Question about how contestant order is selected

[GameShowFan9001]

So I know that the 9 people who are picked to play are chosen based on attitude, excitability, etc, but how is the order of those contestants chosen?  What determines WHEN each person is called down?

[gamesurf]

If Bonkers/Race Game/Time is Money is to be played that day, any elderly and disabled contestants that may be called are saved for after that game.

If the first game/IUFB is exclusively played for a feminine prize like jewelry or 365 pairs of shoes, they usually call women first and save men for after the first four.

Beyond that we don't know. Producers keep parts of the selection process secret for good reason. They want to surprise their contestants, and if we knew all their tricks, part of that surprise would be gone.

[tpir04]

If Bonkers/Race Game/Time is Money is to be played that day, any elderly and disabled contestants that may be called are saved for after that game.

If the first game/IUFB is exclusively played for a feminine prize like jewelry or 365 pairs of shoes, they usually call women first and save men for after the first four.

Beyond that we don't know. Producers keep parts of the selection process secret for good reason. They want to surprise their contestants, and if we knew all their tricks, part of that surprise would be gone.

Really? I didn't know that there was any predetermined order to it.

[JayC]

Do they call the contestants they like the most as part of the first four, and the one that made it out of a group of "borderline" audience members as the final contestant called down?

[Alfonzo]

Do they call the contestants they like the most as part of the first four, and the one that made it out of a group of "borderline" audience members as the final contestant called down?

It seemed that when Bob was around they would often call some of the more interesting or colorful contestants after the First Four, especially second, so Bob could get a chance to interview them and show how colorful they were.

[tpir04]

My guess is that they would save the more interesting contestants for immediately before or after a quickie so that Bob could have fun with them and not have to worry about time restraints.

[ClockGameJohn]

It seemed that when Bob was around they would often call some of the more interesting or colorful contestants after the First Four, especially second, so Bob could get a chance to interview them and show how colorful they were.

Good observation! Having been fortunate to see how the full selection process works, I can say that the Producers were very conscious of the exact order of the contestants being called down. Without divulging anything which I would consider confidential, the process generally provided for the “best” contestants to be included in the First Four; to allow the most potential for them to make it on stage, which would give Bob a great opportunity to interact with them. The fifth contestant was often someone who was the “best of the rest,” and since they are the first contestant to have their own single call down, Bob would know that that contestant might have something interesting to talk about. From there, contestants 6-9 were just placed based on the consensus of the Producer selecting the contestants with input of his assistants.

[dmaingame]

It seemed that when Bob was around they would often call some of the more interesting or colorful contestants after the First Four, especially second, so Bob could get a chance to interview them and show how colorful they were.

Some of those people were more entertaining.  Once there was an older man named Angelo who was called down from the far camera right corner of the audience (the first row back from the judges' table and slate that isn't designated for contestants who've already been on stage) and had a five minute chat with Bob about coming to the show from Italy for his 85th birthday.  I believe this happened sometime in 1984 as it was during the brief time when the borders on the bid readouts on contestants row were bright pink.  I also wonder if producers seeked out contestants who would be most likely to bypass contestants' row and come right up on stage to talk to Bob to come on down after the first four.  I remember once a grandmotherly woman was called and got on stage by means of a set of steps unseen on camera to get on stage.  Bob remarked something like, "You know what.  She saw plenty of contestants try coming up these steps to come up here, (pointing to the most commonly used steps to the camera right of contestants' row), but she figured if I come up those steps (pointing to the steps she came up) he'll never know and he'll let me play a pricing game."  They conversed for a few minutes and had a few laughs before Bob and Rod guided her down to her spot in contestants' row.