Robert William "Bob" Barker (born December 12, 1923) is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
former
televisionTelevision is a widely used telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images, either monochromatic or color, usually accompanied by sound. "Television" may also refer specifically to a television set, television programming or television transmission...
game showA game show is a type of television program in which members of the public or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving problems usually for money and/or prizes. On some shows contestants compete against other players or another team while...
hostA master of ceremonies, microphone controller or MC , sometimes called a compère or an MJ for "microphone jockey," is the host of an official public or private staged event or other performance. The MC usually presents performers, speaks to the audience, and generally keeps the event moving...
. He is best known for hosting
CBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is an American television network, one of television's original "big three", which also include NBC and ABC. Like NBC, CBS started out as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System...
'
The Price Is Right from 1972-2007, making it the longest-running daytime
game showA game show is a type of television program in which members of the public or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving problems usually for money and/or prizes. On some shows contestants compete against other players or another team while...
in North American television history. After holding the job for 35 years and having been in
televisionTelevision is a widely used telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images, either monochromatic or color, usually accompanied by sound. "Television" may also refer specifically to a television set, television programming or television transmission...
for 50 years, Barker retired in June 2007.
Personal life
Barker was born in
Darrington, WashingtonDarrington is a town in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. The population was 1,136 at the 2000 census.-History:The valley that Darrington is located in was once settled by local Native Americans as the confluence of the two rivers was abundant in salmon and other fish. European settlers...
, and spent most of his youth on the
Rosebud Indian ReservationThe Rosebud Indian Reservation is an Indian reservation in South Dakota, United States. It is the home of the Sicangu Oyate, also known as Sicangu Lakota, the Upper Brulé Sioux Nation, and the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, a branch of the Lakota people...
in
South DakotaSouth Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. South Dakota was carved out of the southern half of the Dakota Territory and admitted to the Union on November 2, 1889...
. His mother, Matilda ("Tillie") Valandra (née Matilda Kent Tarleton), was a school teacher; his father, Byron John Barker, was the foreman on the electrical high line through the state of Washington. He is 1/8th Native American (
SiouxSioux are a Native American and First Nations people. The term can refer to any ethnic group within the Great Sioux Nation or any of the nation's many dialects...
). While in Washington, his father fell from a tower and sustained an injury which resulted in his death in 1929. Barker has a half-brother, Kent Valandra, from Matilda's subsequent re-marriage. In 1931, the family moved to
SpringfieldSpringfield is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It is the county seat of Greene County. On July 1, 2008, the estimated population was 156,206. The Springfield Metropolitan Area, population 426,144, is ranked 114th in the U.S., includes the counties of Christian, Dallas,...
,
MissouriMissouri is a state in the Midwest region of the United States bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. Missouri is the 18th most populous state with a 2008 estimated population of 5,911,605. It comprises 114 counties and one independent city....
, where Barker graduated from
Central High SchoolCentral High School is a high school located in downtown Springfield, Missouri. The school was built in 1893 as Senior High School. The first graduating class was one of 41 students in 1894. The school was renamed Central High School after the construction of Springfield's second oldest high...
in 1941.
Barker attended Drury College (now
Drury UniversityDrury University is a private liberal arts college in Springfield, Missouri.The university enrolls about 1,550 undergraduates, over 2,000 adult part-time undergraduates and around 400 graduate students in six master's programs...
) in Springfield, on a basketball
scholarshipAn athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport...
. He was a member of the Epsilon Beta Chapter of
Sigma NuSigma Nu is an undergraduate social college fraternity with chapters in the United States and Canada. Sigma Nu was founded in 1869 by three cadets at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia...
fraternityFraternities and sororities are fraternal social organizations for undergraduate students. In English, the term refers mainly to such organizations at colleges and universities in North America, although it is also applied to analogous European groups also known as corporations...
at Drury. His education was interrupted by
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Barker served in the
NavyThe United States Navy is the sea branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. It is one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. As of 31 December 2008, the U.S. Navy had about 331,682 personnel on active duty and 124,000 in the Navy Reserve. It operates 283 ships in active service and more than...
as a
fighter pilotA fighter pilot is a military aviator trained in air-to-air combat while piloting a fighter aircraft . Fighter pilots undergo specialized training in aerial warfare and dogfighting...
