Come On Down! Game Shows Classic and New

#26

I've been watching some of the old Price is Right shows with Bob Barker on Pluto TV. It's interesting to see how the games have changed over the years. Some are virtually identical, some have been updated, and some have disappeared. There's a website which gives in depth details all the games - how they're played, detailed and interesting history of the game, strategy, etc.:

The Price is Right - Pricing Games

#27

Agree about the Barker TPIR episodes... those are the super classic episodes, they bring back tons of nostalgia.

On TPIR 1960, Bill Cullen promoted Stripe Toothpaste with Hexachlorophene. Oops.

: Hex.JPG (38.4 KiB) Viewed 2795 times

: Hex 2.JPG (27.35 KiB) Viewed 2795 times

Hexachlorophene (Topical Application Route) Side Effects ...https://www.mayoclinic.org › drg-20073465
Feb 1, 2021 — Hexachlorophene is a topical antibacterial cleanser. It is used to clean the skin before surgery to prevent the spread of infection. It works like a detergent to cleanse the skin by killing or preventing the growth of bacteria.

Stripe Toothpaste with Hexachlorophene

Nearly 50 years ago, hexachlorophene was touted as the most effective germ-killer ever put in a toothpaste. And that toothpaste was Stripe.

And it had to be good. After all, science experts said hexachlorophene reduced germs in the mouth by 94%. And the US Congress thought that was good enough for them.

Got to be a winner, right?

The International Programme on Chemical Safety (INCHEM) has this to say about hexachlorophene:

EFFECTS OF SHORT-TERM EXPOSURE:
The substance may cause effects on the central nervous system, resulting in convulsions, respiratory failure.

EFFECTS OF LONG-TERM OR REPEATED EXPOSURE:
Repeated or prolonged contact with skin may cause dermatitis. Repeated or prolonged contact may cause skin sensitization. Repeated or prolonged inhalation exposure may cause asthma. The substance may have effects on the nervous system, resulting in tissue lesions, blindness. Animal tests show that this substance possibly causes malformations in human babies.

An Inconvenient Tooth...
As awesome a germ-killing toothpaste as TV ads claimed it was in 1962, Stripe with Hexachlorophene isn't around anymore. It was yanked off the market. And so were all the other once commercially available products that contained hexachlorophene.

But hey, your teeth were clean

And for Lt. Root Beer & the 699th, it's a Puppy Party!

#28

TPIR 1958 had a handsome preacher on the show, John R. Loor Sr. of Hyattsville, MD. He passed away in 2015 at the age of 87.

JANUARY 20, 2015
John R. Loor Sr. Makes Case for Adventist Education

Loor, a lifelong church administrator who died last week at the age of 87, leaves a legacy that is inextricably linked to his Adventist schooling.
***
One of his first churches to pastor was his old Review and Herald Memorial Church.

Loor posing for a photo.As pastor, Loor was invited to model for pictures at the nearby Review and Herald Publishing Association and he was best known for posing as Adam and Daniel in the book Your Bible and You. Loor’s stint as a model made him a sort of church celebrity, but many Adventists who recognized him mistakenly associated him with illustrations used in Arthur S. Maxwell’s The Bible Story, his son said.

“Yes, people did recognize him from the book,” Loor Jr. said. “When asked about what he thought about his role in the book, he would just smile.”

Also at the Review and Herald Memorial Church, Loor Sr. unexpectedly was invited to participate in the popular television game show The Price Is Right. He sold his winnings—a new car, an island off the coast of Maine, and an antique fire wagon—and had just enough money left after taxes to buy a small lot for his family’s first home. Church members built the house in their free time.

https://www.adventistreview.org/church- ... -education

His modeling as Adam...

Sent the author of the article a link in case he hadn't seen the show.

***

In another whoa segment, 1957 "The Price is Right" contestant watches herself for the first time 63 years later -- at age 96! And she remembers the show.

