For more than thirty years, fans could turn on their televisions every day to watch Bob Barker host The Price is Right on CBS. The Price is Right gave everyday people the chance to compete on television for amazing prizes like vacations, cars, household appliances, and more. The show first premiered in September 1972, with Barker as host. His amiable smile, fun personality, and love of animals made him an instant hit. Barker remained the host until his retirement in 2007.
Sadly, we have learned that Mr. Barker has passed away at the age of 99, just a few months shy of his 100th birthday. His rep, Roger Neal, announced that Barker had passed away from natural causes at his home in the Hollywood Hills.
âIt is with profound sadness that we announce that the Worldâs Greatest MC who ever lived, Bob Barker, has left us.”
Barker was born in 1923 in Darrington, Washington. However, he spent most of his life living on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in Mission, South Dakota. His father was one-quarter Sioux and his mother was non-native. However, his mother taught at the grade school on the reservation, and that is where Barker went to school through eighth grade. Barker and his mother moved to Missouri after Barker’s father died, where Barker went to both high school and college.
The Price is Right was not the first game show that Barker hosted. He actually started his hosting career on the popular show Truth or Consequences, which he continued to host three years after he began hosting The Price is Right. For years, Barker remained a staple in the game show community. He further made waves in the 1980s, when he announced that he would not be coloring his hair (as almost every other MC did) and let it go gray. He did this because many of the dyes used animal products.
In addition to being known for his incredible hosting skills, Barker was a beloved animal rights activist. Just like Disney Legend Betty White — who died in 2021 also at the age of 99 — Barker spent much of his time advocating for the protection of all animals. Many who watched The Price is Right probably remember Barker’s daily message, reminding people to spay and neuter their pets.
In 1987, Barker refused to host the Miss USA pageant when pageant officials refused to stop giving out furs as prizes. He also started a foundation, named after his late wife and mother, which donated millions to animal-neutering programs. He also fought hard, and even spoke to Congress, about passing laws that would prevent circuses from using animals like elephants and bears for entertainment.
Not long after Mr. Barker’s death was announced, PETA released a statement, praising Barker for his hard work:
Bobâs influence on the entertainment industry is indisputable, but what mattered to him most was using his voice and prominent position to protect animals. Of course, everyone is familiar with his âspay and neuter your petsâ sign-off on The Price Is Rightâa show where he refused to allow fur prizesâbut he was also one of the first stars to go vegetarian, more than 30 years ago. He joined PETA in urging families to stay away from SeaWorld, demanded the closure of cruel bear pits masquerading as tourist attractions, implored Hollywood to take action to protect animals used in film and TV, and, as a Navy veteran, called for the end of military medical drills on live animals. His generous donation allowed PETA to open its West Coast headquarters, the Bob Barker Building, in 2012, and it stands as a testament to his legacy and profound commitment to making the world a kinder place. To usâand to so many animals around the worldâBob will always be a national animal rights treasure.
Over the length of his storied career, Barker won a total of 15 Emmy Awards and was presented with the Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1999. He was inducted into the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame in 2004.
Barker is survived by his half-brother, Kent, half-nephews Robert and Chip, and half-niece Vickie.
