Author Topic: The Price is Right in Newspapers: A Thread  (Read 4076 times)

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Offline Roadgeek Adam

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The Price is Right in Newspapers: A Thread
« on: July 19, 2022, 09:25:26 PM »
So. I got bored after work today and those who know me know I have access to a newspaper archive or two. I figured I'd do some searching out of curiosity. Learned a few things I didn't know about, like, did we know Bob & Dorothy Jo had an advertising agency in 1954? I certainly had never heard that one. Without further ado, here's the first set, comment if you wish. I found them interesting.



Starting in 1943, Bob graduates the Western Military Academy in St. Louis, where he was salutatorian. If you're wondering, I checked, that address is now a condominium complex. (St. Louis Globe-Democrat, June 2, 1943).


Moving to January 14, 1945, it was announced that Bob & Dorothy Jo had been married in a surprise ceremony on January 12. (Springfield Leader and Press, January 14, 1945).


A picture of the happy couple on their wedding day (January 12). This one appeared in a paper 9 days later. (The Springfield News-Leader, January 21, 1945).


By 1953, Bob and Dorothy Jo were in Hollywood and Bob was doing his radio show. On this day, Bob and Dorothy Jo were signing a declaration that the December 4, 1953 show would be Garden Center Day. (Valley Times of North Hollywood, November 27, 1953)


I mentioned this in the intro, but apparently Bob & Dorothy Jo had started an advertising agency in 1954. This legalese is basically the declaration of notary for the creation of the firm. (Los Angeles Citizen Evening News, June 23, 1954)


In case you ever thought giving away kitchen appliances was something Bob only did on television, he did it on radio too. (Ventura County Star, April 4, 1955)


People made typos in 1956 too. Unfortunately, this one managed it twice, referring to Bob "Baker" hosting Truth or Consequences. (The Los Angeles Times, December 27, 1956)



Bob Barker talking about hosting Truth or Consequences. Interesting note, he made $40,000 a year in 1957 for hosting it. That's about $416,000 a year now. (Springfield Leader and Press, February 3, 1957)



Bob and Dorothy Jo are presented an award by Southern California Edison (who was sponsoring his radio show) for winning an advertising contest. (Pomona Progress Bulletin, June 19, 1958)

« Last Edit: July 19, 2022, 09:39:29 PM by Roadgeek Adam »
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Offline Roadgeek Adam

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Re: The Price is Right in Newspapers: A Thread
« Reply #1 on: July 19, 2022, 09:54:09 PM »

Want to know how Mark Goodson imagined up The Price is Right? Well, Goodson, Bennett & Phyllis Cerf were playing a general idea of guessing the prices of items in the Goodson house. (Chillicothe Gazette, July 7, 1957, syndicated from the New York Herald-Tribune)


The Price is Right was super popular that even local businesses would use it in programs to offer their own contests. This one comes out of Dallas-Fort Worth. (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, November 18, 1957).


Not everyone loved The Price is Right or Bill Cullen. Just look at this scathing review being demolished by a different columnist in 1962. (Chicago Tribune, March 11, 1962).


This headline was interesting because you know what happens 16 years later, and I will get to those. Humorously this article is right under one about Bill Cullen. (Green Bay Press-Gazette, June 29, 1971).
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Offline Roadgeek Adam

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Re: The Price is Right in Newspapers: A Thread
« Reply #2 on: July 19, 2022, 10:18:47 PM »

It's interesting to look at the two original models, Janice Pennington and Anitra Ford, prior to becoming the models on The Price is Right. Janice, a model back in 1967, at age 25, started a musical career with fellow model Susan Schell, getting a single released on MGM Records. (Salem Statesman, November 23, 1967).


Just a month before The Price is Right debuted on CBS, this promotional photo about the 1972 film Blacula appeared in the papers with 6 other movies. In it, William Marshall, the star, an African-American vampire who was out trying to stop the slave trade, is showing his fangs in this photo of him and Janice. (San Francisco Examiner, August 14, 1972).


Anitra Ford modeling a dress in 1965 and the pictures were syndicated to newspapers around the country in that time about new fashion styles coming from California. (The Herald-Press of St. Joseph, MI, November 18, 1965)


A few months before The Price is Right debuted, Anitra Ford's acting career was really taking off. That summer, the R-rated The Big Bird Cage debuted and she would soon sign on to do episodes of Banacek, featuring well known piece of garbage, George Peppard. (The Indianapolis News, June 22, 1972).



This is the major syndicated promotional image for Bob, Janice & Anitra in 1972. (The Minneapolis Tribune, October 15, 1972).
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Offline vnisanian2001

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Re: The Price is Right in Newspapers: A Thread
« Reply #3 on: July 19, 2022, 10:40:51 PM »
I'm so happy for the Newspaper Archives in general. A treasure trove of information digitized that would otherwise have been lost to history.

Offline blozier2006

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Re: The Price is Right in Newspapers: A Thread
« Reply #4 on: July 19, 2022, 11:46:15 PM »
This is no reflection on you, Adam, but I find it hilarious that Goodson would go out of his way to avoid crediting Bob Stewart for being the actual creator of Cullen-era TPIR. Since anyone who knows their game show history would know the yarn he's spinning in that article.

