The Price Is Right (Australian game show)
Encyclopedia
The Price is Right was a television
game show
that has been produced in a number of different formats in Australia.
in Sydney, hosted by Bruce Beeby and Keith Walshe from 1957–1959 ; the other was on GTV-9
in Melbourne and hosted by Geoff Manion in 1958 .
In 1963, Seven Network
aired a nationwide version hosted by Horrie Dargie
.
from 1973–1974; this version was hosted by Garry Meadows and announcer Keith Livingston. At this time, Reg Grundy Organisation
was licensing many shows from Goodson-Todman Productions
in the U.S.; they had a flair for making detailed copies of sets, and sets for The Price Is Right was no exception. Bill Mason
went to the United States to research the show in detail.
The show started in a daytime slot on 5 February 1973 (a mere four months after the original first aired in the States), and was later given a prime time slot on the network. This version established a completely different Showcase round. In it, the day's two top winners first bid on the price of one showcase in the "Showcase Playoff", played in the style of the short-lived US pricing game Double Bullseye. The winning contestant then attempted to place the prizes in order from least to most expensive on a pricing board in the Showcase itself, similar to the later US pricing game Easy as 123.
from 1981–1986 with host Ian Turpie
and announcer John Deeks
. In 1984, the show introduced a "carry-over" format with returning champions. Up to that point, the format of the show consisted of three pricing games, the Showcase Playoff, and the Showcase. The new format replaced the third game with the Showcase Showdown from the American version, with 100 earning a bonus prize. The winner faced the champion in the Showcase Playoff, whose winner advanced to the Showcase.
Price was revived in 1989 for an hour-long version, again hosted by Turpie airing Saturday nights on Network Ten
as part of Network Ten's attempted revamp that year; however, it only lasted 12 episodes. The format resembled the US version, with three games, then a Showcase Showdown, then repeat. The two Showdown winners then competed in the Showcase Playoff, with the winner advancing to the Showcase.
Pricing Game Lineup
The following pricing games were played during Ian Turpie's tenure:
Any Number (Sometimes played for a car)
Bonus Game
Bullseye
Dice Game (never played for a car)
Grocery Game (sometimes played for a car)
Lucky $even (played for a car)
Race Game
Range Game
Switcheroo
Two Price Tags (Double Prices)
, hosted by Larry Emdur
with announcer Shawn Cosgrove
. The show used the original format of the 1981-86 edition.
The show returned in mid-2003 on the Nine Network
, again with Emdur (earlier news reports had speculated that former A*mazing host James Sherry would be the star, but it never happened). This show carried on the same format until 2004, when it was made a one-hour show to combat the Seven Network
's hit Deal or No Deal
, in the hopes that people would stay tuned to the channel for the news after watching the first half hour. This format involved four pricing games; after the second and fourth games, a Showcase Showdown was played, with a $1,000 bonus for achieving a total score of $1. The two Showdown winners then competed in the Showcase Playoff, with the winner advancing to the Showcase.
Cars given away on the mid-'90s version of the program were provided by Daihatsu and later SEAT
. Early in the 2003 run, Suzuki
cars were used for both the pricing games and the Showcase; once the Mega Showcase was introduced, Citroën
cars were used for the pricing games, while Alfa Romeo
cars were used for the Showcase. Holden
replaced Citroen in 2005.
The show was replaced for a period of one week with a daily version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?
The Showcase at this time also added a prize of a condominium on the Sunshine Coast
, making the showcase worth between $500,000 and $600,000, and making it known as the "Mega Showcase". Before the last prize was revealed (or if the producers knew the contestant was going to lose by misplacing a prize) they were tempted with a "cash buyout" of between $1,000 and $50,000. Three people won the "Mega Showcase" - Marisa Tamboro (15 September 2004), Laurie Dennis (exactly one week after Marisa won it), and Joanne Segeviano (March 3, 2005). Another person did get the Mega Showcase prizes in correct order, but he took the cash buyout of $50,000.
After a few months the show returned to a half-hour, albeit with a new format. Only two pricing games were played each day, followed by a single Showcase Showdown whose winner advanced immediately to the prize-ordering part of the Showcase. The Showcase dropped the condominium as the top prize, but a cash jackpot was added to the boot
of the car to entice the bidder. It was then renamed the "Monster Showcase".
