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Hurdles

The first “mascot” game on The Price is Right, debuting two months before its brother Cliff Hangers.

A cartoon “runner” with a grocery price is set at the start of the track. The contestant is presented with three pairs of potential “hurdles” and must choose which three grocery products the runner will clear, i.e. which are less expensive than the runner price.

After choosing the hurdles, the starting pistol is fired, and the race is run. The “hurdles” rose up as the runner approached, and if the contestant chose a hurdle more expensive than the runner, the runner would crash. If the runner can clear all three hurdles, the contestant wins a large prize.

When expanding to an hour, a third grocery product game was needed to complement Hi Lo and Grocery Game. Hurdles is a slightly easier variant of Hi Lo with a much more elaborate theme, and it proved to be popular and exciting.

Hurdles’ elaborate theme proved to be its downfall. Its prop was perhaps the most mechanically complex set ever created pre-2000s, and the runner and hurdles sometimes malfunctioned, fell out of sync, or failed to reveal. Although it was a fan favorite, it was reportedly not one of Bob’s favorite games, and it was retired after six years.

Contestant and host stand beside the Hurdles game display on The Price is Right, featuring hurdles and a selection of grocery products.
27th pricing game to debut
S4, February 19 1976 – S11, March 31 1983
Likely created by Jay Wolpert
FAQ
S4, Apr 22 1976
A game show contestant showcases a green and white patio furniture set, including a table and chairs, alongside a large inflatable swimming pool displayed in the background.

Frederick is playing for a patio furniture set and swimming pool worth $1,145.

A contestant named Frederick stands next to the host of The Price is Right, both engaged in conversation. Frederick is wearing a gray shirt with a name tag, while the host is in a suit holding a microphone.

“Frederick, you look like a fella that’s participated in some athletics in your time.” Frederick replies he has; football, baseball, and swimming.

A contestant and host stand beside the Hurdles game setup on The Price is Right, featuring a large board with three hurdles and various grocery products displayed below.

“Did you ever run the hurdles?”

“No… I JUMPED them!”

A cartoon runner in a green outfit labeled 'TPIR' runs alongside a price of 69, representing a game on The Price is Right.

Today’s hurdler represents a box of Electra Sol dishwasher detergent worth 69 cents.

A game show host speaks to a contestant in front of the 'Hurdles' game set, featuring a large board with empty spaces for product prices.

To win the patio furniture, the hurdler must clear three hurdles. Each hurdle has two choices for products, only one of which is worth under 69 cents.

A plastic milk jug labeled 'sta-puf' on a game show set, with a small figurine beside it and hurdles in the background.

The first pair is a bottle of fabric softener, and a Pez dispenser. Which one is under 69 cents?

A host places a pennant on a game board featuring a pink bottle of Sta-Puf fabric softener in the foreground, while a small figurine stands near the track.

Frederick chooses the Pez, and Bob marks that hurdle with a pennant.

A male contestant and a game show host are in front of a colorful game board during a game show. The host is pointing at products displayed on a green platform while discussing options with the contestant.

Hurdle #2 is a bottle of peanuts, and a Banquet beef dinner. Fredrick chooses the beef dinner.

A hand holds a flag marker near a game board featuring a bottle of Mott's tomato cocktail juice and a package of One-Wipe dust cloths, on a lush green surface.

And hurdle #3 is a jar of Mott’s tomato cocktail, and a One-Wipe dust cloth. Frederick marks the dust cloth.

A game show host holds a cap gun microphone while a contestant laughs nearby, set against colorful game show backdrops.

It’s time to start the race! Bob fires the starter’s pistol, the William Tell Overture plays, and the runner commences!

A hurdle slowly rises to just below the height of a hurdler in the Hurdles game on The Price is Right.

Hurdle #1 begins to rise to meet the runner… and the runner clears it easily!

A contestant watches as a cartoon runner jumps over hurdles labeled with grocery prices on a game show set.

Frederick cheers on the runner as it clears Hurdle #2; that beef dinner was only 57 cents!

Graphic displaying the word 'CRASH' in large, colorful letters, with a backdrop showing price tags '69' and '99', indicating a game show moment.

Oh no! Disaster strikes at Hurdle #3; the hurdler trips over the dish cloth at 99 cents.

S4, Mar 11 1976
A contestant holds up a starter pistol, smiling, during a game show segment.

Occasionally Bob would let the contestant fire the cap gun… and they would startle themselves by how loud it was!

A game show set from 'The Price is Right' featuring a cartoon runner next to a track marked with price hurdles.

