The Price Is Right was an American game show hosted by Bill Cullen which aired on NBC from 1956–1963 and on ABC from 1963-1965 in both daytime and prime time. Four contestants made successive bids on merchandise prizes with the goal of bidding closest to the actual retail price of the prize without going over. Bill Cullen hosted both the daytime and nighttime versions of the show. For two seasons , the nighttime version was eighth in the prime-time Nielsen ratings, making it the most-watched game show on television at the time. Cullen's easygoing personality was cited as a key part of... the show's success. The show gained popularity during the years following the quiz show scandal, becoming the most-watched prime-time game show from 1959 to 1961. The show was a precursor to the current and best-known version of the show, premiering in 1972 on CBS and in syndication. On the original version of The Price Is Right, four contestants – one a returning champion, the other three chosen from the studio audience – bid on items or ensembles of items in an auction-style format. A prize was presented for the contestants to bid on. A minimum bid was specified.
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