Telephone Game

This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2009)

Telephone Game was a pricing game on the American television game show The Price Is Right. Played from November 1 to 29, 1978, it offered three prizes, only one of which could be won: a car or one of two small prizes (usually worth between $40 and $70). The game used grocery items.

Telephone Game was one of only two pricing games in which winning all of the announced prizes was not possible (not including small prizes or cash consolation prizes); the other is Any Number.

Gameplay

The game was played in two parts. In part one, the contestant was given $1 credit and was shown four grocery items. They used the credit to select two of the items, and their prices were deducted from the dollar. The contestant had to retain a dime to use the game's pay telephone. If they spent more than 90¢, the game ended, and the contestant won nothing.

However, if the contestant spent 90¢ or less, they could advance to the second half. Here, they were given a dime and taken to the telephone. They were also shown a phone book showing three large, unlabeled four-digit phone numbers. Each number corresponded with one of the prizes: one was the price of the car in dollars, and the other two numbers represented the prices of the two small prizes in dollars and cents (if a decimal were placed in the middle of the four digits).

The contestant selected one of the numbers and used the dime to call the number. Each prize had a telephone sitting next to it. The phone next to the prize whose price was dialed rang and was answered by a model, and the contestant won that prize.

Retirement

Telephone Game was retired after only three playings, making it the second-shortest-lived pricing game (the shortest-lived one was Professor Price).

v • d • e The Price Is Right U.S. Versions Current series • 1956–65 original series • 1994–95 syndicated series The Price Is Right $1,000,000 Spectacular • The Price Is Right Live! International versions Australia • United Kingdom • Other international versions Major elements One Bid • Pricing Games • Showcase Showdown • The Showcase Hosts (U.S.) Bob Barker • Drew Carey • Bill Cullen • Doug Davidson • Dennis James • Tom Kennedy Others on-air (U.S.) Rich Fields • Johnny Olson • Rod Roddy • Burton Richardson • Models Production Staff (U.S.) Frank Wayne • Mark Goodson • Bill Todman • Jay Wolpert • Roger Dobkowitz • Syd Vinnedge • Mike Richards • Sherell Paris (production assistant) • Marc Breslow (director) Notable Int'l Hosts Leslie Crowther • Larry Emdur • Bruce Forsyth • Marco Antonio Regil • Gigi Sabani • Ian Turpie • Carlo Boszhard • Iva Zanicchi • Joaquin Prat • Vincent Lagaf Pricing Games v • d • e Active pricing games Any Number • Balance Game • Barker's Bargain Bar • Bonkers • Bonus Game • Bullseye • Card Game • Check Game • Check-Out • Cliff Hangers • Clock Game • Coming or Going • Cover Up • Credit Card • Danger Price • Dice Game • Double Prices • Eazy az 1 2 3 • Five Price Tags • Flip Flop • Freeze Frame • Gas Money • Golden Road • Grand Game • Grocery Game • ½ Off • Hi Lo • Hole in One • It's in the Bag • Let 'em Roll • Line em Up • Lucky $even • Magic # • Make Your Move • Master Key • Money Game • More or Less • Most Expensive • Now....or Then • One Away • 1 Right Price • 1 Wrong Price • Pass the Buck • Pathfinder • Pick-a-Number • Pick-a-Pair • Plinko • Pocket ¢hange • Punch a Bunch • Push Over • Race Game • Range Game • Safe Crackers • Secret "X" • Shell Game • Shopping Spree • Side by Side • Spelling Bee • Squeeze Play • Stack the Deck • Step Up • Swap Meet • Switch? • Switcheroo • Take Two • Temptation • Ten Chances • That's Too Much! • 3 Strikes • Triple Play • 2 for the Price of 1 v • d • e Retired pricing games Add 'em Up • Balance Game (1980s) • Bullseye (1972) • Bump • Buy or Sell • Clearance Sale • Double Bullseye • Double Digits • Finish Line • Fortune Hunter • Gallery Game • Give or Keep • Hit Me • Hurdles • It's Optional • Joker • Make Your Mark • Mystery Price • On the Nose • On the Spot • Penny Ante • The Phone Home Game • Poker Game • Professor Price • Shower Game • Split Decision • Super Ball!! • $uper $aver • Telephone Game • Time Is Money • Trader Bob • Walk of Fame v • d • e Pricing games played on international versions 3 in a Row • Matchmaker • Permutation • Side by Side (UK) • Time-Play (British Clock Game) • Walk The Line • Nine Pins •Australia and Philippine format: Showcase Playoff / The Showcase • Penalty!