#29

Looks like there's only one of these daytime shows, it's Tic Tac Dough with Jack Barry from 1/31/58 (Web Exclusive). The questions are hard! See if you can answer, we missed several (a court case from the Gay 90's was something we'd never heard of). Wait till you hear how much Senators & Congressman made in 1958. Contestant Shirley Fisher was John Steinbeck's literary agent. Morton Wolson (1913-2003), aka Peter Paige, the mystery writer is a contestant. During the show there's a cool Dave Garroway promo for New Orleans, and a funny Crisco commercial "show your family how much you love them". And "new" Comet. Game moves fast. Was surprised to learn the producer was Howard Felsher, he ended up producing lots of Goodson Todman shows; got to know Mr. Felsher on Family Feud with Richard Dawson. Was a kid and more interested in Dawson teaching me how to play backgammon in his dressing room. Didn't know Mr. Felsher went that far back*. Seeing these on YouTube is incredible.

Here's a nighttime version, it's in 3 parts but the links come up easily. Apparently:

"Tic-Tac-Dough - 1957 Rigged Episode (1 of 3) A 1957 installment preserved on kinescope, featuring a U.S. military serviceman winning over $140,000 during his run on the show, became one key subject of the federal grand jury investigating the quiz fixing. That run occurred during Jay Jackson's tenure as host. Jackson was never implicated in any wrongdoing himself, and he had left the show well before the quiz investigations began, but he never again hosted a television game show.:

ETA: * Wow! Had noooo idea until reading the Wikipedia article, he was just nice Mr. Felsher: "Felsher admitted to Congress that he urged roughly 30 former show contestants and all of his production staff to lie to the grand jury, and that he had himself lied under oath. Felsher also estimated that about 75% of the nighttime Tic-Tac-Dough run had been rigged. Felsher was fired in the fallout of the quiz show scandals by NBC, but later resurfaced as a producer for Goodson-Todman Productions in the 1970s and 1980s." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tic-Tac-D ... n%20rigged.

#30

This was really hard to find, its the PBS 1992 show "The Quiz Show Scandals" about the 50s TV shows.

Herb Stempel gave an interview to EMMYTVLEGENDS (awesome site):

Charles Van Doren died at 93 (February 12, 1926 – April 9, 2019): https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/ob ... story.html

Here's his article, "All The Answers" from the New Yorker: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2008 ... he-answers

Here's the PBS show:

Of course, the Redford film Quiz Show was based on all this (but Herb Stempel and Van Doren said a lot was made up for dramatic license).

#31

This is more of a weekend leisurely read.

With classic Barker Years Price Is Right running 24/7 on Pluto TV, it really shows what a masterwork for its genre it is. The production, pacing, music, cast, and Bob Barker's effortless iconic status with contestants make these shows still fun. And seeing the old prices (wow, a 25 inch TV) is fun too.

Bob is now 97! December 12, 1923. Hard to believe he retired in 2007.

In a USA Today interview the week he retired 6/15/2007 (this is for us, Nota

)

Now, an upstairs bedroom in his home has been turned over to two rabbits, Mr. Rabbit and Honey Bunny. During the morning, both are given free rein of the upstairs floor, and it is not unusual to see them chasing each other down a hallway. Barker crouches down onto the newspaper-covered floor and peers into a fabric tunnel, looking to see where his pets have hidden. Finding them, he proudly points out their well-manicured nails.

In the corner of this "Rabbit Room" are free weights he works out with every morning. He used to study karate but quit several years ago. One of his final blows was inflicted upon Adam Sandler, when Barker made that memorable golf course cameo in 1996's Happy Gilmore. During practically every Price shoot since, an audience member will ask Barker to recite his line from the film: "The price is right, bitch." He always complies.
***
And every weekend, as he has done for the past 26 years, Barker will drive over the Hollywood Hills to take flowers to Dorothy Jo. Beside her grave at the Forest Lawn Cemetery is a plaque inscribed: "Robert W. Barker, 1923- ."

What will never be inscribed is his game show's catchy phrase: "Come on down."

"It has been suggested," jokes Barker, "but I want to go on up."

https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/pe ... rker_N.htm

Meanwhile, with "Barker's Beauties", it's far more complicated.

Ready? Janice Pennington is 79! July 8, 1942. Pennington was with The Price Is Right 29 years, from the show's premiere in 1972 to 2000. Talk about keeping a gig, good on you Janice.
Dian Parkinson is 76 November 30, 1944. On the show 1975 to 1993.
Holly Hallstrom is 68 August 24, 1952. On the show 1977 to 1995.