In the earliest days, the height of the hurdles was determined by the ratio of its value to the runner’s. This reveal proved anticlimactic and good picks quickly changed to “just under” the runner’s height to make their rise more exciting.

S4, Jun 2 1976
A contestant shows excitement with hands on their face as a cartoon runner approaches hurdles labeled with prices, during the game show segment Hurdles.

Early episodes cut frantically between the hurdle rising and the contestant’s reaction; a few months in a picture-in-picture shot was added.

A blonde female contestant smiles while watching a cartoon runner on a game show screen, with hurdles and price markers visible.

Huh? Where’s the hurdle?

A scoreboard displaying the number '61' and a large letter 'H', set against a background with a running track appearance.

The third hurdle never rose! Bob opens the window anyway to confirm that Yvonne is a winner.

S6, Sep 1977 (exact date unknown)
The camera shakes uncontrollably as a cartoon runner crashes into a Hurdle on The Price is Right.

The cameras shooting the contestant and art card now shake uncontrollably in the event of a crash.

A game show host explaining the 'Hurdles' game format on The Price Is Right, with a colorful background and numbered hurdles.

The hurdle rose, but the price never revealed; Bob flips it down to confirm it says 84 cents. Over by a nickel!

S6, Nov 21 1977
A contestant joyfully hugs the host during a moment on stage of The Price is Right, with a large audience in the background.

Leslie, a court reporter working part time at KFC, gave Bob quite the mugging!

A contestant with blonde hair covers her face in disappointment while a game element labeled 'H' is visible on a game show set.

She couldn’t look even bear to look as the runner started!

Two women on The Price is Right go into hysterics after winning the Hurdles game.

Leslie went into hysterics when she won, but her friend in the audience went bananas!

S6, June 5 1978
A contestant nervously holds a starter pistol as smoke rises from it during a game show segment.

Patricia claims she jumped hurdles in high school. Bob lets her fire the starter pistol, but it gives her quite a start!

S8, Mar 6 1980
A contestant on The Price is Right stands next to a scoreboard displaying the letter 'H' and the number '79', as a cartoon runner moves above the score.

The hurdler cleared this price… but again, it didn’t reveal.

A scene from the game show 'The Price is Right' featuring a visual of a cartoon runner on a track with hurdles, while a hand is placing a marker on a scoreboard.

“I’m afraid to touch it, I once got shocked by one of these things!” With some trepidation, Bob flips the reveal down.

A brightly colored graphic that says 'OOPS' in a comic-style font, placed over a game prop from a television show.

OOPS! No more shaky cam.

S11, Oct 19 1982
A contestant's hand is seen selecting a box of Rice-A-Roni 'Long Grain & Wild Rice' during the game Hurdles on The Price is Right, with a 'H' hurdle sign in the background.

For the first hurdle, William chooses the rice instead of the tea bags.

A male contestant with light hair and a beard smiles at the host, who is holding a microphone, in front of a colorful game show backdrop.

“How old are you?” Bob decides a 24-year old from Tennessee ought to be old enough to fire the starter’s pistol…

A contestant and a host on a game show are playfully aiming a toy gun, with the contestant smiling and the host making a comedic face.

…”DON’T look down the barrel! Point it up THERE! You boys in Tennessee are supposed to know all about this business!”

A contestant with a beard smiles while looking at a scoreboard featuring a cartoon runner and prices during a game on The Price is Right.

Oh no, William wiped out on the first hurdle!

An orange burst graphic with the word 'OOPS' prominently displayed, partially obscuring a contestant's head, set against a colorful game show backdrop.

The “OOPS” graphic is now red.

S11, Dec 13 1982
A cartoon runner from the game 'Hurdles' on The Price is Right, wearing a green outfit with 'TPIR' written on it, next to a price tag displaying '1.09'.

The most expensive known “hurdler” was $1.09.

S11, Mar 31 1983
A close-up of a hand pointing at two grocery products on a game show set. One is a can of 'Early California's Small' olives, and the other is a can of 'Jolly Time' popcorn. The backdrop features a colorful design with the letter 'H' for the game Hurdles.

On Hurdles’ final playing, the audience doesn’t agree with Roberta’s decision to choose the olives for the final hurdle instead of the popcorn.

A game show scene featuring a cartoon runner on a race track with hurdles, and a host speaking in the foreground.

Oops! Bob notices that the price of the popcorn revealed itself as soon as the race started. If the popcorn’s 85 cents, we know the olives must be…

A cartoon character representing a runner with a grocery price is shown on a race track, while a contestant excitedly cheers and watches the game's progress.

…less! Director Marc Breslow and his camera operators covered up the goof with some careful camera work.