Bob Barker, Legendary The Price Is Right Host, Passes Away at 99
Beloved American TV game show host Bob Barker passed away at 99 years old last August 26.
His long-time publicist, Roger Neal, shared that The Price Is Right presenter died of natural causes and spent his final moments in his Hollywood Hills home.
“It is with profound sadness that we announce that the world’s greatest MC who ever lived, Bob Barker, has left us,” read an NBC quote from his publicist.
Meanwhile, Nancy Burnet, Bob’s girlfriend of 40 years, mentioned how proud she was of Bob’s work in animal welfare. She mentioned how they worked together to expose animal cruelty in the entertainment industry. She also cited how he helped animals that were exploited and abused.
Released by People, 77-year-old Nancy shared, “We were great friends over these 40 years. He will be missed.”
Most famous for hosting The Price Is Right for 35 years from 1972 to 2007, he has remained popular throughout the years even after his long stint with the daytime TV show ended. Before he became the presenter of the CBS production, he was Robert William Barker, born on December 12, 1923, in Darrington, Washington.
When the young Robert was 6, his father, Byron John Barker, died in a workplace accident. His father’s death led him and his mother to relocate to Mission, South Dakota, where they settled on a Sioux Indian Reservation.
Bob’s mother, Matilda Kent Tarleton, worked as a schoolteacher and eventually remarried, prompting them to move to Missouri.
Unknown to many, Bob served in the Navy for two years as World War II was nearing its end. After his time in the Navy, he returned to Missouri and completed his degree in Economics at Drury College. In 1950, Bob moved to Burbank, California where he established the popular radio program The Bob Barker Show.
After six years, Bob had his television hosting debut in 1956 on Truth or Consequences. He stayed until it ended 18 years later.
He began hosting The Price Is Right game show in 1972. At the time, the show was on a decline, with fewer viewers since it began in the 50s. Thanks to Bob, the game show was revitalized and he eventually became known as the face of the show.
Bob became one of the most reliable and coveted hosts not just on game shows but also in other hosting stints, including the Miss America and Miss Universe pageants, which he hosted for almost two decades. In 1969, he presented the New Year’s Day Tournament of Roses Parade and became its go-to presenter for several years after.
In a field where many Hollywood hopefuls come and go, Bob Barker proved that he had the talent and longevity to go the distance. He won 19 Daytime Emmy Awards and was awarded the Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1990.
Even when Drew Carey assumed his role on The Price Is Right in 2007, the show’s new TV host was careful to manage expectations by saying that “there is no replacing Bob.”
