70s Throwback: Bob Barker’s Debut On Price Is Right

The sparkle, the allure, and the tricks. Not many TV game shows are as easily identifiable as The Price Is Right.

Bob Barker, a television icon, used to greet contestants on the show, urging them to join in for a shot at winning money and amazing rewards. On September 4, 1972, the TV star made his debut, but he wasn’t the first guy to host The Price Is Right.

Original vs. New ‘Price is Right’

On November 26, 1956, as part of NBC’s daytime schedule, The Price is Right made its debut. The original host of the program was Bill Cullen, a veteran radio broadcaster who also served as the host of the well-known game series Name That Tune and To Tell the Truth.

The Price Is Right became popular due to its original gaming design, which involved participants placing their bids on retail goods. Up until the series was picked up by ABC in 1963, NBC first aired a weekly primetime edition of the program. The Price Is Right completed two seasons on ABC, with the last episode airing on September 3, 1965.

Early in the 1970s, the crew at production company Goodson-Todman tried to revive The Price Is Right on television, but they were up against competition from newer programs like Let’s Make a Deal, which had monopolized the bid-or-pass genre.

The makers of The Price Is Right revamped the show, turning it from a quiz show to a high-octane game show while also creating stunning sets that were ideal for Technicolor. The new season of The Price Is Right, according to Smithsonian Magazine, “felt like a Las Vegas revue—especially once the gorgeous models started to appear, thrilled to show off the prizes and crack wise with the show’s host.”

When Did Bob Barker Join ‘The Price Is Right’?

Producers considered their host choices as they got ready to bring The Price Is Right back to television. The show’s original host, Cullen, was reluctant to go to the West Coast. Dennis James was initially chosen by Goodson-Todman to serve as host of The Price is Right for its redesigned run, but when CBS ordered a syndicated daytime version of the show, the network proposed a different host.

Before assuming the role of Truth or Consequences’ host in 1956, Bob Barker had already established himself in the entertainment industry as the host of the well-known Bob Barker Radio Show on Los Angeles radio station KWIK. Barker received approval from CBS to host The Price is Right, and on September 4, 1972, television history was created when the game show’s debut episode aired.

After hosting The Price is Right for 35 seasons, Barker eventually announced his retirement in 2007. The Price is Right developed become an institution and one of the most cherished game programs in television history during his leadership. As one of The Price Is Right’s producers, Barker won four additional Daytime Emmy Awards and was recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Television Academy in 1999. Barker was a 14-time winner of the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Game Show Host.

In 1998, to commemorate the 5,000th episode of the renowned presenter, the studio’s well-known Hollywood site was renamed the Bob Barker Studio. The role of host was taken over by comedian Drew Carey after Barker’s retirement. Up until 2023, The Price Is Right was produced in the Bob Barker Studio before moving to a more up-to-date facility.

On the 26th of August, Barker passed away. He had reached age 99.