MOD NOTE: - Updated version of an earlier post. The original version has been deleted. - JCThe first in a LONG line of reviews (because somebody has to do it) of the Dennis James Audio Episodes at J-Shea (all of which aired on WBZ-TV 4 in Boston, Massachusetts on Tuesday nights at 7:30 PM)...beginning with an episode uploaded in 'Extracts'.
(And Steve, I would most appreciate it if you could help me to identify this episode)
Now for added effect let's turn on our radios and listen to the past, shall we?
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(Come On Down '72 Opening plays on a xylophone as Daniel speaks in a nice British accent, smiling)
Hello, boys and girls. It's your old friend Daniel Benfield here with another exciting adventure in the land of The Price is Right owned by our good friend Mister Dennis James. Tonight we'll listen in on a chapter from August of 1973...Are you seated comfortably? Good. Then we'll begin.
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WBZ Announcer: Red Sox-Yankees, tomorrow night, 7:30.
Johnny Olson: A FORTUNE in fabulous prizes may go to these people tonight if they know when THE PRICE IS RIGHT!
Sheila Weinberger, COME ON DOWN!
Sandra Dardan, COME ON DOWN!
Annette Ballitan(?), COME ON DOWN! (a girl - possibly Annette - is heard screaming in joy)
And Wanda Engall, COME ON DOWN!
Dennis: Hey, thank you, you're beautiful. (blows a kiss) Bless you, you're beautiful. Hey all of you nice folks at home, I was gonna say settle back but there's no way to settle back on this show, there's so much excitement...(fades out)
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Item #1 - Cabinet beds. (audience ooohs) The exclusive Rivera cabinet bed Oriental-style.
Closed they're beautiful decorator cabinets with a black mark(?)-resistant finish. Open they're very comfortable single beds complete with inner-spring mattress and headboard. Magnetic touch-locked doors open easily. The exclusive convertible from Rivera. And these beds can be YOURS if The Price is Right.
Dennis: Alright, girls, that's what you're bidding on...(fades out)
(fades in) The ACTUAL retail price IS...$474, and Wanda you're the winner - come on up here!
Wanda - who came up calmly and nicely - plays ANY NUMBER
Guesses: ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, 2, 6, 3 (1, 4, 5, 7, 8, and 9 are the first six guesses...exactly what order I don't know)
CADILLAC! Coupe Deville (tons of stuff {see below}) $8704
Fridgidare Cyclomatic Fridge/Freezer (15 cubic feet)
(has 6, 1, and 9)
The Piggy Bank 5.32
LOSSTOTAL WINNINGS: $479.32
ANY NUMBER...FOR A CADILLAC...IN 1973. Holy crap! And look at all these options - it took John 42 seconds to read the prize copy!
Standard (auto transmission, power steering/brakes/windows, body-side molding), vinyl roof, leather upholstery, front/rear floor mats, trunk mat, white-striped tires, AM/FM stereo radio tape, power antenna, tinted glass, right-hand remote control mirror, six-way electric seat, door edge guards, A/C, power locks, tilt steering wheel, twilight sentinel, remote trunk lock, trumpet horn, lamp monitor, LA group, left-hand outside mirror with thermometer.
Unfortunately it fades out and when it comes back the board's almost full after the 2. Luckily for us Dennis reads the prices of the car and Piggy Bank so that helps.Dennis: So close, so close...listen, we got LOTS more prizes so stay where you are, we're coming right back.
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Dennis: Alright, we need a BRAND new contestant from that studio audience so Johnny Olson's gonna call out a name and the name IS -
Johnny: Debbie Patterson, COME ON DOWN! You're the next contestant on The Price is Right!
Dennis: SAFE. Debbie... Okay, Debbie, welcome aboard. Now you know how the game is played...(fades out)
Item #2 - FUR COAT
(fades in) Dennis: The bids are all in. I wait to see if you've overbid, see, 'cause I don't know what the price is, either... We're gonna find out now, together, all of us. The actual retail price is...$800! The Price is Right, Annette! Come on up here. (Annette runs up on stage) You got yourself a fur coat...okay, now...
Annette: Oh, this one.
Dennis: Oh, THIS one...(fades out)
Annette - who won by a Perfect Bid - plays GROCERY GAME
NO GAME PLAY
(fades in) Dennis (amongst cheering/gasping): NINE-SIX...the total is... (dinging sound, theme plays) You got it, you hit it!