The Mega Showcase win of $664,667 (about US$612,000 or S$850,000) won by Segeviano was a world record for the Price franchise that stood until exactly three years later, in February 2008, when Adam Rose won US$
1,153,908 on the U.S. primetime version of the show.
The programme ended on 24 November 2005 and Larry Emdur then signed with the Seven Network
to revive the ailing Wheel of Fortune
, which was then cancelled after only a few months. Larry Emdur is now hosting The Morning Show
on Seven Network
.
The Castle
, showing the narrator's sister appearing on the show, winning the amount of $4,321.
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
game show
Game show
A game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
that has been produced in a number of different formats in Australia.
Original format
Two regional versions based on the original 1950s US format aired nearly concurrently - one aired on ATN-7ATN-7
ATN is the Sydney flagship television station of the Seven Network in Australia. The licence, issued to a company named Amalgamated Television Services, a subsidiary of Fairfax, was one of the first four licences to be issued for commercial television stations in Australia...
in Sydney, hosted by Bruce Beeby and Keith Walshe from 1957–1959 ; the other was on GTV-9
GTV-9
GTV is a commercial television station in Melbourne, Australia owned by the Nine Network. The station is currently based at a new high-tech, purpose-built studios at 717 Bourke Street, Docklands.-History:...
in Melbourne and hosted by Geoff Manion in 1958 .
In 1963, Seven Network
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
aired a nationwide version hosted by Horrie Dargie
Horrie Dargie
Horace Andrew Dargie was an Australian musician and harmonicist.-Biography:Horrie Dargie was born in Whyalla, South Australia, the second son of Andrew Dargie and Adelaide . His older brother Sir William Dargie was a noted Australian portrait artist.Dargie began his musical career as a diatonica...
.
Modern format
Price then aired in Australia on what is now Network TenNetwork Ten
Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
from 1973–1974; this version was hosted by Garry Meadows and announcer Keith Livingston. At this time, Reg Grundy Organisation
Reg Grundy Organisation
The Reg Grundy Organisation was an Australian television production company founded in 1959 by businessman Reg Grundy . It has since branched out into Europe and the USA. The company first produced game shows, before branching into soap operas in 1973...
was licensing many shows from Goodson-Todman Productions
Mark Goodson
Mark Goodson was an American television producer who specialized in game shows.-Life and early career:...
in the U.S.; they had a flair for making detailed copies of sets, and sets for The Price Is Right was no exception. Bill Mason
Bill Mason
Bill Mason was an award-winning Canadian naturalist, author, artist, filmmaker, and conservationist, noted primarily for his popular canoeing books, films, and art as well as his documentaries on wolves. Mason was also known for including passages from Christian sermons in his films...
went to the United States to research the show in detail.
The show started in a daytime slot on 5 February 1973 (a mere four months after the original first aired in the States), and was later given a prime time slot on the network. This version established a completely different Showcase round. In it, the day's two top winners first bid on the price of one showcase in the "Showcase Playoff", played in the style of the short-lived US pricing game Double Bullseye. The winning contestant then attempted to place the prizes in order from least to most expensive on a pricing board in the Showcase itself, similar to the later US pricing game Easy as 123.
Ian Turpie era
The New Price Is Right aired on Seven NetworkSeven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
from 1981–1986 with host Ian Turpie
Ian Turpie
Ian "Turps" Turpie is an Australian television celebrity, best known for hosting the long-running game show The Price Is Right before being replaced by Larry Emdur.-Early life:...
and announcer John Deeks
John Deeks
John "Deeksie" Deeks is a well-known Australian television presenter and voice-over artist for the Seven Network, where he has been working since 1975 based in Melbourne....
. In 1984, the show introduced a "carry-over" format with returning champions. Up to that point, the format of the show consisted of three pricing games, the Showcase Playoff, and the Showcase. The new format replaced the third game with the Showcase Showdown from the American version, with 100 earning a bonus prize. The winner faced the champion in the Showcase Playoff, whose winner advanced to the Showcase.
