The Price Is Right broadcast history

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The American television game show The Price Is Right has appeared in some version for 44 years, although not consecutively, between its premiere in 1956 and the present day (2008).

1 NBC/ABC, 1956-65
2 CBS/Syndication, 1972-present
3 References

[edit] NBC/ABC, 1956-65

(All times Eastern Time Zone)

Daytime (Monday-Friday)

November 26-December 28, 1956; NBC, 10:30-11 a.m.
December 31, 1956-September 6, 1963; NBC, 11-11:30 a.m.
September 9, 1963-March 27, 1964; ABC, 11-11:30 a.m.
March 30-December 25, 1964; ABC, 10:30-11 a.m.
December 28, 1964-September 3, 1965; ABC, 11:30 a.m.-12 Noon

Nighttime (weekly)

September 23, 1957-June 16, 1958; NBC, Mondays, 7:30-8 p.m.
June 26-September 4, 1958; NBC, Thursdays, 10-10:30 p.m.
September 17, 1958-September 6, 1961; NBC, Wednesdays, 8:30-9 p.m.
September 18, 1961-September 10, 1962; NBC, Mondays, 8:30-9 p.m.
September 17, 1962-January 21, 1963; NBC, Mondays, 9:30-10 p.m.
February 1-September 6, 1963; NBC, Fridays, 9:30-10 p.m.
September 18-November 20, 1963; ABC, Wednesdays, 8:30-9 p.m.
December 6, 1963-September 11, 1964; ABC, Fridays, 9:30-10 p.m.

[edit] CBS/Syndication, 1972-present

The most recognized incarnation of the show premiered September 4, 1972 on CBS and has been hosted by Bob Barker for the first 35 years of its broadcast run. Drew Carey took over at the beginning of season 36. The show was first called The New Price Is Right to distinguish itself from the earlier Bill Cullen version (1956–65), but the show proved so popular that, within a year, the producers decided to drop the word "New."

The revival of The Price Is Right began as a half-hour show. It featured three pricing games and the Showcase, with the top two winners of the day participating in the Showcase.

During the week of September 8, 1975, CBS experimented with a one-hour version of the show to celebrate its third anniversary.^[1] The ratings for the week were strong enough to convince the network that the arrangement would work well permanently. CBS made the move on November 3, fitting the show to its current six pricing game/two Showcase Showdown format.

[edit] Syndicated productions

A weekly syndicated version of the show aired from 1972 through 1980.^[2] Distributed by Viacom, the nighttime Price was hosted by Dennis James from 1972 to 1977 and by Bob Barker from 1977 to 1980. James, a figure from the early days of TV, was originally intended to host both the network and syndicated versions of the program, but CBS executives preferred Barker for the daytime show. It was only when James' contract expired and the long-running Truth or Consequences ended production that Barker added the evening version to his duties.

In most of the U.S., stations carried the syndicated Price Is Right as one of five different programs every night of the week in one of the available timeslots created by the 1971 FCC Prime Time Access Rule.^[3] Usually, the slots were one of two half-hour slots between 7-8 p.m. in the Eastern and Pacific time zones and 6:30-7 p.m. in the Central Time Zone (Mountain Time Zone stations' practices varied).^[2]

Two daily syndicated versions were attempted: In 1985-86, veteran host Tom Kennedy starred in a version ^[4]^[5] which was faithful to the traditional half-hour format; and in 1994, The Young and the Restless stalwart Doug Davidson's The New Price Is Right hosted a show with more modern elements and changes to several distinct aspects of the program.^[6] Neither version was successful; Kennedy's version was canceled after a year, and Davidson's after five months.

[edit] CBS primetime specials

CBS attempted to break NBC's dominance of Thursday night primetime by The Cosby Show and Family Ties with a six-episode experimental run beginning in August 1986.^[7] In these episodes, host Barker and announcer Roddy wore tuxedos, and colored spotlights surrounded the Big Doors.^[8]

In 1996, CBS aired an hour-long 25th Anniversary Special, using the half-hour gameplay format and featuring a number of retrospective clips.^[9] A 30th anniversary special was recorded at Harrah's Rio in Las Vegas in 2002.^[10] This one-time road trip enticed 5,000 potential contestants to line up for 900 available tickets, causing an incident that left one person injured.^[11]

More primetime shows were planned back at CBS Television City. Six nighttime specials saluting various branches of the United States armed forces, police officers, and firefighters aired during the summer of 2002, as a tribute to the heroes of the terrorist attacks of 2001.^[12] During the Military Specials, a $1 on the bonus spin in the Showcase Showdown would have been worth $100,000 instead of the usual $10,000; this prize went unclaimed.

On May 17, 2007, CBS aired an hour-long special, A Celebration of Bob Barker's 50 Years in Television. The program featured several interstitial elements, including a cameo by Adam Sandler, with the actual gameplay consisting of only three pricing games and the Showcase round.

[edit] $1,000,000 Spectacular

Main article: The Price Is Right Million Dollar Spectacular

Since 2003, CBS has broadcast 22 primetime specials titled The Price Is Right $1,000,000 Spectacular; the most recent show aired on April 11, 2008.

From 2003 until 2007,, the bonus spin payoff for the Showcase Showdown was again increased, this time to $1 million. Beginning on the fourth $1,000,000 Spectacular show, the winner of the Showcase earns a million-dollar spin if there was no bonus spin during either Showcase Showdown; during these post-Showcase spins, hitting a green section does not earn any money.

In 2008, a Million Dollar Game was implemented, where a player could win the game by winning a pricing game and also following it with an even more stringent standard, to win $1,000,000. Also, coming within a certain range during the Showcase could also win $1,000,000.

Bigger and better prizes are generally offered on the $1,000,000 Spectacular shows: Contestants' Row frequently offers pricing game-caliber prizes; many pricing games, including those played for money, offer larger prizes than on the daytime show; and the Showcase will frequently offer multiple or very expensive cars.

The 2008 series will also see the return of tuxedo-clad hosts and evening gown models.

[edit] Gameshow Marathon

Main article: Gameshow Marathon (US TV series)

The Price Is Right was the first of seven classic game-show formats set to be played on the CBS Gameshow Marathon; its episode aired May 31, 2006. Ricki Lake served as host, while celebrities played as contestants.^[13] The show did not take place on the current set, but on a specially-designed smaller set in CBS Television City's Studio 46; however, the episode did use props from the current The Price Is Right, such as the Big Wheel and the Plinko board, and featured appearances by the Barker's Beauties and announcer Rich Fields.^[14]