Bob Barker, the beloved host of television’s popular show “The Price Is Right,” known for his unique blend of comforting charm and understated wit, has passed away, as confirmed by his longtime spokesperson.
“With deep sorrow, we announce the departure of the exceptional MC, Bob Barker,” stated Roger Neal on Saturday.
The legendary figure was 99 years old. When Barker was chosen to helm “The Price Is Right” in 1972, it marked a significant turning point for the game show.
Having suffered a decline from its heyday in the late 1950s and rejected by two networks, the show found its home at CBS. With a career spanning over eight decades, Barker’s most recognized role was as the enduring host of the CBS show.
In 2002, he surpassed Johnny Carson’s record for consecutive appearances on the same network TV program. Barker took over hosting duties of “The Price Is Right” during Richard Nixon’s presidency and continued for 35 years until retiring in 2007.
Even in his final years on the show, the octogenarian host managed to tape five episodes each week. His association with “The Price Is Right” solidified his fame, making him a familiar face in households ranging from elderly individuals to school-absent children.
His appeal even extended to college students who reportedly scheduled their classes around the show. The program’s uncomplicated premise—ordinary individuals attempting to guess the prices of everyday items, from cleaning products to laundry machines—captivated audiences, leading to minimal changes in the show’s format over its four-decade run.
Similarly, Barker’s appearance remained consistent, except for one notable change: he stopped coloring his hair. This transformation from dark to white hair remains a memorable event in the show’s history.
On his final day, Barker confessed that as much as he anticipated retirement, the anticipation of filming that last episode was emotionally taxing. “I had worked myself into an emotional state,” he revealed during a press conference, “and I told myself I need to go out there and do this show—pull yourself together, Barker!” Barker’s mother worked as a teacher before becoming a county school superintendent.
After his father’s tragic death from a utility pole accident in 1929, Barker’s mother remarried, and the family relocated to Springfield, Missouri. During his high school years at the age of 15, Barker met his future wife, Dorothy Jo Gideon, and the two fell in love.
Robert Barker was born in Darrington, Washington, on December 12, 1923. He spent much of his early life on the Rosebud Sioux Reservation in South Dakota