Offline MSTieScott

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Re: The Price is Right in Newspapers: A Thread
« Reply #5 on: July 20, 2022, 12:03:20 AM »
Quote from: Mark Goodson
All the big money giveaways are based on synthetic danger, synthetic risk. [...] But after a while, if money is the source of your risk, it's like looking at Grand Canyon: you get used to it and you finally need a bigger hole.

As true today as it was 65 years ago.
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Offline Hag

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Re: The Price is Right in Newspapers: A Thread
« Reply #6 on: July 20, 2022, 01:39:00 AM »
Some pretty good stuff there.
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Offline gamesurf

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Re: The Price is Right in Newspapers: A Thread
« Reply #7 on: July 20, 2022, 02:59:04 AM »
Quote
"If you had a show with no money and the loser went to jail, or was publicly whipped, or loses his house, you'd have the same effect."

holy crap Goodson don't say these things to a reporter
Quote from: Bill Todman
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Offline Mark

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Re: The Price is Right in Newspapers: A Thread
« Reply #8 on: July 20, 2022, 07:52:31 AM »
Interesting in Bob & Dorothy Jo's wedding announcement, they list Bob's mother as "Mrs. Louis V. Barker", instead of Mrs. Louis Valendra (Barker).

Offline pannoni1

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Re: The Price is Right in Newspapers: A Thread
« Reply #9 on: July 20, 2022, 02:54:00 PM »
I'm so happy for the Newspaper Archives in general. A treasure trove of information digitized that would otherwise have been lost to history.

In particular, the content which involves lost media is especially invaluable, given that it can be the only source for what remains about a show, or a portion of a show in general. Here's some Cullen-era material:

Early photo of Bill, Carolyn, and Beverly with a report on the first two Showcases, December 1956 (Source: The Geneva, NY Daily Times)


Information on contestant selection as well as one contestant's haul from the April 7, 1961 taping (Source: Buffalo Courier-Express, April 10, 1961)

Picture of Bill and Ann with an article on the show and his free time (Source: The Greenfield (MA) Recorder-Gazette, June 3, 1961)



Feature article on the show (Source: New York Post, May 11, 1958)


Another feature article, with details about the jobs for picking up the mail for the viewer Showcases along with some information about an episode (Source: New York Post, July 21, 1957)

Story on Maryann Spencer, winningest contestant to date (Source: syndicated AP wire, January 15, 1960)


Removed the dead images, pannoni. Upload them to imgur and send them to me or edit your post so we can display them properly.

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« Last Edit: July 20, 2022, 08:18:28 PM by Roadgeek Adam »
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Offline GR_Man_9009

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Re: The Price is Right in Newspapers: A Thread
« Reply #10 on: July 20, 2022, 04:42:24 PM »
In particular, the content which involves lost media is especially invaluable, given that it can be the only source for what remains about a show, or a portion of a show in general. Here's some Cullen-era material:
I can't see the articles

Edited post just to remove the giant quote of dead images.

- Adam
« Last Edit: July 20, 2022, 08:19:14 PM by Roadgeek Adam »
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Offline littlejohn

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Re: The Price is Right in Newspapers: A Thread
« Reply #11 on: July 20, 2022, 05:14:34 PM »
A great collection there. I love the newspaper archives. Dorothy Jo still has family in the southwest Missouri area today, my family has known them for over seventy years

Offline Roadgeek Adam

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Re: The Price is Right in Newspapers: A Thread
« Reply #12 on: July 20, 2022, 08:39:54 PM »
Continuing with the other models. (Note, there's very little of Holly pre-Price).


Dian Parkinson as winner of Miss USA in 1965. Keep in mind Parkinson was her professional name, her real name was Dianna Batts. (Cedar Rapids Gazette, August 23, 1965).


Being a former Miss USA and Miss World results in some big photographical events, including this one in Philadelphia. (Philadelphia Daily News, June 14, 1967).


Being a major racing fan, this one is a bit more interesting, but interesting to see that Dian had been working with Bob Hope on his tour in 1967. That's incredible talent. (The Times Recorder of Zanesville, Ohio, February 26, 1967).


As the daughter of the  great Lee Meriweather, Kyle Aletter had one hell of a pair of famous parents and a lot of in for the industry. She made her television debut in 1977 as part of Barnaby Jones.  (The New York Daily News, November 3, 1977).

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Offline tpirfan28

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Re: The Price is Right in Newspapers: A Thread
« Reply #13 on: July 20, 2022, 08:54:04 PM »
“Jobless Blonde is Winner of Miss USA Title” oh how print journalism has fallen over the years.

Fun thread.  Best off-season content around here in many years.
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Offline Roadgeek Adam

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Re: The Price is Right in Newspapers: A Thread
« Reply #14 on: July 25, 2022, 08:08:41 PM »


Mark & Bill are mulling it over. (Philadelphia Inquirer, January 5, 1972).



Mark talks to the Press about the methods, but interesting note of Barker's contract. (Daily Advertiser of Lafayette LA, November 13, 1972)



Oops. This unfortunate mistake is in an article talking about Tattletales replacing The Secret Storm. (NY Daily News, December 7, 1973)
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