User:Daniel Benfield/Price Is Right 1970s Syndicated Video Archive

Syndicated, Weekly: September 10, 1972 - September 13, 1980 (300 episodes + 1 unaired, taped August 27, 1972 - March 12, 1980 at Television City)

The first syndicated version of The Price Is Right was very influential on the revival's early footing, and yet remains the most obscure of the three syndie runs. This is probably because it's never seen the light of repeats...which in turn is probably because something like five episodes didn't have a fur.

Probably the most well-known aspect of this version, aside from the higher budget (see below), is that it loved to experiment with the games, resulting in some unique playings. Of note, the nighttime show even used a few pricing games before the daytime show did (Double Bullseye, Most Expensive, and One Right Price) and even played a pricing game not seen on any other version.

Initially, the two versions were nearly identical, the main difference being that each One-Bid prize copy ended with "...and this (prize) can be yours if the Price is Right." In addition, the prize budget was slightly higher but essentially on par with the daytime show (a Barker winner got around $3,000-$4,000, while a James winner got around $5,000-$6,000). Perhaps as a side effect of this, the nighttime show never used the Double Showcase Rule when it was introduced in Spring 1974.

Oddly, the nighttime series never used the Perfect Bid bonus for Contestant's Row (introduced in Spring 1977) either.

A huge thanks to Scott Robinson for the game lineups, a lot of general info, and tapedates for the entire 301-episode run.

LEGAL STUFF SO I DON'T GET SUED: I'm only linking to these videos, none of which were uploaded by me, for the purposes of research and as a public record. Footage ©1972-80 Mark Goodson-Bill Todman Productions/FremantleMedia and associated entities.

Dennis James
Episodes taped August 27, 1972 - March 1, 1977 (195 episodes + 1 unaired)

For at least Dennis' run as host, the opening spiel was simply "A fortune in fabulous prizes may go to these people tonight, if they know when The Price Is Right!"

Aside from Janice, Anitra, Dian, and Holly, this era is also well known for having "extra" models that, to my knowledge, never appeared on the daytime show. These included Harriet (an African-American model used in the earliest episodes), Jenny (circa 1974), Ann Pennington (Janice's sister), and actress Phyllis Davis.

Note that all .mov links are audio-only. Big thanks to Jim Shea (J-Shea) for uploading said files – they came in really handy during otherwise-dull days. :)

Some listed episodes of Seasons 4-5 come from Dennis' personal collection, as he had the foresight to record a bunch of his Price episodes from their KNBC airings. He also did the same for most if not all of Seasons 1-3, albeit onto a now-obscure tape format; to my knowledge, they haven't been transferred yet.


 * Taped 2/16/72 (Pitchfilm with Dennis and Mark Goodson outlining plans for the New show, then only intended for syndication through Viacom; an early Take Two and "Cut Price" {an early Ten Chances} are shown, followed by clips of Dennis hosting Let's Make A Deal; has slate! {alternate copy, slightly lower quality})
 * [Has no fur coats!]

Uncertain Placement

Info I can determine from the available footage is listed. No fur coats are present in either clip.


 * 1974? (Clip seen on Game Show Moments Gone Bananas where a contestant makes Dennis trip on the Turntable steps!)
 * [The red stripe is present just inside the wall border on both sides of the spinning Turntable panel, which was added on the September 19, 1973 daytime show (#0553D, taped 8/19/73). The Turntable carpet is still brown, however, putting this before the March 27, 1975 daytime show (when it became green). As such, it's somewhere between #048N (taped 8/26/73) and about #112N (taped 3/3/75).]
 * 1976? (Clip seen on Game Show Moments Gone Bananas of a really loud Clock Game player who has a bit of difficulty with "higher" and "lower")
 * [Has the rainbow set, putting it somewhere between #126N (taped 8/11/75) and #188N (taped 2/1/77).]

Season 1 (1972-73)
Taped August 27, 1972 - May 4, 1973

The game lineup for the first season consisted of Any Number, Bonus Game, Clock Game, Double Bullseye, (Double) Double Prices, Five Price Tags, Grocery Game, Most Expensive, One Right Price, and Range Game.

This said, One Right Price was ousted after the seventh show, Double Bullseye and Double Prices after the eighth, Five Price Tags after the 17th, and Range Game was only played once (and with a $200 rangefinder, covering one-third of the $600 scale, at that!).

For three episodes very early in the season, Double Prices was played as Double Double Prices, essentially playing the game twice in a row; the contestant could win the first prize, the second prize, both, or neither.

