Price accepted a cameo part in the children's television program
The Hilarious House of Frightenstein (1971) in
Hamilton, Ontario Canada, on the local television station
CHCH. In addition to the opening and closing monologues, his role in the show was to recite poems about the show's various characters, sometimes wearing a cloak or other costumes. He has also appeared in
The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971) and
Theatre of Blood (1973), in which he created a series of campy, tongue-in-cheek villains. Price also recorded dramatic readings of Poe's
short stories and
poems, which were collected together with readings by
Basil Rathbone.
He greatly reduced his film work from around 1975, as horror itself suffered a slump, and increased his narrative and voice work, as well as advertising Milton Bradley's
Shrunken Head Apple Sculpture. Price's
voiceover is heard on
Alice Cooper's first solo album,
Welcome to My Nightmare from 1975, as well as the TV special entitled
Alice Cooper-The Nightmare. He also starred for a year in the early 1970s in a syndicated daily radio program,
Tales of the Unexplained. He also made guest appearances in a 1970 episode of
Here's Lucy showcasing his art expertise and in a 1972 episode of
The Brady Bunch, in which he played a deranged
archaeologist.
In the summer of 1977, he began performing as
Oscar Wilde, in the one man stage play
Diversions and Delights. Written by
John Gay and directed by
Joe Hardy, the play is set in a Parisian theatre on a night about one year before Wilde's death. In an attempt to earn some much-needed money, he speaks to the audience about his life, his works and, in the second act, about his love for Bosie, Lord Alfred Douglas, which led to his downfall.
The original tour of the play was a success in every city that it played, except for New York City. In the summer of 1979, Price performed it at the
Tabor Opera House in
Leadville, Colorado on the same stage that Wilde had spoken to the miners about art some 96 years before. Price would eventually perform the play worldwide and to many, including his daughter Victoria, it was the best acting that he ever did.
In 1982, Price provided the narrator's voice in
Vincent,
Tim Burton's six-minute film about a young boy who flashes from reality into a fantasy where he is Vincent Price. That same year, he performed a sinister "rap" on the
title track of
Michael Jackson's monumental "
Thriller" album. In addition to the album being a mega-seller,
the video was a huge hit for MTV. It included a stunning sequence in which Jackson transforms into a werewolf and was a major landmark for music videos. One of his last major roles, and one of his favorites, was as the voice of
Professor Ratigan in
Walt Disney Pictures'
The Great Mouse Detective from 1986.
From 1981 to 1989, he hosted the
PBS television series
Mystery!. Also, in 1985, he was voice talent on the Hanna-Barbera series
The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo as the mysterious Vincent Van Ghoul who aided Scooby-Doo and the gang in capturing thirteen evil demons into an ancient chest. During this time (1985-1989), he appeared in horror-themed commercials for
Tilex bathroom cleanser. His last significant film work was as the inventor in
Tim Burton's
Edward Scissorhands (1990).
A witty raconteur, Price was a frequent guest on
Johnny Carson's Tonight Show, where he once demonstrated how to poach a fish in a dishwasher. He also was a frequent panelist on
Hollywood Squares during its initial run.
Price was also a noted gourmet cook and art collector. From 1962 to 1971,
Sears, Roebuck offered the Vincent Price Collection of Fine Art, selling about 50,000 pieces of fine art to the general public. Price selected and commissioned works for the collection, including works by
Rembrandt,
Pablo Picasso, and
Salvador Dalí. He also authored several cookbooks and hosted a cookery TV show, 'Cooking Pricewise'.
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