Bob Barker Through the Years: From Radio Host to ‘The Price Is Right’ Icon

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Bob Barker Through the Years: From Radio Host to ‘The Price Is Right’ Icon

From radio to television, Bob Barker is an icon in the entertainment industry and a household name among generations. Decades before becoming a beloved game show host, Barker was born in Washington State where his father, Byron John Barker, worked as a high line electrician. After spending his formative years on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota with his mother, Matilda "Tilly" Valandra, Barker and his mom moved to Missouri after she remarried. While in high school, Barker attended an Ella Fitzgerald concert where he met his future wife, Dorothy Jo Gideon. The two began dating when he was 15 and married in 1945 while he was on leave from the United States Navy Reserve. At the time, Barker wanted to be a professional athlete. “My dream was to pitch for the St. Louis Cardinals,” he told the Television Academy Foundation in March 2008. “Only one thing prevented it. A total lack of talent.” After graduating from college, he and Gideon lived in Florida, where he began his career in entertainment as an announcer for a Palm Beach radio station. One year later, upon settling in California, Barker landed his titular radio show, which ran for six years. After getting his start on television as the host of Truth or Consequences – which he helmed from 1956 to 1975, Barker also began to host the Miss Universe and Miss USA pageants starting in 1967. The TV personality began his tenure at The Price Is Right in 1972, which soon became his longest gig and his best-known role. He hosted the game show for 35 years before retiring in 2007. [jwplayer gdriWjE9-zhNYySv2] The game show host credited his wife for his career. “She gave me the confidence to even try to do what I set out to do,” Barker told the Television Academy Foundation in 2008. “She didn’t just urge me on, she worked right at my side.” Gideon died of lung cancer in 1981 at the age 57. “She was ahead of her time,” Barker told Good Morning America in 2007. “She stopped wearing fur coats before anyone was stopping. She became a vegetarian before people were becoming vegetarian. And I gradually did the same thing with her.” After Gideon’s death, Barker began to become more outspoken about animal rights. The host started ending episodes of The Price Is Right with the phrase, “This is Bob Barker reminding you to help control the pet population – have your pets spayed or neutered.” He donated millions of dollars to multiple schools to support the study of animal rights and spoke out against the treatment of animals around the world. In 1995, the activist founded the DJ&T Foundation – named after his late wife and mother – which supports animal-neutering programs. Keep scrolling to see Barker’s life and career in photos:

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1943

During World War II, Barker enlisted in the United States Navy Reserve to train as a fighter pilot, but did not serve on active duty.

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1945

The game show host married his high school sweetheart, Gideon, in January 1945 while on military leave. The two had met at a concert and began dating shortly after.

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1950 to 1956

After getting his start in radio during college, Barker and Gideon moved to Florida, where he became an announcer and news editor at a Palm Beach station. They relocated to California in 1950 so Barker could advance his broadcasting career. The Burbank radio station KWIK gave him his own show called The Bob Barker Show, which ran for six years.

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1956 to 1975

Truth or Consequences producer Ralph Edwards hired Barker to replace Jack Bailey as host of the show. Barker helmed the series from 1956 to 1975.

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1967

Barker hosted the Miss Universe and Miss USA pageants from 1967 to 1987, making him the longest-serving host. The animal rights activist stepped away from the position because pageant officials insisted on giving the winner a fur coat, something Barker had continually tried to change.

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1972 to 2007

Barker made his debut on the revival of The Price is Right in 1972, hosting the iconic game show for more than three decades. In 2007, He retired from the series — which had become the longest-running game show during hs reign — and Drew Carey took his place.

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1981

Six months after being diagnosed with lung cancer, Gideon passed away at the age of 57. The How I Met Your Mother actor later told Good Morning America in 2007 that he “never had any inclination to remarry” after Dorothy’s death. “Dorothy was my wife,” he said at the time.

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1982

The TV star won his first Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Game Show Host in 1982 for The Price Is Right. He continued to collect a total of 14 awards before retiring.

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1994

Barker created the DJ&T foundation in 1994. The organization was named after his late wife and mother, both of whom shared his love for all furry creatures. The mission of the organization is to assist in containing the issue of animal overpopulation and focuses on low-cost or free spay/neuter services for canines.

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1996

Barker made a cameo appearance as himself in Adam Sandler’s Happy Gilmore. The fan favorite comedy brought fans the legendary golf course fight scene in which Barker walks away victorious.

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1999

Barker suffered a health scare when diagnosed with a blocked left carotid artery. He underwent surgery for the procedure and quickly recovered.

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2002

The TV personality experienced more health woes in 2002. After filming The Price Is Right’s 30th season finale, Barker had a stroke and had to be hospitalized. Six weeks later, he was hospitalized again while having to undergo prostate surgery.

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September 2009

Barker appeared as a guest host on WWE, parodying his game show persona during a segment called The Price Is Raw. In the skit, the guest host had various wrestlers trying to name the price of a WWE merchandise item. His appearance was so memorable that wrestler Chris Jericho later named him as one of the best hosts ever on the show.

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2009 to 2015

Since leaving The Price Is Right in 2007, Barker has made three guest appearances on the show. He first returned in 2009 to promote his autobiography, Priceless Memories, and appeared in the showcase round at the end of the show. Four years later, he returned to celebrate his 90th birthday. The alum’s third post-retirement appearance was for April Fool’s Day 2015, where he switched with Carey during the intro.

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2015

Barker and Sandler recreated their iconic Happy Gilmore brawl on Comedy Central’s Night of Too Many Stars. In the sketch, Sandler visits Barker in the hospital and tries to help him eat his soup when Barker begins to insult the comedian. The two went at it with objects from the hospital room when a nurse walks in with vials of a virus, which Barker takes a mouthful of and spits it in Sandler’s face. The skit ends with the two in heaven, still fighting.