The original One Right Price consisted of Dennis revealing a price, and the contestant having to pick which of three displayed prizes had the same price, although a correct match awarded only that prize. It was only played twice, both times using three fur coats, and was never adapted on the daytime show.

For its first six playings, winning Clock Game with at least two seconds left earned an additional $1,000; to emphasize this, a "shadow" was added to the final two seconds on the clock. Interestingly, this version of Clock Game appears on the cover of Milton Bradley's First Edition home game.

1972
 * Taped 8/27/72 (#002N: Any Number, Bonus Game, One Right Price {debut!}; studio master, montage including slate, intro, and One Right Price)
 * [Has fur coats in Game #3. Dennis refers to Door #2 as "this wall" at the start of One Right Price, which I chalk up to this being an extremely early taping (the standard terms probably weren't in place yet).]


 * Taped 9/4/72 (#006N: Grocery Game, Any Number, DOUBLE DOUBLE PRICES {final playing!}; studio master with slate, has TVPMM watermarks throughout, but still watchable)
 * [Spiegel catalog shown at 22:59 is the Fall/Winter 1972 one. Has no fur coats!]

Season 2 (1973-74)
Taped July 10, 1973 - April 1, 1974

Added Lucky Seven to the rotation, and removed Double Bullseye, Double Prices, Five Price Tags, and One Right Price. Range Game was now played with its standard $150 rangefinder.

At this point, the nighttime show now uses the standard The Price Is Right logos and is referred to on-air as "The Nighttime Price Is Right", both of which remain for the rest of the run.

1973
 * Taped 7/10/73 (#042N: Bonus Game, Any Number, Clock Game {Part 3, Part 4}; has some odd music before the Showcases, likely from a local station)
 * [Listed as "1973 (7) tape mistracking" by J-Shea.]
 * Taped 8/12/73 (#045N: Any Number, Grocery Game {well, that was quick...}, Most Expensive {Part 3}; first segment missing)
 * [Listed as "1973 (6)" by J-Shea.]
 * Taped 8/26/73 (#046N: Bonus Game, Any Number, Clock Game {Part 3, Part 4})
 * [Listed as "1973 (5)" by J-Shea.]
 * Taped 8/26/73 (#047N: Any Number, Grocery Game, Most Expensive {Part 3, Part 4}; various portions missing, including most of Act 2)
 * [Listed as "August 1973 excerpts" by J-Shea.]


 * Taped 9/16/73 (#050N: Bonus Game, Any Number, Clock Game; final segment only)
 * [Listed as "1973 (2)" by J-Shea.]
 * Taped 9/16/73 (#051N: Any Number, Grocery Game {she doesn't know how to play it?}, Most Expensive {Part 3, Part 4})
 * [Listed as "1974 (12)" by J-Shea.]


 * Taped 12/11/73 (#062N: Any Number, Bonus Game, Clock Game {Part 3, Part 4})
 * [Listed as "1974 (13)" by J-Shea.]

1974
 * Taped 1/8/74 (#064N: Lucky Seven, Bonus Game, Most Expensive {Part 3, Part 4})
 * [Listed as "1974 (4)" by J-Shea.]
 * Taped 1/8/74 (#065N: Grocery Game, Any Number, Clock Game, with a pony as a One-Bid prize!)
 * [alternate copy, Listed as "1974 (11)" by J-Shea.]


 * Taped 2/9/74 (#070N: Lucky Seven, Most Expensive, Bonus Game {Part 3, Part 4}, with an odd moment in Showcase #1 where Dennis has to correct Johnny about an elephant {it makes sense in context})
 * [Listed as "1974 (1)" by J-Shea.]
 * Taped 3/3/74 (#075N: Grocery Game, Any Number, Most Expensive {Part 3, Part 4})
 * [Listed as "April 9, 1974" by J-Shea.]

Season 3 (1974-75)
Taped July 28, 1974 - March 31, 1975

Added Money Game and Shell Game to the rotation, along with restoring Five Price Tags after a 91-episode absence. Double Prices also made a return appearance on the fourth-to-last show of the season after a 100+-episode absence...only to get kicked out again afterward. :P

Speaking of Shell Game, the daytime show had it replace Bonus Game in the rotation about a month before this nighttime season began taping, but the nighttime show kept it in the rotation (probably because the game lineup was small enough as it was).

It was during this season that Dennis filled in for Bob on the daytime Price: specifically, the December 24-27, 1974 shows. Footage from those shows are listed here for the sake of completeness.