Vaguely remembered drama but not all this. Decided to dig in:

In September 1995, host Bob Barker dismissed Hallstrom from The Price Is Right. She later alleged that Barker ordered her off the show because of 14 pounds (6.4 kg) she had gained due to a prescription medication she was taking. Hallstrom later alleged that the real reason for her dismissal was her refusal to support Barker when another model, Dian Parkinson, sued him for sexual harassment. Hallstrom said Barker ordered her to go on talk shows and do interviews saying that Parkinson was lying, as well as being instructed to recall certain events differently from how she remembered them. Hallstrom, who did not want to get involved in the situation or perjure herself, refused and was dismissed from the show. In response to angry letters sent by fans of the series after Hallstrom's dismissal, Barker sued Hallstrom for libel and slander (Barker v. Hallstrom), claiming that Hallstrom was lying, but dropped the suit 48 hours before the trial began. The court declared Hallstrom the prevailing party and ordered Barker to pay Hallstrom's legal fees.

Hallstrom countersued Barker for age, weight and medical discrimination, wrongful termination and malicious prosecution (Hallstrom v. Barker). In October 2005, Hallstrom received a multimillion-dollar settlement. The settlement would have possibly been more, but early settlement agreements all contained a "hush clause" that banned Hallstrom from saying anything disparaging about Barker to the media. However, Barker refused to agree to the mutuality clause of the settlement agreement, thereby retaining the right to speak freely against Hallstrom in the media. In order to retain her right to speak about the case, and to protect herself against what she called Barker's "shameful manipulation of the media", Hallstrom accepted a lesser financial amount but with a settlement that did not contain a hush clause. She has also started a foundation for individuals who have suffered wrongful or malicious conditions in the workplace and do not have the power or resources (financially or otherwise) to go up against powerful individuals or large corporations, despite having a valid, non-frivolous claim.

Following their testimonies in Barker's lawsuit against Hallstrom, models Janice Pennington, Kathleen Bradley, production assistants Linda Riegert and Sherrill Paris, and veteran director Paul Alter lost their jobs on The Price Is Right. Pennington, who had been with the show since its debut in 1972, and Bradley (1990–2000) received out-of-court financial settlements.

The case didn't settle until 2006, it went on for 10 years. She says she went bankrupt, lost her home and was living in her car. Holly on Today in 2007:

Holly says he was sued by 6 women for sexual harassment and wrongful termination. Very early #MeToo, will tweet about this sometime soon.

Dian did OK for herself:

Come on down! The former prize presenter on “The Price Is Right,” Dian Parkinson, is letting go of her estate in Westlake Village, CA. No guessing of the home's price is necessary: It’s available for $3.125 million.

Nov. 6, 2019 Updated: Nov. 7, 2019 8:22 a.m.
https://www.seattlepi.com/realestate/ar ... 814000.php

Janice handed the microphone to Bob at the start of more than 5,000 shows but says when Barker fired her in 2000, he didn't even say goodbye to her.

For Barker’s Beauties, This Is Not a Game
By WILLIAM KECK DEC. 12, 2000 12 AM PT SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

In 1988, “The Price Is Right” game-show model Janice Pennington was knocked off the stage into “contestants’ row” by a wayward camera and rendered unconscious. After a 45-minute delay during which Pennington was transferred by stretcher to an ambulance, the show continued without her. Two surgeries later, the stately “Barker’s Beauty” was left with one shoulder an inch shorter than the other. Ugly scars from the operations prevented her from ever again wearing her trademark swimsuits. Then this past October, Pennington received a hit of another sort. After 29 years of handing off the microphone to host Bob Barker at the start of more than 6,000 shows since its 1971 premiere, Pennington was dismissed immediately following the Oct. 19 taping (which will air on Wednesday), without so much as a handshake from Barker. “He never said a word,” says Pennington, whose final appearance Wednesday will have no mention of her departure.

“My manager called Barker the next day and left a message, but he never returned our call.” Pennington says Barker “basically stopped talking to me after the deposition that I gave in July. After that it was never the same. We spoke on the air, but that was basically it.” “I certainly didn’t stop speaking with [Janice],” says Barker. “Any time I saw her I told her ‘hello’ or told her how good she looked.” Barker even objects to the term “fired” in reference to the women’s departures. “Janice was not fired; she was never hired,” he says.