. However, the war ended before he was assigned to a
seagoing squadronA squadron is a small unit or formation of cavalry, armour, aircraft , or warships.-Army and Marines:A cavalry squadron , typically consists of four troops.-United States:...
. After the war, he returned to Drury to finish his education, graduating
summa cum laude with a degree in
economicsEconomics is the social science that studies the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
. While attending Drury, Barker worked his first "media job", at
KTTS-FMKTTS-FM is a radio station broadcasting a Country music format. Licensed to Springfield, Missouri, USA, the station serves the Springfield area . The station places a strong emphasis on news programming and maintains the largest radio news operation in the state outside of St...
Radio, in Springfield.
Barker left Springfield and worked at a radio station in
FloridaFlorida is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the north. It was the 27th state admitted to the United States...
before landing another radio job in California. He was hosting an audience-participation radio show on
KNX (AM)KNX is an all-news radio station in Los Angeles, California, USA. The station operates on a clear channel and is owned by CBS Radio...
in
Los AngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the municipality of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123.445 inhabitants...
when game show producer
Ralph EdwardsRalph Livingstone Edwards was an American radio and television host and television producer.-Early career:...
happened to be listening and liked Barker's voice and style.
Barker married his high school sweetheart Dorothy Jo Gideon on January 12, 1945 and the couple remained married for 36 years up until her death on October 19, 1981 from lung cancer. The couple had no children. Barker has not remarried after her death; however, he was later involved in a relationship with model
Dian ParkinsonDian Parkinson is a former American model on The Price Is Right.-Career history:...
from 1989 to 1991, a relationship that ended in legal action.
Truth or Consequences (1956-1975)
Barker started hosting on December 31, 1956 and would continue with the program until 1975. The idea was to mix the original quiz element of game shows with wacky stunts. On the show, people had to answer a trivia question correctly (usually an off-the-wall question that no one would be able to answer correctly) before "Beulah the Buzzer" was sounded. If the contestant could not complete the "Truth" portion, there would be "Consequences", usually a zany and embarrassing stunt. In addition, during Barker's run as host, "Barker's Box" was played. Barker's Box was a box with four drawers in it. If a contestant was able to pick all three drawers with money inside before picking the empty drawer, he or she won a bonus prize.
In many broadcasts, the stunts on
Truth or ConsequencesTruth or Consequences, an American quiz show, was originally hosted on NBC radio by Ralph Edwards and later on television by Edwards , Jack Bailey , Bob Barker , Bob Hilton and Larry Anderson . The television show ran on CBS, NBC and also in syndication...
included a popular, but emotional, heart-rending surprise for a contestant, that being the reunion with a long-lost relative or with an enlisted son or daughter returning from military duty overseas, particularly Vietnam.
It was on
Truth or Consequences that the salute became his trademark sign-off; he ended each episode with "Bob Barker saying good-bye, and hoping all your consequences are happy ones!"
End of the Rainbow (1957-1958)
On December 4, 1957, Barker began hosting a new Ralph Edwards creation, the short-lived
End of the Rainbow for NBC. On this show (similar to Barker's
Truth or Consequences and Edwards'
This Is Your LifeThis Is Your Life is a television documentary series hosted by its producer, Ralph Edwards. It originally aired in the United States from 1952 to 1961, and again in 1972 on NBC. It originated as a radio show airing from 1948 to 1952 on NBC Radio. A version of it continues a very long run in the...
), he and co-host Art Baker went out to various places in America and surprised the less-fortunate who helped others when they could barely help themselves.
For example, the first episode featured a Minneapolis grocer who, in return for his community service, was given a complete makeover to his store plus new furniture and appliances for his home. In addition, his landlord (who was in on the surprise) announced that the current month's rent was free and that the grocer's rent would never increase.
The Family Game (1967)
In 1967, Barker hosted the short-lived game show
The Family GameThe Family Game was a game show that ran on ABC for six months in 1967. Geoff Edwards was originally to host the pilot, but was dropped at the last minute and was replaced by producer Chuck Barris...
for
Chuck BarrisCharles Hirsch "Chuck" Barris is an American game show producer and presenter who was responsible for many of the best known game shows of the 1960s and 1970s. Barris, who is a survivor of lung cancer, is also an author. -Early career:...
, where he would ask children contestants questions about their families' lives, and the parents had to guess how they answered, similar in fashion to
The Newlywed GameThe Newlywed Game is an American television game show that pits newly-married couples against each other in a series of revealing question rounds to determine how well the spouses know each other. The program, originally created by Nick Nicholson and E. Roger Muir and produced by Chuck Barris, has...