Take her! Sure, take her!
Now listen, go settle down. (likely facing the camera as the viewers see Grocery Game spin away) Listen, you know, she-she made her bid down there right on the nose of The Price is Right and she got THIS right on the nose of The Price is Right. We'll be right back. We'll be back.
TOTAL WINNINGS: $800+
Unfortunately, this segment is so cut to pieces that I had to GUESS as to what game was played based on the sound made when Dennis says "nine-six" and "hitting it right on the nose" which leads me to believe that this was a playing of Grocery Game in which it was a WIN by spending either $6.75 or $7.00 exactly...likely the latter.
I'm guessing based on Dennis comments that Annette's...mother?...came up on stage after the win. Visuals would REALLY help here, but there's one thing stopping us...
BANNED EPISODE ALERT! As Dennis mentions above Annette won a FUR COAT, thereby banning this show fom ever being reran...or at least during Ego Bob's lifetime.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sheila and Sandra remain in the Row. At least one will be going to the First Four Breakfast Club and tonight they're playing BAN THAT EPISODE! in which they basically watch old Price is Right episodes and when they see a fur they go BAN THAT EPISODE! Old Man Bob then rushes in and karate kicks the offending Studio Master into the BANNED! Bin which when filled is taken to the Studio 33 Prison and neatly stacked by episode number next to the imprisioned James and 70's Nighttime Barker.
Wait...that's not a bad thing! Anyway, can either one of them escape this rather tempting fate?Dennis: Hey, John. Make somebody happy.
Johnny: Right, Dennis. Bob Roberts, COME ON DOWN! You're the next contestant on The Price is Right! (Robert comes down in such a way as to make Johnny laugh)
Dennis: Welcome, Robert. He-he almost overran the runway, didn't you, Bob? ...Now you're in there with some gals...(fades out)
(fades in) ...Next item going up for bids, you take a look, all of you.
(main theme variation plays) Item #3 - It's a range. From Corning(?), their Gourmet Series flat-top range - not only pretty to look at but easy to keep clean plus four pots specially designed to be used with this range. And this range can be yours if The Price is Right.
Dennis: Alright, Robert, now give us a bid.
Bob: Three hundred and seventy...(fades out)
(fades in) Dennis: The actual retail price is...$599! The Price is Right! I'll tell ya, this is a night of The Price is Right - SHE had it right on the nose! Now, listen - Sandra, in this game you can win not only one, not two, but THREE great prizes. You can win all three. Show 'em to her now and Johnny tell her about 'em.
Sheila heads off to the Membership Desk while Sandra escapes by a Perfect Bid! She plays MOST EXPENSIVE
(1) Packard-Bell Helledine(?) Color TV/Stereo unit (25-inch screen)
(2) Faff(?) console sewing machine (includes five stretch stiches and five design stiches)
(3) Kimball organ
Dennis: Alright. Now Wanda, all you have to do here to own all three of those is tell us which one is the Most Expensive - in other words which one is the most. Now first of all, is it this television console...(fades out)
(fades in) Do you-do you feel confident?
Sandra: I hope so.
Dennis: You hope so. Let's not keep her in suspense any longer. Does she own all three - is it higher than $950 Anitra, show us.
(Anitra flips the price tag to reveal "$895" followed by the Losing Horns)
Dennis: No, I'm sorry, it's $895. But listen, you won a great prize anyhow. Stick around - you could be in the Showcase, Sandra. Stick around. And the Showcase IS next so you be right there 'cause we got some FABULOUS prizes in there.
TOTAL WINNINGS: $599
Bob makes a comment after Dennis welcomes him which SOUNDS like "Pretties rose", although I'm not certain.
...And did Dennis call Sandra WANDA when he explained the game?------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SHOWCASE ROUND (only complete segment)
Annette has the honor.by somewhere over $201...helps to be the only winner of the night.