In literal terminology, he is correct. Throughout their runs, Barker’s Beauties were never given contracts but were rehired on a week-to-week basis at salaries well below that of other long-running TV personalities. At the time of her exit, Bradley, a 10-year veteran of the show, was being paid $2,000 to tape a week’s worth of hourlong episodes. “We were so underpaid for what we did on that show,” says Bradley. “People think we have so much money.”

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm ... story.html

Here's Janice's last show. If you're truly geeky like me and watched that half-hour show on the openings of TPIR and how a new director screwed it up, this is an example of how they blew a brilliant opening:

Pennington and Bradley were replaced by Heather Kozar and Claudia Jordan in 2001. Ziering and Kozar both left the program in 2002. At that time, Jordan became the only "permanent" model and was joined by a rotating cast of additional models. Jordan's departure came in 2003 after she formally complained about racial discrimination on the set. Jordan filed for wrongful termination and racial discrimination and also received an out-of-court settlement.

Tribute to Janice for the 25th anniversary, 8/23/1996:

Full 25th Anniversary show Studio Master:

Barker in USA Today 6/15/2007:

Behind the scenes today, it is hard to find any evidence that these women were ever a part of the show, except for a Polaroid of Hallstrom tacked in a crewmember's locker.

Asked about them, Barker turns sullen. "Let's not get into that," he says firmly. "They've been such a problem. I don't want to say anything about them. They're disgusting; I don't want to mention them."

Johnny Olson was out of the picture. The Pluto TV episodes are 1982 ish, so far they'll all been with Johnny Olsen.

On October 6, 1985, Olson had a stroke on his way to work and was taken to St. Johns Hospital and Health Center in Santa Monica, California, where he died on October 12, 1985, at age 75.[9] Shortly afterwards, Bob Barker paid tribute to him at the end of the remaining episodes of TPIR with Olson as announcer:

Since taping this program, we've lost our good friend, Johnny Olson. You'll continue to see and hear Johnny on the many programs he's already taped. He was dearly loved by all of us, and he'll be sorely missed.
— Bob Barker

Overview of Barker:

1999 A&E Biography with guest host Alex Trebek!

Bob Barker, like Hollywood, has a complex history that needed (and still needs) to be shaken up. From running down the rabbit hole with this, a great deal of respect to the women who paved the way for the future. They deserve a lot of thanks.

#32

orlylicious wrote: ↑Fri Jul 16, 2021 2:03 am This is more of a weekend leisurely read. With classic Barker Years Price Is Right running 24/7 on Pluto TV, it really shows what a masterwork for its genre it is. The production, pacing, music, cast, and Bob Barker's effortless iconic status with contestants make these shows still fun. And seeing the old prices (wow, a 25 inch TV) is fun too.

Bob is now 97! December 12, 1923. Hard to believe he retired in 2007.

...

Bob Barker, like Hollywood, has a complex history that needed (and still needs) to be shaken up. From running down the rabbit hole with this, a great deal of respect to the women who paved the way for the future. They deserve a lot of thanks.

Sorry, I never admired him. Even as a wee-lad, he came across as a creepy weird dude. His strange preoccupation with women (thanks reboot where we now have a couple male models). Bob is just gross.

#33

Agree Neon, was pointing out the cultish nature of being on TV for decades. Hmmm, trying to think of another sexual predator who was on a TV show for a long time and has a cult.

Some guy was wearing a T-shirt that said "Bob Barker for President". He said no but Johnny Olsen for VP and Johnny wouldn't rule it out. Hey Congress, Come on Down! Bob misattributed the quote to Calvin Coolidge "If nominated I will not..." and got the quote wrong.

Doesn't take away how well done this version of the show is. It's Channel 163 on Pluto TV.

What's strange is young men get Bob's treatment too also. A cute muscular kid just out of high school had Bob's attention the whole show with lots of asides. Every time Bob needed to move him around the stage, he grabbed him by his bicep. It was really strange and obvious. The dude didn't seem to care, he ended up the big winner.

