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Robert William "Bob" Barker (December 12, 1923 – August 26, 2023) was an American television game show host and animal rights activist.[2] He was best known for hosting CBS's The Price is Right from 1972 to 2007 and for hosting Truth or Consequences from 1956 to 1974.
Bob Barker | |
|---|---|
 Barker in 1975 | |
| Born | Robert William Barker December 12, 1923 Darrington, Washington, U.S. |
| Died | August 26, 2023 (aged 99) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Problems caused by Alzheimer's disease |
| Resting place | Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills |
| Education | Drury University (BA) |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active |
|
| Television |
|
| Spouse |
Dorothy Jo Gideon
(m. 1945; died 1981) |
| Service/branch | United States Army Air Forces |
| Years of service | 1944–1946 |
| Rank | Staff Sergeant |
| Unit | Armed Forces Radio Service |
| Wars |
|
| Awards | Good Conduct Medal |
| Signature | |
 | |
Barker was born Robert William Barker on December 12, 1923 in Darrington, Washington.[3] He was of Sioux descent.[4]
Barker met his future wife, Dorothy Jo Gideon, at an Ella Fitzgerald concert while he was attending high school in Missouri; they began dating when he was 15.[5] He went to Drury College (now Drury University) in Springfield, Missouri.[6]
Barker started hosting Truth or Consequences on December 31, 1956.[7] He continued with the program until 1974.[7] On December 4, 1957, Barker began hosting a new Ralph Edwards creation, the short-lived End of the Rainbow for NBC.[8]
On September 4, 1972, Barker began hosting the CBS revival of The Price Is Right.[9] On October 15, 1987, Barker did what other MCs almost never did: he stopped using hair dye and allowed his hair to turn gray.[10]
On October 31, 2006, Barker made his announcement that he would retire from The Price Is Right in June 2007.[11] He taped his last episode on June 6, 2007. The show aired twice on June 15.[12]
Barker acted as himself in the 1996 Adam Sandler comedy movie Happy Gilmore.[13]
Barker won nineteen Daytime Emmy Awards.[14]
Barker broke Johnny Carson's record for continuous performances on the same network television show, appearing for a total of twenty-nine years.[15] At the time of his retirement at aged 83, Barker held the record of oldest person to host a regularly scheduled game show.[16]
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Barker married Dorothy Jo Gideon in 1945.[17] He had no children.[18] Despite retiring from television, Barker was an active animal rights activist.[19] In 1993, Dian Parkinson sued Barker for sexual harassment and the lawsuit was dropped in 1995.[20]
Barker was a skin cancer survivor.[21] On September 17, 2010, Barker collapsed at an L.A. shooting range. He was treated at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for an adverse drug reaction and released.[22]
Barker died on August 26, 2023 in Los Angeles, California at the age of 99.[23] The cause of death was problems caused by Alzheimer's disease.[24]
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