Backstage At The Price is Right
Take a peak backstage of America’s most popular television game show as Rich Fields…
My tenure as the Announcer on The Price is Right (or TPIR as we sometime refer to it) stretched between both the Bob Barker and the Drew Carey eras. I am the only announcer that has worked with both hosts.
Below are just a few of the thousands of photo taken during my time on and off Stage 33 at CBS Television City.
Be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom of the photos. The last picture is the most interesting (IMO).
Enjoy!
I guess this was the beginning of it all... signing my Price is Right contract in a Hollywood hotel room on my first week as the new Announcer of TPIR.
This photo was taken on one of my very first taping days as the new TPIR announcer. I was still doing weather for CBS in Palm Springs at the time. We would do my weather segments from TVC and send them back to Palm Springs via satellite.
This was a wonderful "welcome" party for me on the upper level deck at Maggianno's Italian Restaurant across from Television City at The Grove. Notice the name tags that Bob had everyone wear. Such a sweet guy.
Honest to goodness... I think Mr. Barker actually snapped this picture for me with all of the models. What a guy! By the way... I love these girls. Absolute professionals. (Pictured from left to right... Rachel, Shane, Brandi, Rebecca, Terri and Lanisha.
Me, Bob, the models and other staff and stage crew members.
Doing script "pick-ups" immediately after the show.
This photo of Bob and I was taken at the Television Academy in N. Hollywood. It was the bust dedication ceremony for Mr. Barker and I was proud to be there for him.
"And Now... Here is the star of The Price is Right... Bob Barker!"
Me doing audience warm-up. I did 15 minutes of stand-up before every show.
Having fun with the audience during warm-up.
Sitting in my chair during a morning rehearsal. BTW... I still have this chair. It sits in my recording studio at my home to this day.
Early days (2004). Original podium... original CBS curtains during a morning rehearsal.
This photo is taken from the audience "pit". Here you get a sense of how high the stage is. Also, that is the original (Johnny Olson - Rod Roddy) podium. It's the one I saved from the trash heap and kept.
Rehearsals were fun.
Rachel and I during a morning rehearsal.
Behind my podium digesting some last second script changes for the next act.
Me and more models during a taping of a nighttime "Prime Time Spectacular".
I had my own sandwich at the Television City Cafe". On this particular day it was the "Deli Special". The sandwich consisted of chicken salad with bacon and avocado on whole wheat... with a brush of Goulden's mustard. Yum!
Bob backstage just prior to walking through the "Big Doors".
The doors open... and there goes Bob.
Reading script copy during a shoot.
This (obviously) is Mr. Barker's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Christine and I would go out and clean and polish it once a year on Bob's Birthday. It's an old tradition that the original models used to do.
Me introducing Nick Cannon on the Craig Ferguson Show.
Sometimes the camera couldn't follow me. :)
Me, my wife Christine and my long-time agent Fred Wostbrock (from Kazarien, Spencer & Ruskin Agency) on the set of the Batman video shoot. Fred has since passed away... and I sure miss him.
Rehearsal before a show taping. Notice model Lanisha and a car in one of the big doors in my monitor.
One year Drew dressed me up as Zoro for a Halloween show.
TPIR Director Bart Eskander, staff member Jeff Thisted, me and Bradi's husband Dean Cochran all out together one night at a "Price" party.
On stage during audience warm-up.
On stage during audience warm-up. You may notice the board being held up to tell the audience what the "air date" of this particular show would be.
This was during rehearsal of the "dunk-tank" show. This is when Drew Carey was torturing me.
Sitting with Shane, Brandi and Rebecca at a Fremantle Media Christmas party in Hollywood.
This photo of me and the models was taken by my wife Christine at Gabby's house one night during a viewing party for a "Prime Time Spectacular" that she hosted for us.
Taking a gulp of cold water immediately after a show taping. As the audience is leaving, I am waiting to see if the production booth marked any script mistakes that I may have made. I never had many. I'd go week's without having to pick up a line.
One of the very first photos that Bob and I took together in public. This was at a party for Bob at the Television Academy in N. Hollywood.
This photo captures my overall feeling of working at TPIR... happy, and excited and tired.
Three of "Barker's Beauties" (from left to right) Rebecca, Gabriel and Brandi.
Another Halloween show... another costume.
One of the few pictures that I have with our Executive Producer at the time, Roger Dobkowitz. A great man and a beautiful soul.
Never-before-seen... Bob Barker walking out of Television City after his last show taping and interviews were over.