We are getting so good at pricing items... in 1983!

#34

We are getting SO GOOD at knowing 1982-1985 prices from watching Pluto TV's The Price Is Right!

Gold was $500 an ounce. We're even getting there with the New & Then game, whether the price is 1983 or, like, 1980. On Sunday 9/12, they're running 12 new episodes with all winners.

It's TPRI's 50th Anniversary.

‘The Price Is Right’ Celebrates 50 Years With Primetime Special On CBS
By Erik Pedersen Managing Editor
August 16, 2021 9:30am

CBS will mark 50 years of contestants comin’ on down for The Price Is Right with a two-hour primetime special next month. Set for 9-11 p.m. Thursday, September 30, the special will look back at the biggest winners, never-before-seen outtakes and a salute to Bob Barker. “The show has the most enthusiastic and fun audience that one could ever ask for,” said Barker, who hosted TPIR for its first 35 years. “They truly were and are the heart and soul of the show …. It was an incredibly memorable ride. Congratulations to The Price is Right on 50 historic years. Here’s to 50 more!”

More than 68,000 contestants have played The Price Is Right since its debut on September 4, 1972, and 2 million-plus have been in its studio audience. The first prize ever offered on the show was a Chevy Vega worth $2,746 — some 8,400 car giveaways have ensued. “Hosting The Price Is Right has been a dream job for me,” said Drew Carey, who has fronted the show since 2007. “I really never thought my safe space would be on a sound stage, wearing a mic, cameras on me constantly, and with millions of people watching. But that’s what ‘The Price Is Right’ is for me. I love it.”

Season 50 of the daytime edition of TPIR premieres Monday, September 13. It will feature two new games, including “Back to ‘72,” a limited-edition one that only will be played throughout the 50th season, complete with a retro ‘70s look. In the game, contestants’ pricing skills will be tested on actual items that appeared on the show during the early years of its run on CBS.

https://deadline.com/2021/08/the-price- ... 234815588/

Buzzr is also bringing back 70's Whew! Tom Kennedy hosts (he's the brother of Concentration's Jack Narz). It was the first announcing gig of Rod Roddy, who went on to Press Your Luck, he hadn't developed his style yet). After a mini-marathon of six episodes on Sunday, Sept. 5 from 4 to 7 p.m., the network will air one “new” (i.e. previously unaired) episode of the series every weekday at 4:30 p.m. ET, with two half-hours also airing Sunday nights from 7 to 8 p.m. ET.

Bizarre ‘Lost’ Game Show Whew! Is Returning to TV

There’s some big news for game show nerds, and no, it has nothing to do with the next host of Jeopardy! A wacky yet woefully short-lived Carter-era quizzer called Whew! is headed back to TV next month, ending a more than 40-year absence from the airwaves. Vulture has learned that retro network Buzzr has struck a deal to air original episodes of the Tom Kennedy-hosted series, which is fondly—or at least vaguely— remembered by a sliver of Gen Xers drawn in by an animated opening credits sequence designed by Hanna-Barbera as well as a bizarro bonus round which featured a collection of cardboard cutout “villains” with names such as Count Nibbleneck and Kid Rotten. Yes, TV was weirder back then.

https://www.vulture.com/2021/08/70s-gam ... buzzr.html

Here's an episode from Wink's Vault:

#35

"Buzzr is also bringing back 70's Whew! Tom Kennedy hosts (he's the brother of Concentration's Jack Narz)."

Jack Narz was also the host of "7 Keys." Not sure how long that game show lasted. It was a prime-time show where contestants would spin the wheel, move their tokens, and land on squares. They'd have to answer a question correctly to stay on the square, else they returned to their previous place. The person to complete the path to the end won the game and was awarded one of seven keys that opened seven locks that contained prizes. Six of the prizes were of modest value--perhaps a nice watch or camera. But the last lock was the grand prize--usually a new car or two-week cruise.

The winner could choose to keep the key and return next time or take whatever the key(s) opened and leave. If the winner chose to return and lost the following week, they lost everything, if my memory recalls. So, winning seven weeks would guarantee winning all the prizes, but taking your chances with 4 or 5 keys would not necessarily win the grand prize.

