Dennis James Price is Right

[NickintheATL]

The following is a transcript of a post I made on Golden-Road.net, I though it was relevant to bring it up here, as it involves some very interesting information about two shows whose fate rested on one man... Bob Barker.

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Folks, I and a friend have been doing some hard research at the ETSU library, looking at the New York Times, Broadcasting & Cable, and Variety from early 1977 to finally solve the matter of the switch in hosts, and we have uncovered some very fascinating material.

First, and I'm a sucker for not noticing this before... but the slate for the '77 episode was #193-N. My friend found in a 1977 B and C issue that to date 195 episodes had been produced of Viacom's "The Price is Right". So, we have established that this show on the trading circuit is his third-to-last show in the FIFTH season (1976-1977).

Beyond that, we have found several interesting trade ads and articles in B&C and Variety from Feburary 1977 (at the time the NATPE convention was held in Vegas). We did make photocopies for proof, and have scanned them, and they are at the link below with the other screencaps from before.

The interesting part about all of this mess is a Variety article in which "Truth or Consequences" is discussed, says that "the daytime strip version which stars Bob Barker had gotten almost two years ahead in episodes in the can and Edwards had decided to shut down production to let the backlog of first-run stanzas catch up with the need for same." This article was in the February 23rd, 1977 issue of Variety. In the same issue appears an article that says Barker took the offer from Goodson/Todman to do Viacom's "The Price is Right.", which had been previously hosted by Dennis James. This is also mentioned in the Truth article, and mentions are made to the eventual host of the 1977-1978 run, Bob Hilton.

So, I so declare that James' contract did run out and Barker was signed to do the nighttime show due to his availability by Truth or Consequences not being in production, even though first-run episodes that had been in the can for 1-2 years were still airing in some markets.

So, Bob hosted the nighttime Price for three seasons James for five seasons.

Images are in this directory...

Dennis James Screencap/Scans Directory

Hope this clears it up... FINALLY!

EDIT: Please for now DO NOT visit my site unless absoultely necessary, I'm having major problems with bandwidth. Thanks!

[The Pyramids]

Thanks for sharing that. I've always assumed that 'TPIR' clearly belonged to Bob after five years and that's why he ended up with both shows.

Those well worn Dennis James shows are fun to watch though. One of my earliest game show memories is of Dennis and the gold set. Back then I was able to notice how the show had a different guy for some reason.

[Don Howard]

[quote name=\'PaulD\' date=\'Jun 12 2005, 10:02 PM\']I've always assumed that 'TPIR' clearly belonged to Bob after five years and that's why he ended up with both shows.

[snapback]88809[/snapback]

[/quote]
Speaking of which, when did Bob Barker and TPiR elevate into icon status? The show was doing very well during the 1970s, I'm sure, but it wasn't quite a monster yet.

[BrandonFG]

[quote name=\'Don Howard\' date=\'Jun 13 2005, 12:32 AM\'][quote name=\'PaulD\' date=\'Jun 12 2005, 10:02 PM\']I've always assumed that 'TPIR' clearly belonged to Bob after five years and that's why he ended up with both shows.

[snapback]88809[/snapback]

[/quote]
Speaking of which, when did Bob Barker and TPiR elevate into icon status? The show was doing very well during the 1970s, I'm sure, but it wasn't quite a monster yet.

[snapback]88824[/snapback]

[/quote]

I think the show hit #1 (among daytime games) in 1979, and I don't think Barker won his first Emmy until '82. And I'm guessing that even THEN, the show wasn't the phenomenon it is now. I'd say mid-80s?

[tvwxman]

[quote name=\'Don Howard\' date=\'Jun 13 2005, 12:32 AM\']
Speaking of which, when did Bob Barker and TPiR elevate into icon status? The show was doing very well during the 1970s, I'm sure, but it wasn't quite a monster yet.

[snapback]88824[/snapback]

[/quote]

The obvious answer is : When Bob said so.

The best guess answer is : When they really started to promote their longevity....what was the first big ta-da anniversary week (aside from the expansion into hour long stuff, Zach), the 20th year? The head started swelling then....

[DrBear]

I think it hit "icon status" about the time that all the other daytime game shows went bye-bye. As the only one of its kind, it became an icon.

[uncamark]

[quote name=\'tvwxman\' date=\'Jun 13 2005, 03:35 AM\'][quote name=\'Don Howard\' date=\'Jun 13 2005, 12:32 AM\']
Speaking of which, when did Bob Barker and TPiR elevate into icon status? The show was doing very well during the 1970s, I'm sure, but it wasn't quite a monster yet.

[snapback]88824[/snapback]

[/quote]

The obvious answer is : When Bob said so.

The best guess answer is : When they really started to promote their longevity....what was the first big ta-da anniversary week (aside from the expansion into hour long stuff, Zach), the 20th year? The head started swelling then....

[snapback]88830[/snapback]

[/quote]

It started slowly about the time Barker replaced Frank Wayne as EP in '85 or '86.  The lid went off about the time Syd Vinnedge bought out Jonathan Goodson and let Barker become the unchallenged ruler of the roost.  That would be ca. '95-96.

[cmjb13]

[quote name=\'uncamark\' date=\'Jun 13 2005, 02:41 PM\']It started slowly about the time Barker replaced Frank Wayne as EP in '85 or '86.
[/quote]
1987

The lid went off about the time Syd Vinnedge bought out Jonathan Goodson and let Barker become the unchallenged ruler of the roost.  That would be ca. '95-96.

[snapback]88875[/snapback]

Was Syd part of All American?

[aaron sica]

I was about 11 years old when I got my first TV reference book (which, for the record, was "The Complete Directory to Prime Time network and TV shows"), and I remember seeing the listing in there for TPiR. It mentioned Dennis James hosting the syndicated version, but no mention of Barker doing it. At that age, I had hazy memories of THAT syndicated version (and at age 4 or 5, wondering why there was no wheel!), but knew that Bob Barker hosted it at one point in time.

Much thanks for clearing up the circumstances concerning James exiting, and Barker entering.

[uncamark]

[quote name=\'cmjb13\' date=\'Jun 13 2005, 02:00 PM\'][quote name=\'uncamark\' date=\'Jun 13 2005, 02:41 PM\']It started slowly about the time Barker replaced Frank Wayne as EP in '85 or '86.
[/quote]
1987

The lid went off about the time Syd Vinnedge bought out Jonathan Goodson and let Barker become the unchallenged ruler of the roost.  That would be ca. '95-96.

[snapback]88875[/snapback]

Was Syd part of All American?

[snapback]88878[/snapback]

[/quote]

Along with the Scotti brothers, Syd *was* All-American.  The company, that is.

(Of course, after the first post I remembered that the Goodson family still had a financial interest in "TPIR" until they sold it to Pearson--but something tells me that Marjorie made the annual render-unto-Caesar-donation-to-Barker's-favorite-charities appearances on the season premieres for another reason besides the fact that she's the prettiest one of the Goodson family.

[tyshaun1]

[quote name=\'Don Howard\' date=\'Jun 13 2005, 01:32 AM\']Speaking of which, when did Bob Barker and TPiR elevate into icon status? The show was doing very well during the 1970s, I'm sure, but it wasn't quite a monster yet.

[snapback]88824[/snapback]

[/quote]
I'd say between Dian's sexual harassment suit (when his "pimp" reputation began) and Bob's appearance in Happy Gilmore (when he became "hip 4 da kidz").

Oh, I thought the question was about when Bob's ego elevated into icon status? My apologies.

Tyshaun