Price was revived in 1989 for an hour-long version, again hosted by Turpie airing Saturday nights on Network Ten
Network Ten
Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
as part of Network Ten's attempted revamp that year; however, it only lasted 12 episodes. The format resembled the US version, with three games, then a Showcase Showdown, then repeat. The two Showdown winners then competed in the Showcase Playoff, with the winner advancing to the Showcase.
Pricing Game Lineup
The following pricing games were played during Ian Turpie's tenure:
Any Number (Sometimes played for a car)
Bonus Game
Bullseye
Dice Game (never played for a car)
Grocery Game (sometimes played for a car)
Lucky $even (played for a car)
Race Game
Range Game
Switcheroo
Two Price Tags (Double Prices)
Larry Emdur era
The Price Is Right was revived again from 1993–1998 on Nine NetworkNine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
, hosted by Larry Emdur
Larry Emdur
Larry Emdur is an Australian television personality. He is currently co-hosting Saturday's Weekend Sunrise alongside Samantha Armytage....
with announcer Shawn Cosgrove
Shawn Cosgrove
Shawn Cosgrove is an Australian voice-over artist and television announcer.He is most known for his work as the announcer on The Price is Right, where he shouts "Come on Down!" to the contestants chosen to play....
. The show used the original format of the 1981-86 edition.
The show returned in mid-2003 on the Nine Network
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
, again with Emdur (earlier news reports had speculated that former A*mazing host James Sherry would be the star, but it never happened). This show carried on the same format until 2004, when it was made a one-hour show to combat the Seven Network
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
's hit Deal or No Deal
Deal or No Deal (Australian game show)
Deal or No Deal is an Australian game show airing on the Seven Network and in New Zealand on Prime . It was the first international version of the game show, after the original Dutch version. It was the first of the versions to use the Deal or No Deal name...
, in the hopes that people would stay tuned to the channel for the news after watching the first half hour. This format involved four pricing games; after the second and fourth games, a Showcase Showdown was played, with a $1,000 bonus for achieving a total score of $1. The two Showdown winners then competed in the Showcase Playoff, with the winner advancing to the Showcase.
Cars given away on the mid-'90s version of the program were provided by Daihatsu and later SEAT
SEAT
SEAT, S.A. is a Spanish automobile manufacturer founded on May 9, 1950 by the Instituto Nacional de Industria , a state-owned industrial holding company....
. Early in the 2003 run, Suzuki
Suzuki
is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Hamamatsu, Japan that specializes in manufacturing compact automobiles and 4x4 vehicles, a full range of motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles , outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a variety of other small internal combustion engines...
cars were used for both the pricing games and the Showcase; once the Mega Showcase was introduced, Citroën
Citroën
Citroën is a major French automobile manufacturer, part of the PSA Peugeot Citroën group.Founded in 1919 by French industrialist André-Gustave Citroën , Citroën was the first mass-production car company outside the USA and pioneered the modern concept of creating a sales and services network that...
cars were used for the pricing games, while Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian manufacturer of cars. Founded as A.L.F.A. on June 24, 1910, in Milan, the company has been involved in car racing since 1911, and has a reputation for building expensive sports cars...
cars were used for the Showcase. Holden
Holden
GM Holden Ltd is an automaker that operates in Australia, based in Port Melbourne, Victoria. The company was founded in 1856 as a saddlery manufacturer. In 1908 it moved into the automotive field, before becoming a subsidiary of the U.S.-based General Motors in 1931...
replaced Citroen in 2005.
The show was replaced for a period of one week with a daily version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (Australian game show)
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? was an Australian television game show which would offer a maximum cash prize of $1,000,000 for answering 15 successive multiple-choice questions of increasing difficulty as a team...
The Showcase at this time also added a prize of a condominium on the Sunshine Coast
Sunshine Coast, Queensland
The Sunshine Coast is an urban area in South East Queensland, north of the state capital of Brisbane on the Pacific Ocean coastline. Although it does not have a central business district, by population it ranks as the 10th largest metropolis in Australia and the third largest in...
