 on:** May 09, 2009, 05:08:17 PM »

[quote name=\'Ian Wallis\' post=\'214631\' date=\'May 1 2009, 02:46 PM\']pentellit, interesting story. Just out of curiousity, do you recall approximately what year this occurred? I'm under the impression Barker was a nice guy in the beginning, but got harder and harder to work with as time went on. Am I on track?[/quote]
Hi Ian, Sorry I don't remember what year that was. It was my experience that Barker's outbursts became more frequent as the years went by, and were really bad in his last years hosting.

Regarding Barker becoming progressively more difficult to work with (and for), it seemd to be directly related to the popularity of the show. As the Wolpert produced show became more and more popular and eventually went to an hour (a first in game show history), Barker's ego became proportionately more inflated with the show's success. I thought he was an ass**** long before his wife died, i.e. about the time he wanted the name of the show to be changed to Bob Barker's Price Is Right, and around the same time he also insisted on being made Exec. Producer so he could fire director Marc Breslow.

I personally think Barker was an ass all along, but that it was only as the show became bigger, his gynormous ego became apparent and ultimately out of control, especially after Mark Goodson died.

clemon79 · « **Reply #77 on:** May 09, 2009, 05:11:45 PM »

[quote name=\'pentellit\' post=\'215292\' date=\'May 9 2009, 02:08 PM\']i.e. about the time he wanted the name of the show to be changed to Bob Barker's Price Is Right[/quote]
Approves

/hotlinked like a streak

pentellit · « **Reply #78 on:** May 09, 2009, 05:22:10 PM »

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'215293\' date=\'May 9 2009, 02:11 PM\']hotlinked like a streak[/quote]
Hi, I'm still learning post-speak, what does "/hotlinked like a streak" mean?

SRIV94 · « **Reply #79 on:** May 09, 2009, 05:52:30 PM »

[quote name=\'pentellit\' post=\'215295\' date=\'May 9 2009, 04:22 PM\'][quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'215293\' date=\'May 9 2009, 02:11 PM\']hotlinked like a streak[/quote]
Hi, I'm still learning post-speak, what does "/hotlinked like a streak" mean?
[/quote]
The picture Chris L. linked to is of Bruce Forsyth, a big presenter in the UK, but who's one U.S. show of note (at least among us) was a show called "Bruce Forsyth's Hot Streak" (IIRC, aired opposite TPiR and WoF in the 11AM ET slot on ABC in 1986).

So Chris did a little play on words with both the link and the slashie.

pentellit · « **Reply #80 on:** May 09, 2009, 05:59:49 PM »

Thanks SRIV94 for interpreting for me. Now how in post-speak, or what emoticon, do I express "Waaaaay over my head"!

chad1m · « **Reply #81 on:** May 09, 2009, 06:02:30 PM »

[quote name=\'SRIV94\' post=\'215297\' date=\'May 9 2009, 05:52 PM\']So Chris did a little play on words with both the link and the slashie.[/quote]A "slashie", if you didn't know, is also just a little aside in the post, usually a joke or a sort of reference.

SRIV94 · « **Reply #82 on:** May 09, 2009, 06:03:20 PM »

[quote name=\'pentellit\' post=\'215298\' date=\'May 9 2009, 04:59 PM\']Thanks SRIV94 for interpreting for me. Now how in post-speak, or what emoticon, do I express "Waaaaay over my head"!

[/quote]
First, you're welcome.

Second, we usually use "Whoosh" (but directed at someone else, not at themselves).

Third, you can call me Doug. Almost everyone else does.

chris319 · « **Reply #83 on:** May 09, 2009, 07:39:15 PM »

Quote

he wanted the name of the show to be changed to Bob Barker's Price Is Right

I never heard this one, either during or after my time at G-T. Pentellit, do you think Dennis James leaving the show had anything to do with Barker's increased sense of self importance, as he was no longer one of two emcees doing the same show?

This is what most of the fan base wants to believe: that Barker was the sole reason for the show's success, and that the format and production values all count for nothing. I point out that without the pricing games, the set, the music, the direction, etc. that Barker would have nothing to do but stand on the lip of the stage with his skinny microphone and talk to the audience, but they won't hear of it. The fact is, Dennis James' nighttime version was quite popular on its own in syndication. When Barker got his bit part in Happy Gilmore in 1996, it seemed that every college student with access to a TV set suddenly became a huge Barker fan and entire dormitories made pilgrimages to Hollywood to see the Great One in person. When Barker announced his retirement, there was great weeping and wailing among the fans and one person even posted that Barker was like a second father to him, which has become a running joke around here. My theory is that the bulk of the credit for TPIR as we knew it under the Goodsons goes to Frank Wayne. As pompous as he was, he was a talented man, no doubt about it.

pentellit · « **Reply #84 on:** May 10, 2009, 02:46:43 AM »

[quote name=\'chris319\' post=\'215305\' date=\'May 9 2009, 04:39 PM\']I never heard this one, either during or after my time at G-T.[/quote]

I'm going from an interview with Holly Hallstrom.