1974
 * Taped 7/28/74 (#079N/Season Premiere: Any Number, Shell Game, Range Game {Part 3}, with Dennis telling a winner they're over when they aren't!; first segment missing)
 * [Listed as "January 7, 1975" by J-Shea.]
 * Taped 7/28/74 (#080N: Lucky Seven, Most Expensive, Grocery Game {Part 3, Part 4})
 * [Listed as "September 2, 1975" by J-Shea.]
 * Taped 8/17/74 (#087N: Any Number, Bonus Game, Range Game {Part 3, Part 4}, with the rare Puppy Pong as a One-Bid prize – and somebody bids $10 on it!)
 * [Listed as "July 15, 1975" by J-Shea.]


 * Taped 9/30/74 (#089N: Clock Game, Money Game, Bonus Game {Part 3, Part 4})
 * [Listed as "1974 (8)" by J-Shea.]
 * Taped 9/30/74 (#090N: Shell Game, Any Number, Range Game {Part 3, Part 4})
 * [Listed as "December 17, 1974" by J-Shea.]


 * Taped 10/14/74 (#091N: Grocery Game, Money Game, Most Expensive {Part 3, Part 4}, with a long third One-Bid round)
 * [Listed as "December 24, 1974" by J-Shea.]
 * Taped 10/14/74 (#092N: Lucky Seven {well, that was quick...}, Shell Game, Range Game {Part 3, Part 4}, with a huge winner)
 * [Listed as "January 14, 1975" by J-Shea.]
 * Taped 10/28/74 (#094N: Lucky Seven, Most Expensive, Grocery Game {Part 3, Part 4})
 * [Listed as "August 19, 1975" by J-Shea.]
 * Taped 10/28/74 (#096N: Clock Game, Money Game, Bonus Game {Part 3, Part 4})
 * [Listed as "1974 (3)" by J-Shea.]


 * Taped 11/11/74 (#097N: Lucky Seven, Shell Game, Most Expensive {Part 3, Part 4})
 * [Listed as "March 18, 1975" by J-Shea.]
 * Taped 11/11/74 (#098N: Grocery Game, Money Game, Clock Game {Part 3, Part 4})
 * [Listed as "March 25, 1975" by J-Shea.]
 * Taped 11/11/74 (#099N: Any Number, Bonus Game, Range Game {Part 3, Part 4}, with the main theme running out during the credits)
 * [Listed as "January 21, 1975" by J-Shea.]


 * December 25, 1974 (#1213D: Grocery Game, Any Number, Most Expensive {taped 12/2/74}, with Dennis filling in for Bob!; taped from GSN!)
 * [Has no fur coats!]


 * Taped 12/9/74 (#100N!: Lucky Seven, Grocery Game, Most Expensive {Part 3, Part 4}, with the main theme starting at the wrong spot during the intro)
 * [Listed as "April 1, 1975" by J-Shea.]
 * Taped 12/9/74 (#101N: Shell Game, Money Game, Range Game {Part 3}; first segment missing)
 * [Listed as "April 8, 1975" by J-Shea.]

1975
 * Taped 1/21/75 (#106N: Lucky Seven, Grocery Game, Most Expensive {Part 3, Part 4})
 * [Listed as "February 11, 1975" by J-Shea.]
 * Taped 1/21/75 (#108N: Five Price Tags, Range Game, Any Number {Part 3, Part 4})
 * [Listed as "February 25, 1975" by J-Shea. Five Price Tags' first playing since #017N!]


 * Taped 2/3/75 (#110N: Grocery Game, Money Game, Clock Game {Part 3, Part 4}, with a pretty poor Clock Game playing)
 * [Listed as "March 11, 1975" by J-Shea.]
 * Taped 2/3/75 (#111N: Any Number, Shell Game, Range Game {Part 3, Part 4}, with someone very nearly bidding $100,000 on a Showcase!)
 * [Listed as "April 29, 1975" by J-Shea.]


 * Taped 3/3/75 (#113N: Five Price Tags, Grocery Game, Money Game {Part 3, Part 4})
 * [Listed as "May 20, 1975" by J-Shea.]
 * Taped 3/3/75 (#114N: Shell Game, Any Number, Double Prices {Part 3, Part 4}, with the last nighttime use of Double Prices until Season 6)
 * [Listed as "May 27, 1975" by J-Shea.]
 * Taped 3/31/75 (#117N/Season Finale: Shell Game, Any Number, Most Expensive {Part 3, Part 4})
 * [Listed as "May 13, 1975" by J-Shea. Dennis plugs the home game (presumably the 2nd Edition one) at the start of Act 2.]