.
Simon Says (1971)
In 1971, Barker was tapped to host a pilot for NBC entitled
Simon Says, which required him to interact with a giant computer called "Simon" in
Let's Make A Deal-style "trades". The pilot was produced by Wesley J. Cox of DUNDAS Productions, and its theme was "The Savers" (the theme used on
The Joker's WildThe Joker's Wild is an American television game show that aired at different times during the 1970s through the 1990s, it billed itself as the game "where knowledge is king and lady luck is queen", and was notable for being the first successful game show produced by Barry-Enright Productions after...
, which has led some to believe that Cox or DUNDAS was an alias for Jack Barry or Dan Enright, since
Joker used the theme in its original 1968 pilot).
That's My Line (1980-1981)
In 1980, Barker emceed a series called
That's My LineThat's My Line was a summer CBS reality show developed by Mark Goodson, one of the creators of What's My Line? The show highlighted the unusual occupations of ordinary people, but unlike What's My Line? it had no panel or game components; the show was rather along the same lines as NBC's Real...
for Goodson-Todman. The series was not a game show, but rather a program along the lines of
Real People----Real People was an NBC reality television series that aired from 1979 to 1984, on Wednesday and then Sunday nights. Its initial episodes aired live in the East....
and
That's Incredible!That's Incredible! is a reality television show that ran on the ABC television network from 1980 to 1984.-Synopsis:In the tradition of You Asked For It, Ripley's Believe It or Not! and Real People, the show featured people performing stunts and reenactments of allegedly paranormal events...
The show's second season in 1981 focused more on unusual stunts, and was cancelled in September.
The Price Is Right (1972-2007)
On September 4, 1972, Barker began his most famous assignment hosting the CBS revival of
The Price is Right. In the 35 years of the CBS version, he has become far more associated with the series than first host
Bill CullenWilliam Lawrence Francis Cullen was an American radio and television personality whose career spanned five decades...
was with the 1956-1965 original. In September 1977, he hosted the last three seasons of the syndicated nighttime version, originally hosted by
Dennis JamesDennis James , born Demi James Sposa, was an American television personality who worked as an actor, wrestling announcer, sports show host, game show host and newsreel announcer. He is credited as the host of television's first game show, the DuMont Network's Cash and Carry in 1946...
.
On October 15, 1987 Barker did what other MCs almost never did: renounced hair dye and allowed his hair to go gray. Fellow hosts
Monty HallMonte Halperin, OC, OM , better known by the stage name Monty Hall, is a Canadian-born emcee, producer, actor, singer and sportscaster, best known as host of the television game show Let's Make a Deal.-Life and career:...
,
Alex TrebekGeorge Alexander "Alex" Trebek is a Canadian-American television personality and game show host. He has been the host of the game show Jeopardy! since 1984. He has hosted numerous game/quiz shows and has appeared in television series, usually as himself...
, and
Richard DawsonRichard Dawson is a British-born American actor, comedian, game show panelist, and host. He is best known for his role as Bob Crane's British non-commissioned officer, Corporal Peter Newkirk, on the World War II situation comedy Hogan's Heroes, and as the original host of the Family Feud game show...
would do the same in the late 1980s.
In 2006,
The Price Is Right celebrated 35 consecutive years on the air. It is the longest-running game show of all time in North America. Overall, in daytime programming (excluding Saturday and Sunday),
The Price Is Right is ranked sixth among the longest-continuing daytime television programs (NBC's
Today ranks the longest, followed by four daytime soap operas:
Guiding LightGuiding Light is an American daytime television drama and is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as being the longest-running soap opera in production and the longest running drama in television and radio history...
,
As the World TurnsAs the World Turns is an American television soap opera that airs each weekday on CBS.Set in the fictional town of Oakdale, Illinois, the show debuted on Monday, April 2, 1956 at 1:30pm EST. Prior to April 2, 1956 all serials were fifteen minutes in length...
,
General HospitalGeneral Hospital is an American daytime television drama and is currently credited by the Guiness Book of World Records as being the second longest-running soap opera in production and the second longest running drama in television in production. It premiered on the ABC television network on April...
, and
Days of our LivesDays of our Lives is an American soap opera which has aired nearly every weekday since November 8, 1965 on the NBC network in the United States, and has since been syndicated to many countries around the world. It also broadcasts on SOAPnet weeknights at 11PM ET/PT...
