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!
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