Season 4 (1975-76)
Taped July 20, 1975 - March 2, 1976

Added One Right Price (the regular version) and Race Game to the rotation, along with removing Double Prices for the rest of Dennis' run as host.

The first two taping days of this season (July 20-21, 1975) are interesting: these six episodes were the first taped with the "rainbow" set (daytime Price had taped far enough ahead that it was on break until the August 2 tapings), but the new set was incomplete – the border of the Giant Price Tag was still brown and, more noticeably, the original Contestant's Row displays were still there. This interesting "transitional" phase remained under the radar for the next 40 years, and can be seen below on #122N.

Said six episodes were also the last nighttime shows with the original yellow curtains behind the audience; the rainbow ones debuted on #124N (taped 8/11/75).

Sometime between #125N and #140N, Dennis began plugging the 2nd Edition board game again, this time at the start of Act 3.

"Walking" probably replaced the original opening and "come on down" cues on #151N (taped 2/15/76). This is based on the tapedate of the "Patricia Bernard's in the bathroom" daytime show (#1812D, taped 1/20/76 and aired 2/17) and the belief that "Walking" replaced the aforementioned cues in daytime two shows later (#1814D).

1975
 * Taped 7/20/75 (#118N/Season Premiere: Lucky Seven, Most Expensive, Shell Game {Part 3, Part 4}, although it's not exactly a good start to the season... {alternate copy... thing, first segment missing})
 * [Listed as "September 16, 1975" and "Fall 1975 (2)" by J-Shea, respectively.]
 * Taped 7/20/75 (#119N: One Right Price {return, taped before its first daytime use!}, Grocery Game, Money Game {Part 3, Part 4})
 * [Listed as "Fall 1975 (9)" by J-Shea.]


 * Taped 7/21/75 (#122N: Any Number, Grocery Game, One Right Price {2nd nighttime playing!}; taped from KNBC in October 1975)
 * [From Dennis' personal collection. Has a fur coat in Showcase #2; Spiegel catalog shown at 22:12 is the Fall/Winter 1975 one.]
 * Taped 7/21/75 (#123N: Five Price Tags, Clock Game, Most Expensive; last segment only)
 * [Listed as "Fall 1975 (8)" by J-Shea. Last episode with the original Contestant's Row displays!]


 * Taped 8/11/75 (#125N: One Right Price, Any Number, Grocery Game {Part 3, Part 4}; studio master with bizarre slate!)
 * [Has fur coats in Game #1 and Showcase #2.]
 * Taped 8/18/75 (#128N: Lucky Seven, Grocery Game, One Right Price {Part 3, Part 4}; first few seconds of second segment missing)
 * [Listed as "October 28, 1975" by J-Shea.]


 * Taped 11/23/75 (#140N: Lucky Seven {...wow}, Grocery Game {heartbreaking!}, Range Game {Part 3, Part 4})
 * [Listed as "Fall 1975 (1)" by J-Shea.]

1976
 * Taped 2/15/76 (#152N: Lucky Seven, Shell Game, One Right Price; original? broadcast, begins at Showcase #2, "shaky-cam" upload)
 * [No fur coats in the available footage, but Zinman Furs is present in the sponsor list. Pamela wins an airplane, clips of which appeared in a Season 5 promo, the show's 40th-Anniversary Special, and the official YouTube account.]

Season 5 (1976-77)
Taped July 28, 1976 - March 1, 1977

Added Cliff Hangers, Danger Price, Dice Game, Hurdles, and 3 Strikes to the rotation, although aside from Cliff Hangers they only got between 2-4 playings each. While Danger Price also lasted past this season, it was only played a grand total of eleven times.

Oddly, when Hurdles was played (which amounted to a grand total of twice), the hurdler had no product attached – just a price.

On #160N (taped 8/15/76), Most Expensive had an unusual staging: it was played on the Turntable for a fur coat, a watch, and a diamond ring, all worn by Janice. The pricetag for the fur was on a stand next to her, while the prices of the other two items were on smaller tags inside the coat's pockets.

By #167N, Dennis began plugging the 3rd Edition board game at the top of Act 3, which he continued to do for the rest of the season.