), and will move into fifth in September 2009 when
Guiding Light airs its final episode on CBS. It has won its time slot (11:00 a.m.
EasternThe Eastern Time Zone of the Western Hemisphere falls mostly along the east coast of North America and the west coast of South America. Its time offset is −5 hrs GMT or UTC−5 during standard time and UTC−4 during daylight saving time...
) for the past 25 years with its closest competitor (currently
ABC'sThe American Broadcasting Company is an American television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. It first broadcast on television in 1948...
The ViewThe View is an American talk show broadcast on American Broadcasting Company as part of ABC Daytime. Created by Barbara Walters and Bill Geddie, who both also serve as the show's executive producers, the program features a panel of women as co-hosts...
) normally getting about half of
TPIR's ratings.
On October 31, 2006, Bob made his announcement that he would retire from
The Price Is Right in June 2007. However, Barker has revealed that
FremantleMediaFremantleMedia, Ltd. is the content and production division of RTL Group, Europe's largest TV, radio, and production company...
, the company that owns the show, has been looking for a successor in the last two to three years, and also that he had considered retirement for a while, but he had so much fun that he continued to do the show. He taped his final episode on June 6, 2007, with the show airing twice on June 15. The first airing was in the show's normal daytime slot and the second airing was in primetime as the lead-in to the
Daytime Emmy Awards. Repeat episodes from Barker's final season continued to air until October 12, 2007, ending with a repeat of his final episode. On July 23 it was announced that comedian
Drew CareyDrew Allison Carey is an American comedian, actor, photographer, and game show host. After serving in the U.S. Marines and making a name for himself in stand-up comedy, Carey eventually gained popularity starring on his own sitcom, The Drew Carey Show, and serving as host on the U.S...
would take Barker's place as the new host for the show beginning on October 15, 2007.
During Barker's tenure as host, three pricing games were introduced that used his name:
Barker's Bargain BarBarker's Bargain Bar is a pricing game on the American television game show The Price Is Right. Debuting April 22, 1980 it offers two prizes usually valued between $1,000 and $4,000 each. The game was removed from the rotation in November 2008, but has not been retired.-Gameplay:The contestant is...
, Barker's Marker$ and
Trader BobTrader Bob was a pricing game on the American television game show The Price Is Right. Played from April 29, 1980 through November 19, 1985, it was played for a prize worth more than $1,000 and used small prizes....
. Of the three, the only pricing game still active is Barker's Marker$, which became Make Your Mark in Season 36 (the show's first with Drew Carey as host); Trader Bob was retired prior to Barker's retirement, and Barker's Bargain Bar folded during Season 37. In addition, Barker has always been mentioned in some form by Carey whenever a contestant played Barker's Bargain Bar (as "the founder of the show"; other variants used the fictitious names Ezekiel Barker and Jebediah Barker) and
Punch a BunchPunch a Bunch is a pricing game on the American television game show The Price Is Right...
(where Carey tells the story of how
Chuck NorrisCarlos Ray "Chuck" Norris is an American martial artist, actor and media personality. After serving in the United States Air Force, he began his rise to fame as a martial artist and has since founded his own school, Chun Kuk Do...
once taught Barker karate). In addition, contestants have been known to address Carey as "Bob", especially while they place their bids in Contestants' Row (which he usually laughs off and reminds them to call him "Drew").
Barker made a guest appearance on the show for an episode that aired on April 16, 2009 to promote his new autobiography,
Priceless Memories. He appeared in the Showcase round at the end of the show.
Animal rights
Barker became a vegetarian in 1979. That same year, he began promoting animal rights. Barker began ending some episodes (later every episode) of
The Price is Right with the phrase: "Help control the pet population. Have your pets
spayed or neuteredNeutering, from the Latin neuter , is the removal of an animal's reproductive organ, either all of it or a considerably large part. It is the most drastic surgical procedure with sterilizing purposes. The process is often used in reference to males whereas spaying is often reserved for females. ...
." Even after he retired,
Drew CareyDrew Allison Carey is an American comedian, actor, photographer, and game show host. After serving in the U.S. Marines and making a name for himself in stand-up comedy, Carey eventually gained popularity starring on his own sitcom, The Drew Carey Show, and serving as host on the U.S...
continued his signature sign-off. He was named national spokesman for "Be Kind to Animals Week" in May 1985. On
A&EA&E is a cable and satellite television network with headquarters in Manhattan and offices in Stamford, Atlanta, Detroit, Los Angeles, Chicago, and London. A&E stands for Arts & Entertainment, which, for many years, was in the channel's full title...
