Priceless Memories - Bob Barker [80]
The two-hour show had a Hellzapoppin’ atmosphere. The audience didn’t know where I would be next or who I might be talking with, but, of course, they hoped it would be with them. And the best part was, it just might have been!
Sounds like fun, doesn’t it? Believe me, it was. I think I enjoyed the show as much as anyone in the audience, even the contestant who won the car at the end of the show.
Sol Leon came out two or three times to see The Bob Barker Fun and Games Show. Once he said, “Bob, this is the nearest thing to the Beatles I ever saw.” I know, I know: Sol was my agent, but it still sounded good to me.
When we were going into a city to do a show, the Tennessee Partners would lay out a complete advertising plan—newspapers, radio, and television. Then they would send it to Sol. Sol would look the plan over very carefully, and he always made suggestions, made changes, and added valuable insights.
At this time, Sol was having breakfast once a week with the legendary Colonel Tom Parker, who promoted all of Elvis Presley’s personal appearances. Sol said the Colonel became interested in The Bob Barker Fun and Games Show and gave him tips from time to time on promoting the show. I think you’ll agree that Sol was getting tips from an excellent source.
People often told me that my relationship with Sol Leon was something to behold, and it was. He was my agent, but he was far more than that. He was an advertising consultant, an advisor, and a dear friend.
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The Bob Barker Fun and Games Show was not the only traveling show I was doing during those days, nor was it the only other job I had outside of The Price Is Right. I was hosting the annual beauty pageants. I was also anchoring the Rose Parade broadcasts every year for CBS. In fact, I was involved with a number of parades around the country. I did the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York and the Mummers Parade in Philadelphia. For years, I worked the Indianapolis 500 Festival Parade. But the granddaddy of them all, as they say, is the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena. That was a privilege and a pleasure for me to do for over twenty years.
I worked with some wonderful people when I narrated the Rose Parade. I cohosted shows with June Lockhart. She was one bright lady, and she was funny. I worked with Joan Van Ark, who was bright and funny, too. As I wrote earlier, I interviewed the grand marshals every year. One time it was Charles Schulz, the creator of Peanuts, and I am a big fan. I knew he did not like to give autographs, but once when he and I were alone, I apologetically requested one. He quickly sketched Snoopy on my script, wrote, “To Bob with friendship and affection,” and signed it “Sparky,” a nickname his friends called him. It is one of my treasures.
Because of the Rose Parade, for twenty-one years I was unable to go to a New Year’s Eve party. I had to be out there in Pasadena at 4:00 a.m. They really took it seriously. Our team would go to Pasadena for two days or so before the parade. We taped the places where they built the floats and interviewed the float builders. We did a lot of research about the parade, and we studied up on the background of the groups marching in the parade.
I have anchored parades all over the country, but the Rose Parade is the best-organized parade of them all. If they say they are going to step off at 8:00 a.m., you can set your watch by it. And if they say a band will pass the reviewing stand at 9:15, you can bet that band will be there, playing its best music, at 9:15. Many parades do not operate that way.
The Rose Parade in Pasadena definitely has better weather for a parade than any other place in the country. So many of these big parades are around the holidays, and if you are in the East, say New York or Cleveland or Detroit, the weather