SC1 - Sandra Shasta Diet Red Apple soda (200{!} 12-ounce cans)
------------------ Chicago Rollerskate Company rollerskates (2 pairs)
BID $6,000 Chase National boy's race car bed w/mattress (orange fiberglass body w/racing decals)
PRICE 6,047 Ross 'Eurosport Deluxe' 10-speed racer & 'Euroter Ladies' 3-speed bicycles
DIFF -47 Chevy Vega Hatchback Coupe (w/AM Radio) w/Hunter 'Compact 2' trailer (w/'pop top')
TOTAL 6,646 Pair of Indian SR 74-weight off-road motorbikes (one-cylinder, two-cycle, extra-wide
triple-aged{?} rims)
SC2 - Annette Broyhill living room (Middle-Sex{?} Collection - 3-cushion sofa w/matching chair,
----------------- highback chair, cocktail table, 2 commodes)
BID $5,200 Capehart quadraphonic(?) stereo console (AM/FM multiplex, deluxe changer,
PRICE 5,695 8-Track tape player, ten speakers plus two 'for thrilling quad sound')
DIFF -495 McGray(?) Clocks grandfather clock
Chevy Nova 8-cylinder Hatchback (see below)
Castrol GTX (33 1-quart cans)
Turtle Wax gift package (includes cleaners and waxes)
TWO HUNDRED CANS OF SODA? If there's one thing to be said about the Nighttime Showcases - they certainly were unique!
Options on the Nova were - tinted glass, door-edge guards, remote control outside mirror, belted white-stripe tires, wheel trim rings, deluxe bumper, sky roof, exterior decor package, rally wheels, automatic transmission, power disc brakes, A/C, 350 engine.
The Price is Right's Moments Of "WHA?" - 1973, Dennis James Style: Annette says when given the option to bid or pass on that GREAT first Showcase - "My husband will kill me because of the trailer but...I'll pass it." The audience moans and even DENNIS seems shocked - "You're PASSING it? I thought maybe you'd go for it and you'd send your mother to Hawaii on the rollerskates."
Well, at least she liked the second Showcase...--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Anyway, as we close out the show Sandra is apparently so shaken she can barely move!)
Dennis: Sandra, you and I are going to have to go over there if I have to CARRY you over for you to see your Showcase. In the meantime, this is Dennis James saying don't miss the show next week because if you do then we're gonna miss you. We gotta go over to the Showcase right now and we're vibrating(?) just a bit but we'll be over there. Let's go, Sandra, let's go.
Tonight's Pricing Games: 1 for 3
Total Winnings:$7,925.32 + Grocery Game Prize(s)
WBZ Announcer: This program was pre-recorded.
Johnny: Contestants not appearing on stage receive jewelry to compliment milady's wardrobe, a beautiful assortment of jewelry in the golden manner of Monay designed and crafted by Monay Master Jewelers.
This is Johnny Olson speaking for The Price is Right -
A MARK GOODSON - BILL TODMAN PRODUCTION
(The rest of the time is simply the main theme playing while Dennis and Sandra look at the prizes.)
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(radio announcer comes back up)
Well, boys and girls, did you enjoy tonight's adventure? Good. Feel free to talk amongst yourselves about the events of tonight's show, and we'll see you next week for another exciting chapter in Dennis James' land of The Price is Right. Good night...
(main theme's end plays on xylophone)
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Okay, back to normal for one last comment...apparently all of J-Shea's 1973 episodes are from either Season 2 or very late Season 1 (after the name was changed).
Steve Gavazzi once posted that Most Expensive was used in James Seasons 1 and 3, NOT Season 2...yet this episode (clearly called
The Price is Right) has Most Expensive.
Perhaps Steve is wrong - I very much doubt that considering his source - but until I hear otherwise from Steve I'm sticking with the notion that J-Shea's two (at least) 1973 playings of Most Expensive are from the last episodes of Season 1.
Oh, and the whole 'British Radio Announcer' thing...something I felt like doing to try and give some reasoning to the fact these are audio-only recordings from the original broadcasts/repeats over 30 years ago...
Wonder how J-Shea felt when he realized he had the only circulating copies of these episodes... Probably felt like those people who told their families to shut up on four Saturday evenings so they can record The Massacre Of St. Bartholomew's Eve only to find out years later that the BBC junked the whole serial (BOO!) and they're the only person ever to record the now-missing story in audio form.
J-Shea, sir, I thank you for uploading these treasures...but finish up your list if you can, please!
Anyway, about the announcer thing...You don't like it, I don't do it again. I WILL do more recaps, though, whenever I get the free time.
