Local author profiles game show hosts and America’s longtime love affair with the shows

“Come on down! You’re the next contestant on…” well, you know the rest.

As with millions of Americans those words sparked a fire within David Baber. He was only 3 when popular television game show “The Price is Right” first caught his eye.

“My grandmother, Doris Baber, frequently babysat me, and she loved game shows,” Baber said. “I watched them with her, and I’ve always loved game shows.”

So the Clifton Forge native wrote a book, “Television Game Show Hosts: Biographies of 32 Stars” (McFarland, $55). Released last month, in addition to the book’s biographies it also examines America’s longtime love affair with game shows.

Why do Americans love game shows?

“I think the biggest factor is the play-along factor, like on “Jeopardy” when you say, ‘I know that answer!’” Baber, 32, said from his home in Bristol Virginia. “Plus, game shows are a light-hearted way to pass the time.”

Add in the fact that most anyone has a chance to be a contestant on a game show.

“You see average Joes come on and win a prize and maybe a big wad of money,” Baber said.

Translated, viewers may well think that they can win, too.

 

IDEA HATCHED

Baber works at Emory & Henry College as a circulations assistant in the library. However, the 1997 graduate of Emory & Henry hatched the idea for a book on game shows during his freshman year.

“When I got to Emory & Henry in ’93, I compiled a list of all the hosts that I liked and the shows they did,” Baber said. “I started digging further. My advisor saw my research and suggested I write a book.”

Mind you that was 14 years before the book hit store shelves.

 

RESEARCH

Books do not materialize overnight. Non-fiction books especially can demand several to many years to achieve completion. Baber’s book proved no exception.

“I did the research for about six years,” Baber said. “I didn’t start writing until 1999.”

Research included not only information relative to the shows and hosts, but also locating contact information for folks connected to the litany of shows. Baber searched and found phone numbers for producers and hosts and in some cases family and friends of the hosts.

And still, he had no inkling about what would happen. Would they even talk to him?

“It’s a challenge,” Baber said. “The hardest part was getting the interviews.”

Baber connected first with Art James, by then retired from television game shows, but still operating a business connected to game shows. James was perhaps best known for having hosted “The Who, What, or Where Game.”

“I googled him and found Art James Productions,” Baber said. “I called a 1-800 number. It rang two times and he picked it up.”

James agreed to an interview on the spot, March 3, 1999.

That interview led to many more. Subsequent interviews included those with hosts Bob Eubanks (“The Newlywed Game”), Peter Marshall (“Hollywood Squares”), Monty Hall (“Let’s Make A Deal”) and Alex Trebek (“Jeopardy”).

“If it hadn’t been for Art James, Jim Peck and Monty Hall, my first three interviews, it may not have gotten off the ground,” Baber said. “After those, I could mention their names and it helped.”

Mind you, Baber worked a day job. Couple that with the fact that writing a book demands time and attention.

“I would write in the evenings when I got home from work,” he said. “On my days off, that’s when I would do my telephone interviews.”

 

BOOK TIME

Baber finished writing the book in September 2006. He sent it to his publisher the following month, and didn’t see a thing for almost a year.

“I actually saw the book for the first time in July,” Baber said. “McFarland did a wonderful job. They put a nice big colorful picture of Bob Barker on the cover.”

Baber said that he hasn’t done any book signings thus far and has none scheduled. In fact, he’s done very little promotion for the book.

“This is the first for-print interview I’ve done,” Baber said.

For those who wonder why all such a fuss over game shows, consider their popularity beyond television. Consumers can buy board and video game adaptations of such programs as “Wheel of Fortune” and “The Price is Right.” There’s more.

“Who would have thought that a game show would have come out on DVD?” Baber said.

That’s exactly what has happened with DVD sets of such shows as Gene Rayburn’s “Match Game.” And now thanks to Baber, there’s even a book available on game shows.

“To the best of my knowledge, this is the first one,” he said.

Baber credits hard work, determination and strength of willpower beyond his own for seeing his book through to completion. When doubt crept in, he looked upward.

“I thank the good Lord for getting me through this,” Baber said. “It was a long and complicated process. I came close to giving up on it many times when nobody would talk to me, so I prayed and it came through.” 

 

TOM NETHERLAND is a freelance writer. He can be reached at