, making the showcase worth between $500,000 and $600,000, and making it known as the "Mega Showcase". Before the last prize was revealed (or if the producers knew the contestant was going to lose by misplacing a prize) they were tempted with a "cash buyout" of between $1,000 and $50,000. Three people won the "Mega Showcase" - Marisa Tamboro (15 September 2004), Laurie Dennis (exactly one week after Marisa won it), and Joanne Segeviano (March 3, 2005). Another person did get the Mega Showcase prizes in correct order, but he took the cash buyout of $50,000.
After a few months the show returned to a half-hour, albeit with a new format. Only two pricing games were played each day, followed by a single Showcase Showdown whose winner advanced immediately to the prize-ordering part of the Showcase. The Showcase dropped the condominium as the top prize, but a cash jackpot was added to the boot
Boot
A boot is a type of footwear but they are not shoes. Most boots mainly cover the foot and the ankle and extend up the leg, sometimes as far as the knee or even the hip. Most boots have a heel that is clearly distinguishable from the rest of the sole, even if the two are made of one piece....
of the car to entice the bidder. It was then renamed the "Monster Showcase".
The Mega Showcase win of $664,667 (about US$612,000 or S$850,000) won by Segeviano was a world record for the Price franchise that stood until exactly three years later, in February 2008, when Adam Rose won US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
1,153,908 on the U.S. primetime version of the show.
The programme ended on 24 November 2005 and Larry Emdur then signed with the Seven Network
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
to revive the ailing Wheel of Fortune
Wheel of Fortune (Australian game show)
Wheel of Fortune was an Australian television game show produced by Grundy Television. The programme aired on the Seven Network from 1981 to 2004 and November 2005 to July 2006, and is mostly based on the same general format as the original US version of the programme...
, which was then cancelled after only a few months. Larry Emdur is now hosting The Morning Show
The Morning Show (TV program)
The Morning Show is an Australian morning talk show that premiered on the Seven Network on 18 June 2007. The show airs between 9am and 11:30am weekdays and follows Seven's breakfast news program Sunrise, with both programs closely interlinked....
on Seven Network
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
.
Pricing game lineup
The following pricing games were played during Larry Emdur's tenure:- Any Number (never played for a car)
- Bump
- Buy or Sell
- Cliff Hangers (frequently played for a car- here the climber was named "Cliff" and he had a dog named "Spot" climbing with him)
- Clock Game
- Cover Up
- Dice Game (never played for a car)
- Five Price Tags
- Flip Flop
- Grocery Game (sometimes played for a car)
- Hole in One
- Line em Up
- Magic #
- Make Your Move
- Money Game (never played for a car)
- One Away
- One Dollar Deal (Lucky $even)
- Race Game
- Range Game
- Safe Crackers
- Side by Side
- Squeeze Play
- Switch?
- Switcheroo
- Temptation
- 2 for the Price of 1
- Two Price Tags (Double Prices)
Models
The models of The Price is Right often drew as much interest as the show itself. Many of the models have become celebrities in their own right. Some of these models include:- Sarita Stella
- Jacqee Saunders
- Danielle Atkin
- Kathy LloydKathy LloydKathy Lloyd is a Welsh former Page 3 girl and glamour model and current television presenter.-Biography:...
- Samantha Steele
- Kimberley ChenKimberley ChenKimberley Chen is a singer, actress and model. She most recently appeared as Young Nala in Disney's Lion King at the Regent Theatre in Melbourne as well as the Shanghai Grand Theater in Shanghai.-Biography:Kimberley was first coached by her father in singing...
- Kellie Johns
- Elise May
- Susan Thorne
- Roz Roy
Representations in Film
Fictional scenes from The Price Is Right were featured in the 1997 comedy filmComedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
The Castle
The Castle (film)
The Castle is a 1997 Australian comedy film directed by Rob Sitch. It starred Michael Caton, Anne Tenney, Stephen Curry, Sophie Lee, Eric Bana and Charles 'Bud' Tingwell. The screenwriting team comprised Sitch, Santo Cilauro, Tom Gleisner and Jane Kennedy of Working Dog Productions.The Castle was...
, showing the narrator's sister appearing on the show, winning the amount of $4,321.