Q. Why was Bob angry at Mr. Goodson?

A. Barker wanted the name of the show to be changed to Bob Barker's The Price Is Right.

Q. Who told you that?

A. Mark. (Goodson)

Q. What did Mr. Goodson say?

A. Absolutely not!

Holly Hallstrom
Los Angeles 2001

Quote

Pentellit, do you think Dennis James leaving the show had anything to do with Barker's increased sense of self importance, as he was no longer one of two emcees doing the same show?

Again from interview;

A. Barker loved (emphatic)I mean he LOVED when a nightime Price was cancelled. No matter who was hosting. He was, he was like, giddy he was so happy.

Holly Hallstrom
Los Angeles 2005

Quote

My theory is that the bulk of the credit for TPIR as we knew it under the Goodsons goes to Frank Wayne. As pompous as he was, he was a talented man, no doubt about it.

My understanding has always been that it was Mark Goodson and Jay Wolpert who were responsible for the success of TPir.

chris319 · « **Reply #85 on:** May 10, 2009, 05:31:56 AM »

My theory is that Frank came up with the idea of reviving it, playing all One Bids followed by the stage games we know today, the showcases, etc. The old TPIR with Bill Cullen was less formatted and they made up a lot of it as they went along. The old TPIR was in dreary black & white for the most part, had dreary sets, dreary music and dreary old Don Pardo. Being in snappy color with a snappy set and snappy music and snappy Johnny Olson reading the copy made a huge difference, combined with Breslow's snappy directing.

Also snappier models than June Ferguson and Toni Wallace: http://timstvshowcase.com/priceis2.jpg

TimK2003 · « **Reply #86 on:** May 10, 2009, 09:09:41 AM »

[quote name=\'pentellit\' post=\'215325\' date=\'May 10 2009, 02:46 AM\']I'm going from an interview with Holly Hallstrom.

Q. Why was Bob angry at Mr. Goodson?

A. Barker wanted the name of the show to be changed to Bob Barker's The Price Is Right.

Q. Who told you that?

A. Mark. (Goodson)

Q. What did Mr. Goodson say?

A. Absolutely not!

Holly Hallstrom
Los Angeles 2001[/quote]

Were the "personalized" Pricing Games (Barker's Bargain Bar, Trader Bob, etc...) named in lieu of giving Bob the ultimate title he so wanted, or were these PGs fodder for Bob to want even more?

Im sure ol' Zeke was just tickled to find out when "Bruce's Price Is Right" was given the greenlight in England!!!

tpirfan28 · « **Reply #87 on:** May 10, 2009, 09:51:42 AM »

[quote name=\'TimK2003\' post=\'215327\' date=\'May 10 2009, 09:09 AM\']Were the "personalized" Pricing Games (Barker's Bargain Bar, Trader Bob, etc...) named in lieu of giving Bob the ultimate title he so wanted, or were these PGs fodder for Bob to want even more?[/quote]
Interesting list of "Barker" debuts:

Barker's Bargain Bar: 4/22/80
Trader Bob: 4/29/80
Barkers Markers: 9/12/94

You might be on to something.

joker316 · « **Reply #88 on:** May 10, 2009, 11:45:35 AM »

[quote name=\'tpirfan28\' post=\'215329\' date=\'May 10 2009, 09:51 AM\'][quote name=\'TimK2003\' post=\'215327\' date=\'May 10 2009, 09:09 AM\']Were the "personalized" Pricing Games (Barker's Bargain Bar, Trader Bob, etc...) named in lieu of giving Bob the ultimate title he so wanted, or were these PGs fodder for Bob to want even more?[/quote]
Interesting list of "Barker" debuts:

Barker's Bargain Bar: 4/22/80
Trader Bob: 4/29/80
Barkers Markers: 9/12/94

You might be on to something.
[/quote]
IIRC wasn't there a game on Truth or Consequences named after Zeke? (I believe it was the game that had a revolving box with 4 drawers)?

/I'm not defending him. Just wondering how long his unchecked ego really lasted.

colonial · « **Reply #89 on:** May 10, 2009, 01:17:07 PM »

You might be on to something.
[/quote]
IIRC wasn't there a game on Truth or Consequences named after Zeke? (I believe it was the game that had a revolving box with 4 drawers)?

/I'm not defending him. Just wondering how long his unchecked ego really lasted.
[/quote]

Wikipedia (as always, issues about accuracy) refers to a game called "Barker's Box" played on ToC when Zeke hosted.

JD