Backstage at The Price Is Right: Memoirs of A Barker Beauty (7 page)

Chapter 11

The Price Is Right Curse

I
t’s been said that
The Price is Right
set is jinxed. Over the past years, there have been dozens of accidents and strange incidents that have been explainable, but some seemed to have come from out of nowhere. Many of the incidents happened prior to my arrival on the show
.
Some, I’ve witnessed firsthand, and a few, I’ve been involved in. When you have fifty or more stagehands running around backstage and everyone trying to keep up with the fast-paced production of the show, there are bound to be accidents. If you don’t move out of the way, leap over a cable cord or two, or if you’re unable to hit your mark on time
,
expect the unexpected.

Probably the biggest and most well-known accident that happened on the set occurred in 1988. Janice was knocked off the stage into Contestants’ Row by a wayward camera and rendered unconscious. After a forty-five minute delay
—
during which Janice was transferred by stretcher to an ambulance
—
the show continued without her. Her collarbone was so badly broken that she had to undergo a series of painful operations. She was left with one shoulder an inch shorter than the other. Unsightly scars from the operations prevented her from wearing swimsuits or strapless clothing ever again on the show. All of the models would typically wear exactly the same clothing to be unified and blend in with the products. Subsequent to Janice’s accident, the wardrobe choices were now limited. The wardrobe department had to carefully pick and choose what articles of clothing would work well for all of the models. Our garments were somewhat sexy but not revealing, and at the same time, did not expose our shoulders. The only time the other models were able to bare shoulders was while wearing a swimsuit, during a special scene change or showcase.

Dian had narrowly avoided injury several times
,
like when a motorcycle prize she was sitting on had toppled over. Luckily, she’d gotten out of the way in time. There was also a time when Dian was showcasing a dining room China cabinet and it fell, spewing glass all over her and some of the stagehands. She once drove a new car through a mockup of a carwash into a wall. The crew never forgot that incident, which they’d turned into a good dumb blonde joke.

Dian was unfortunately unable to avoid one accident that happened when Janice had gestured a bit too enthusiastically toward a prize, thrusting out an arm and breaking Dian’s nose. It eventually healed and so did their relationship
—
at that time. Dian admitted she was a little suspicious as to why Janice found it necessary to use such force while presenting such a small item while she was standing right next to her.

Holly, more than any of the other models, was notorious for being klutzy and accident prone. She was known as “The Queen of Bloopers” from
TPIR
and was featured on the TV show
TV’s Bloopers & Practical Jokes,
hosted by Dick Clark and Ed McMahon, on several occasions. Some of the incidents were flukes and some happened while she was making a mad dash to her respective scene.

One memorable incident happened while Holly was presenting a set of Gibson kitchen appliances, a refrigerator, stove and dishwasher
,
which were causing problems for her. Every time she shut the freezer door, the refrigerator door would pop open and vice versa. When she went over to open and close the dishwasher door it came back open. The audience got a big kick out of it and laughed as she managed to make it appear that it was part of the presentation.

More of Holly’s follies occurred while she was presenting luggage and the backdrop screen fell on her. One time, she accidentally knocked over a motorcycle she was presenting on the turntable. Can you imagine how hard it is to try and pick up a motorcycle from the ground wearing high heels? One of the stagehands had to come out to help rescue her from that fiasco during the taping which was left in the scene. She has had her share of tripping over obstacles, like camera wires or props and either falling or nearly falling while moving across the stage to get to the other side of the set. But Holly was always good for a quick recovery. During a one-bid, she carried an item from the rear of the studio to Contestants’ Row for viewing and lost one of her shoes. Barker noticed an audience member holding the shoe and had one of the bidding contestants put the shoe back on her foot because Holly’s hands were full.

Holly replied, “I would’ve gotten away with it if it hadn’t been for you, Bob!”

During one particular showcase showdown, Holly and I were presenting wave runners that were covered by tarps. When we removed the tarps, Holly, standing on one of the wave runners, fell off
,
taking the tarp with her, and ended up completely underneath it. It was all I could do to keep from cracking up.

But the accident that occurred on November 17, 1992, was not humorous. Holly and I were showcasing a 500-pound industrial stove that was twice the size of a normal kitchen model, while standing on a rotating platform dolly. As the backstage crew wheeled out the other prize, a one-and-a-half-ton sailboat on which Dian was sitting, the hull of the boat slowly began pushing the stove forward. The platform dolly we were standing on was supposed to be wheeled away, but no one came to retrieve it. The oversized appliance began tipping over onto Holly and me as we tried frantically to push it back and stop it from falling on us
—
but it was too heavy. Finally, Holly jumped out of the way, but I froze and couldn’t move. Thank God, one of the stagehands had realized what was happening and shoved me out of the way. I’ll never forget that loud crashing sound of the stove as it hit the stage floor. When it crashed to the floor, its heavy cast-iron top burner grills went flying and struck both Holly and me in different parts of our bodies. We were both in shock and didn’t realize to what extent we were injured. We would have been flattened or physically paralyzed if the stove had landed on us. This happened just as the door was closing to get the sailboat set for the next shot, so Barker and the audience didn’t witness this scary mishap, but it was heard by all backstage.