#36

I was just at the doctor's office today - regular checkup - and the nurse and I were talking about smoking and how it used to be acceptable everywhere. That's one thing that I notice from the very old game shows... you would see so many of the celebrities and the game show host puffing away. The same with late night TV shows. Isn't it remarkable how that's changed in our lifetime?

#37

This is fun, on AMC+ via Amazon is Quiz, the making of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. Three episodes.

Quiz
Season 1 2020
Quiz tells the story of Charles Ingram, a former British army major, who caused a major scandal after being caught cheating his way to winning £1 million on the game show 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?'

#38

The unaired pilot of Jeopardy. (Even though they introduce the first contestant as the returning champion, that was just scripted in.) The game has stayed remarkably similar through the years.

pjhimself · #39

#40

Hey Jeopardy and Wheel fans, Pluto TV now has 24-hour channels. They also have 24-hour channels now for Judge Judy and Let's Make a Deal.

Jeopardy is Channel 1005 https://pluto.tv/en/live-tv/jeopardy-ho ... lex-trebek
Wheel is 1010, Let's Make a Deal is 1030, Price is Right Barker is 1030, Deal or No Deal is 1035, Game Show Channel is 1040 & Pluto Game Shows is 1015.

JEOPARDY! 33 Seasons Available
America’s Favorite Quiz Show is now streaming free on Pluto TV. Watch specially curated episodes of the Emmy-winning program featuring the great Alex Trebek...And don’t forget to phrase your responses in the form of a question!

Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune lovers now have two new places to stream the long-running game shows. On Monday, August 1, Pluto TV announced the launch of two new free streaming channels, Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! Hosted by Alex Trebek. The channels — available now — are dedicated to airing classic episodes of the syndicated TV staples for free via live, linear channels and on-demand 24/7.

The launch is part of Pluto TV’s deal with Sony Pictures Television. The Jeopardy! channel will feature a curated linear stream of 250 episodes spanning 33 past seasons, all hosted by the late Alex Trebek. The catalogue includes new permanent co-host Ken Jennings‘ original winning streak as well as Brad Rutter’s; Jennings holds the record for most episodes won, and Rutter the record for most money won. Jeopardy! Hosted by Alex Trebek will also feature curated programming blocks dedicated to tournaments like Battle of the Decades, College Championship, Teen Tournament, Kids Week, Tournament of Champions, and more. Available episodes go as far back as Jeopardy!‘s first season in 1984.

The Wheel of Fortune channel will also provide access to 250 episodes hosted by Pat Sajak and Vanna White. The large collection of episodes will feature some of the most memorable wins and surprising losses from the past five years of the show as it enters its 40th year of syndication.

#41

Neon -- thought of you -- PlutoTV is running the original The New Price Is Right, the 1973 original shows before they went to an hour. The clothes! The huge hair! Interesting to see how different it is (color scheme, dimming the audience lights when the bidding starts, Janice as a brunette). Any Number, Bonus Game, Wrong Price and Grocery Game are featured heavily. Super cheap prizes. Cars are $2000 and a huge-sized answering machine was $200. Lots of Showcase double overbids, the prices were really low. It's on The Barker Era Pluto channel. Hadn't watched in a while, apparently starting May 28 is "National Game Show Day" and they'll be running a lot of new shows on the channel and throughout the game shows on Pluto and Buzzr.

Appliances were in the classic colors of Cheesecake and Avocado haha. Look at the length of Janice's skirt.

https://pluto.tv/us/live-tv/5f7791b8372da90007fd45e6

: Janice.JPG (155.86 KiB) Viewed 777 times

: Janice 2.JPG (74.83 KiB) Viewed 772 times

The ugliest couch ever made?

: Sofa.JPG (185.62 KiB) Viewed 772 times

: tpir.JPG (147.57 KiB) Viewed 777 times

: YPIT 2.JPG (120.45 KiB) Viewed 777 times

TPIR was followed by "Gambit on most of these CBS stations" and always found that a funny show. Elaine Stewart was married to Merrill Heatter who co-produced the show. Elaine broke the fourth wall and talked to the home audience every morning, she'd say "How was your breakfast" and bizarre things like that. Wink Martindale (who hosted it) has a big YouTube channel with lots of pilots and shows include some Gambit (it appears most of the shows were lost, only a few are around).

