Beloved Game Show Host, Bob Barker, Passes Away at 99
LOS ANGELES (AFP) – Bob Barker, the charismatic host of the iconic US television game show “The Price Is Right,” has died at the age of 99, his publicist confirmed on Saturday.
For an impressive 35 years, Barker entertained audiences in the United States and around the world as he called on eager contestants to “Come on down” and showcase their knowledge of consumer goods’ prices in exchange for cash and prizes.
“It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Bob Barker, the World’s Greatest MC who ever lived,” said his publicist Roger Neal in a statement to AFP.
Barker, a winner of 19 Emmys during his 60-year career in the entertainment industry, hosted “The Price Is Right,” the longest-running game show in North American history, from 1972 to 2007, when comedian Drew Carey took over.
“There hasn’t been a day on set that I didn’t think of Bob Barker and thank him. I will carry his memory in my heart forever,” Carey expressed on the X platform.
Beyond his outstanding contributions to the entertainment world, Barker was also a prominent animal activist. He generously donated $5 million to Sea Shepherd, an anti-whaling group, which in turn honored him by naming a vessel after him. Additionally, Barker hosted the “Miss USA” contest for 20 years, and managed to convince pageant organizers to ban the use of furs.
In addition to his game show career, Barker frequently made popular cameos in various films and TV shows, including “The Nanny,” “Happy Gilmore,” and the soap opera “The Bold and the Beautiful.”
“The man. The myth. The best,” praised “Happy Gilmore” star Adam Sandler on X. “Such a sweet funny guy to hang out with. Loved talking to him. Loved laughing with him. Loved him kicking the crap out of me. He will be missed by everyone I know!”
Barker, born on December 12, 1923, in Darrington, Washington state, spent his childhood on a Native American reservation in South Dakota. After joining the US Navy Reserve during World War II in 1943, he embarked on his career in radio.
Barker’s high school sweetheart, Dorothy Jo, was his wife until her passing in 1981. He remained unmarried for the rest of his life, but his long-time friend, Nancy Burnet, who worked with him on animal rights issues, looked after him in his later years. She expressed her pride in the work they accomplished together.
One of the most memorable aspects of “The Price Is Right” was a game where contestants spun a wheel marked with increments from five cents to one dollar. They had the option to spin a second time for the prize, but if their combined totals exceeded a dollar, they lost.
“My man got as close as possible without going over a dollar,” wrote X user B.W. Carlin, sharing a TMZ report of Barker’s passing at the age of 99. “Legend.”