The show continued as Holly and I lay backstage in pain and waited for assistance. Barker hadn’t realized what had happened until the end of the show, when neither Holly nor I showed up to congratulate the winning contestant or to wave goodbye. In the meantime, an ambulance had been called and we were taken away to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Holly and I both suffered severe bruising and a few lacerations. The accident happened on a Tuesday, during the last show of the day
.
Holly and I were both too injured to return to work the next day. Janice was off that particular week
—
which was rare; she had needed some time off to travel to Russia to obtain information on her former husband’s disappearance.

Now, it was left up to the seasoned professional, Dian, to step up to the plate and hold it together for the last two tapings of the week on Wednesday. The production staff was freaking out, because the show is designed to operate with a minimum of three models. But have no fear
;
it was time to call in the reliable, ever-ready stand-in model, Kyle Aletter. Kyle had appeared as the substitute model since 1981 whenever one of the models was absent. She was the daughter of well-known actress Lee Meriwether
,
so show business flowed through her veins.

This was going to be a big challenge for everybody because there was no choice but to work with only two models. The last time only two models appeared on the show was back in 1972, with the inception of
TPIR
with Janice and Anitra Ford, which lasted several years when the show was only a thirty minute program. Everyone realized that a number of major adjustments were imperative for the staging and critical timing of the show in order for the two models to pull it off. Dian and Kyle didn’t disappoint the audience. They made the best of what could have been a dreadful situation.

Holly and I returned to work the following week. As a result of the accident, my body was badly bruised in numerous places, and I suffered a painful strained shoulder injury, which affected me for well over three months. The accident justified a lawsuit against CBS for negligence
—
but at what cost? Would potentially jeopardizing my position on the show make dollars and “cents”? When the L-word (lawsuit) was abuzz, CBS Studios and TPIR Productions were extremely apologetic and voluntarily offered Holly and me small monetary compensations for our pain and suffering
—
which we willingly accepted.

During a radio interview after the accident, Holly commented, “This accident was quite a scare
.
Kathleen and I are both lucky to be alive. I swear this stage is jinxed.”

Chapter 12

The Loss of Mark Goodson

T
he 21
st
Season was off to a great start and, of course, Mr. Goodson was present to wish us all well. After Rod announced Barker and Barker grabbed his new pencil-thin microphone, he began the introduction for the creator of the show, Mark Goodson. The models and Mr. Goodson all emerged from the rear of the audience, working our way to the stage. Mr. Goodson had prepared a poem about the show, Rod, the Beauties, and Barker, which he read. It was humorous and entertaining, with his typical Goodson flair. He received a warm round of applause as we escorted him off the stage before the bidding began. He didn’t stay long after he made his appearance, stating that he had just arrived from New York and was feeling a little tired
.
He jokingly commented about resting his not-so-young body. Little did we know, that show would be his last.

Around mid-October
,
during our production meeting
,
our producer, Roger Dobkowitz, informed us that Mr. Goodson had pancreatic cancer and was terminally ill. We were not given a lot of details per his family’s request, but were asked to keep him in our prayers. Over the next few months, we received updates regarding Mr. Goodson’s health. He was surrounded by family and close friends and receiving around-the-clock nursing care at his New York home. With each update, we all began to realize that, in all likelihood, we would never again be graced with Mr. Goodson’s presence.

It was a sad day on December 18, 1992, when we received the news that Mr. Goodson had died. There was such a somber feeling among everyone backstage. We all drifted through the day and reminisced on the life of one of the greatest pioneers in the history of television and the coolest boss ever. After the taping of our regular show, Barker taped a special announcement for the viewers regarding the loss of Mark Goodson and what his passing meant to all of us.

Janice, Dian, and Holly had their own unique bonds with Mr. Goodson during their many years on the show. Over the two and a half years that I had been a permanent fixture on
TPIR,
I had come to respect and admire Mr. Goodson in my own special way that extended far above and beyond the title of “Boss.”

Mr. Goodson’s body was flown back to Los Angeles from New York, and he was buried at Hillside Memorial Park in Culver City, California. The inscription on his gravestone was designed to resemble the Goodson- Todman and Mark Goodson Productions logo.

Fortune Magazine
once estimated Mr. Goodson’s empire to be worth more than $450 million. His only son, Jonathan Goodson, took over the company in March 1993. Jonathan ran it until he sold it to All American Television in 1995. Three years later, in 1998, Pearson Television bought out All American Television and held ownership until 2002. Today, Fremantle Media owns the former Mark Goodson Productions and the rights to the Goodson-Todman library of game shows.

Goodson was a noted philanthropist and gave generously to many well-known charitable organizations. One of the beneficiaries of his generosity was his alma mater, the University of California at Berkeley, who, in turn, created The Mark Goodson Award for Distinguished Theatrical Talent (originally just “for directing”). In 1982, Mr. Goodson had donated $5 million to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, after which the 101,331-sq. ft. Mark Goodson Building was developed, so named in his honor.

He lived life to its fullest and encouraged everyone in his inner circle to do the same. He made a big difference in so many lives and touched us all in a variety of ways. The atmosphere and conditions at the Mark Goodson Productions offices, in New York and Los Angeles, along with backstage at
TPIR
were never the same after his passing. Sadly
,
an essential part of the originality, flare, and fanfare of the show went to the grave with Mr. Goodson.