#42

The hair!

: Hair.JPG (91.7 KiB) Viewed 761 times

: Hair 2.JPG (139.42 KiB) Viewed 741 times

A 1973 Chevrolet Vega Kammback Wagon was a prize:

: Vega Camback Wagon.JPG (105.83 KiB) Viewed 765 times

: Prices.JPG (117.48 KiB) Viewed 765 times

Can you guess the price? The answer is in the spoiler (the contestant won it on the first guess):

► Show Spoiler

#43

Luke wrote: ↑Fri May 24, 2024 11:33 pm Neon -- thought of you -- PlutoTV is running the original The New Price Is Right, the 1973 original shows before they went to an hour. Super cheap prizes. Cars are $2000 and a huge-sized answering machine was $200.

I ran those numbers through an inflation calculator and $200 in 1973 would be worth $1,444 today. So... not cheap then.

I was utterly shocked when I put my starting salary in the inflation calculator. I graduated from college in Dec 1974 and started in the tax department of a Big Eight accounting firm in Jan '75. I was told that they used to pay overtime (we worked 55 hour weeks during tax season), but they had bumped up salaries 10% before I started and no longer paid overtime. So my starting salary right out of college was $13,020/year. According to the inflation calculator, that would be $77K now.

Holy moley!

#44

Off Topic

Wow, my $41K starting salary after law school in 1984 would be $124,151.89 today.

Excellent threadjack.

The fifty bucks I spent on a marriage license in 1994 would now cost $105.19.

Still the best fifty bucks I ever spent.

#45

Thanks, Luke!!!

I had already been watching Classic Price is Right on Pluto for a few weeks. The clothing and hairstyles and prize pricing is crazy. But I'm old enough to recall that era.

#46

Off Topic

My starting salary would be $38,658 today.

#47

PlutoTv has a few seasons of Maude. This episode The Game Show is hilarious, had never seen it. If you've ever wanted to see staid Bea Arthur jumping up and down, giddy, and full of excitement, this is it. Even knowing her for so many years, I never, ever saw her act like that. It's really funny.

While on a trip to New York, Vivian and Maude (Rue McClanahan and Bea Arthur) team up on a game show. But when Vivian panics and freezes, how will Maude react? From Season 5, Episode 4 8 'The Game Show' - Maude & Walter, Vivian & Arthur visit New York. Maude and Vivian visit a game show recording and are chosen to be contestants.

https://pluto.tv/on-demand/series/maude ... nt=1000735

#48

BUZZR, which is owned by Fremantle, has been putting more seasons of their game shows free on Amazon. The first two seasons of WHAT'S MY LINE are there now, complete with some of the original ads like Stopette and Remington Shavers (and adding machines). It's 1955 and 56 and there are a lot of episodes, Season 1 is 40 half-hours. It's always been a favorite show, from seeing stars in their super young days as mystery guests, to the charm and kindness and good cheer of the host and panelists. It's a great unwinding-before-bedtime kind of show. Enjoy.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/ ... share_cu_r

#49

Wheel of Fortune was originally called Shopper's Bazaar when it premiered on NBC in 1973. Here's the Pilot, it's very, very different from what the show became. And ridiculously complicated. Ryan Seacrest takes over for retired Pat Sajak this fall.

Shopper's Bazaar (taped September 1973) The First Wheel Of Fortune Pilot!

And this is the origin story:

#50

Luke wrote: ↑Sat Jun 22, 2024 2:56 am Wheel of Fortune was originally called Shopper's Bazaar when it premiered on NBC in 1973. Here's the Pilot,

Thank you for posting the pilot. Yeah, they seemed to really be winging it and it was a mess!

I'd never seen the Chuck/Pre-Sajack era.

Sajack is when I would watch it sometimes. ( I
was a boy and spent time outdoors because I was not allowed to be in front of the TV too much.)

This show came up in conversation with a couple friends I was hanging out with. I mentioned I liked the prize stage carousell where contestants could purchase prizes using their winnings. The two people I was with looked at me like I was nuts. (They are younger by 10 years)

I liked that format better than current day.

Fogbow