A Salute to Game Shows - The Price is Right

Host - Bob Barker

bob.jpg (9494 bytes) Simply put, Bob Barker is the host of The Price is Right, and has been since day one. Since the show started, Bob Barker has only missed one taping, with Dennis James filling in for Bob on the four shows taped that day. However, there have been other people hosting The Price is Right besides Bob Barker.

When The Price is Right started, there were two editions of the show. One was the daytime edition that still runs on CBS. This is Bob Barker's version of the show. The other edition was a weekly syndicated nighttime show. Same show, just at a different time. Dennis James hosted this edition of The Price is Right. These two editions of The Price is Right were pretty much the same except for the host. Later on, Bob Barker took over hosting this nighttime edition until it ended, leaving only the daytime edition.

In 1985, when The Price is Right was revived in nighttime syndication, Tom Kennedy graced the set of The Price is Right. As host of The Price is Right, his hosting of the show was very much like that of Bob Barker's. Again, as in the 70's, same show, half-hour format, different host. These nighttime Price is Right shows occasionally make their way onto the Game Show Network.

In 1994, when The New Price is Right ran in nighttime syndication, Doug Davidson of The Young and the Restless was the host. Speaking of The Young and the Restless, Bob has occasionally made reference that they will have to cancel Young and the Restless some days, when the a pricing game runs extraordinarily long.

With Bob Barker as host, The Price is Right has continued on since September 1972. However, Bob Barker no longer looks like he did in 1972. Bob Barker now has a little snow on the roof. However, he is still the same Bob Barker that hosted The Price is Right during the 1970's.

One thing that Bob Barker feels strongly about is animals. At the end of every show, Bob Barker has a simple message for everyone. That message usually goes like this:

"This is Bob Barker asking you to help control the pet population - have your pet spayed or neutered!"

Bob Barker feels strongly about this, because, according to an interview with Bob Barker, many animals suffer because they are not adopted into homes. So... if the animals are not born, then the ones that are still around can all find homes, and not suffer. A sound idea, if you ask me.