The New Price Is Right (1994 Game Show) - Format

Format

The New Price Is Right differed greatly from its parent show in several ways. The entire concept, which had not been radically modified since 1975, was given a significant update in an attempt to appeal to a younger generation. Davidson was at the time a popular actor on The Young and the Restless, and Burton Richardson had made his mark as the announcer for The Arsenio Hall Show. The models were also younger: while the Barker's Beauties of the daytime show were mostly past the age of 40, The New Price Is Right chose models in their 20s. The prize budget for the show was also higher. Prizes included non-U.S. cars, which at the time were prohibited from the daytime show by executive producer and host Bob Barker and producers Phil Rossi and Roger Dobkowitz. Kathy Greco (then associate producer of the daytime show) served as producer, with Jay Wolpert (a producer for the daytime version from its beginning until 1978) also part of the production staff. Each episode featured three pricing games, a Showcase Showdown (which could either resemble a modified One Bid or the Big Wheel), and a one-player version of the Showcase. For each pricing game, a contestant was chosen from the audience and immediately joined Davidson onstage, rather than bidding in Contestant's Row as on the parent program.