From Price is Right to Pirates of the Caribbean: An Interview with Jay Wolpert, "Price's" First Producer

From 1956 to 1965, Mark Goodson-Bill Todman's "Price is Right" hosted by Bill Cullen was a daytime television staple. In 1972, when the show was revived in a new format with a new host, Bob Barker, no one knew that Price is Right would become a television institution. From 1972 to 1978, Jay Wolpert was "modern" Price is Right's first producer.

After Price, Jay created and produced his own stable of television game shows, and then went on to become a screenwriter.

I recently spoke to Jay about his long and varied career.

Jay on Getting that First Break in the TV Game Business:

In 1962, I was a student at Queens College (New York) and I needed a part-time job. So I went down and applied at a place I thought was a sock factory --- and it was a TV game show company, Wolf Enterprises. They had a show called "Window Shopping." Because I ran the company's mimeograph machine, they called me "Inkstain."

I then went to work for (producer) Dan Enright, who was "blacklisted" from American television because of the game show scandals (he produced "Twenty One"). He was working on a few shows in Canada. I moved to Montreal and worked for him off and on for about two years (also, in New York and Toronto).

I went back to the States to serve in the Coast Guard Reserve. One night I was watching Jeopardy (the Art Fleming version) and disagreed with a Final Jeopardy answer. I called Merv Griffin Productions to complain. The person on the phone challenged me to do better. Even though I had worked on game shows in Canada, it didn't preclude me from becoming a contestant on the show. I wound up winning the (1969) Tournament of Champions. It was $8500 and a trip to Hawaii. When I came back, I was hired to work for (producer) Henry Jaffe on "The Movie Game." I moved to California.

Jay is Asked How He'd Fare Against Current All-Time Jeopardy Winner Ken Jennings:

I'm not sure, but back in those days contestants were cut off after winning five games. So, there was no way of knowing how good you could've been.

I'll tell you this. I'm not as good at pop culture as I used to be. I think that has to do with getting older. As for other subjects, I'd hold my own.