1976
 * Taped 9/14/76 (#167N: Five Price Tags, Race Game, Range Game; taped from KNBC in December 1976, with a partial commercial)
 * [From Dennis' personal collection; partial commercial is Christmas-related. Anitra is still present. Has a fur coat in Showcase #1.]
 * Taped 11/2/76 (#177N: One Right Price {for two cars!}, CLIFF HANGERS, Lucky Seven {the only time it was played last on this version!}; taped from KNBC, begins just after last contestant calldown)
 * [From Dennis' personal collection. Has a fur coat in Showcase #1.]


 * Taped 12/19/76 (#182N: Lucky Seven, CLIFF HANGERS, One Right Price {for two trips!}, with Johnny appearing in Showcase #2!; taped from KNBC in March 1977)
 * [From Dennis' personal collection. Has a fur coat in Showcase #2.]
 * Taped 12/19/76 (#183N: Grocery Game, Any Number, Most Expensive; taped from KNBC in March 1977, with a station ID!)
 * [From Dennis' personal collection. Has a fur coat in Showcase #1.]

1977
 * 1977 (KIRO promo)


 * Taped 1/16/77 (#186N: Any Number, Grocery Game {for a car, and an interesting playing overall}, Most Expensive; taped from KNBC, Act 2 only)
 * [From Dennis' personal collection, specifically as part of a presentation reel. By this point, Holly is present on the nighttime show. No fur coats in the available footage.]
 * Taped 3/1/77 (#193N/Dennis' 3rd-to-last: Money Game, Grocery Game, Clock Game; studio master with slate, TVPMM watermarks present throughout {alternate copy, no slate or watermarks, lower quality})
 * [Dennis plugs the board game at the start of Act 2. Has a fur coat in Showcase #2.]

Bob Barker
Episodes taped August 14, 1977 - March 12, 1980 (105 episodes)

The show began airing primarily on CBS stations, and each season was cut down from 39 episodes to 35.

Probably when Season 6 began taping, and definitely by #230N (taped 1/31/78), the intro was altered to have twinkling multicolored scrolling lights superimposed on the camera. Probably at the same time, and definitely by the end of Season 8, the opening spiel was extended to start with "Right now, an audience is sparkling with excitement, because a fortune in fabulous prizes may be theirs tonight, if they know when The Price Is Right!" The logo used on the daytime show from Seasons 31-34 kinda resembled the one seen in this intro.

An intro clip from Season 6 appeared during the special CBS: On The Air - A Celebration of 50 Years week (March 26 to April 1, 1978), specifically during this segment on game shows.

Season 6 (1977-78)
Taped August 14, 1977 - January 31, 1978

Restored Double Prices to the rotation, but removed Dice Game, Hurdles, and 3 Strikes.

On #215N (taped 10/26/77), Clock Game added a third prize, presumably to test the idea. It went back to two prizes on #218N (taped 11/22/77), but permanently became a three-prizer on #223N (taped 12/21/77).

1977
 * 1977 (KMGH promo, with an intro clip)
 * 1977 (KNXT promo, with a brief clip of a Five Price Tags win)
 * [Clip is from no earlier than #200N (taped 8/15/77), the game's first appearance after Bob became host.]

Season 7 (1978-79)
Taped July 11, 1978 - February 6, 1979

Added Golden Road and Take Two to the rotation.

On #259N (taped 1/9/79), the idea of Most Expensive being played for a fur coat, watch, and ring was tried again; while it was done behind Door #2, it used the standard staging for fur coats rather than the game's set: Dian, Holly, and an unknown third model (not Janice) held the tags, which read "FUR", "RING", and "WATCH" respectively.

Season 8 (1979-80)
Taped June 27, 1979 - March 12, 1980

The final season added Give or Keep, Squeeze Play, and Temptation...although for whatever reason, Give or Keep was only played once, on the third-to-last episode.

Early in the season, and definitely by #272N (taped 8/15/79), the version of "Walking" used during the opening was changed from the 1976 iteration to the style which would remain through Barker's last daytime show in 2007. On the daytime show, it changed sometime between October 4 and 11, 1979; I know the latter show was taped 8/14/79.

On #300N, One Right Price was staged with its prizes (in this case, a boat and a three-wheeled electric car) behind Door #2 and Door #3 respectively, with the game's props out in front between them. This setup returned for the game's playing on March 18, 1992, which used two trips.

1980
 * 1980 (Promo, using an intro from about this period)


 * Taped 3/12/80 (#300N!/Finale: Money Game, Cliff Hangers, One Right Price {with the aforementioned setup}; studio master with slate!)
 * [Has one last fur coat, in Showcase #1.]