's
BiographyBiography is a documentary television series. Originally a half-hour filmed series produced for syndication by David Wolper in 1962-63 and hosted by Mike Wallace, the A&E Network later re-ran it and has produced new episodes since 1987...
program, he credited his wife, Dorothy Jo, with causing him to become more aware of animal rights and becoming a vegetarian, because she had done so. Bob remarked that Dorothy Jo was way ahead of her time as far as animal rights were concerned and that shortly after her death in October, 1981, he took up animal rights in order to keep doing something that she had done. Fellow game show hosts
Jack BarryJack Barry was an American television game show host and producer via Barry & Enright Productions, his production company with Dan Enright...
and
Bert ConvyBernard Whalen "Bert" Convy was an American game show host and panelist, actor and singer known for his tenure as the host for Tattletales, Super Password, and Win, Lose or Draw.-Early life:...
eventually followed Barker's lead in promoting animal rights on the air.
Barker hosted the
Miss USAThe Miss USA beauty contest has been held annually since 1952 to select the United States entrant in the Miss Universe pageant. The Miss Universe Organization operates both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA.-History:...
/
UniverseMiss Universe is an annual international beauty contest run by the Miss Universe Organization.The contest was founded in 1952 by California clothing company Pacific Mills...
Pageants from 1967 to 1987. In 1987, he requested the removal of fur prizes and stepped down as host when those in charge of the pageant refused.
Bob Barker's
DJ&T Foundation has contributed millions of dollars to fund animal rescue and park facilities all over the country. He works closely with
Betty WhiteBetty Marion White is an American actress, comedian and former television host with a career spanning over sixty-five years...
as an advocate for animal rights.
In June 2009, Barker wrote Chief Michell Hicks of the
CherokeeThe Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is a federally recognized Native American tribe in the United States of America. The history of the Eastern Band is synonymous with that of the Qualla Boundary, although the EBCI own, hold, or maintain additional lands in the vicinity, and as far away as 100...
asking that their
reservation'sThe Qualla Boundary is the territory where the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians reside. The Qualla Boundary is located in western North Carolina, just south of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Qualla Boundary is not a reservation, but rather a "land trust" supervised by the United...
bearBears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...
exhibit be closed. On July 28, 2009, he visited the reservation and saw one of the three zoos, calling the bears' living situation "inhumane".
PETAPeta can refer to:* peta-, an SI prefix denoting a factor of 1015* Peta, Greece, a town in Greece* Peta, the Pāli word for a Preta, or hungry ghost in Buddhism* Peta Hall, a well known Rhodesian-Canadian potter...
set up the visit after Barker heard from
FloridaFlorida is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the north. It was the 27th state admitted to the United States...
congressmanThe United States House of Representatives, commonly referred to as the "House," is the lower house of the bicameral United States Congress, the upper house being the United States Senate. The composition and powers of the House and the Senate are established in Article One of the Constitution...
Bill YoungCharles William "Bill" Young, also known as C. W. Bill Young, , American politician, has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 1971, representing . Young is currently the longest-serving Republican member of Congress...
, whose wife had been "appalled" by what she saw. Annette Tarnowski, the tribe's attorney general, said a federal inspector had found nothing wrong in May 2009 at two of the zoos, and that the tribe had dealt with the few violations at the third. Hicks made no promises and threatened to ban PETA if they made more trouble.
Longevity records
Barker set a longevity record as holding a weekday T.V. job continuously for 51 years, which included his years on
Truth or ConsequencesTruth or Consequences, an American quiz show, was originally hosted on NBC radio by Ralph Edwards and later on television by Edwards , Jack Bailey , Bob Barker , Bob Hilton and Larry Anderson . The television show ran on CBS, NBC and also in syndication...
. Only sportscaster
Vin ScullyVincent Edward Scully is an American sportscaster, known primarily as the play-by-play voice of the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team...
, who is four years younger than Barker, has held a job longer than Barker in the American entertainment industry, albeit a seasonal job and not a daily one. (
Orion SamuelsonOrion "The Big O" Samuelson is an American broadcaster, most widely known for hosting U.S. Farm Report. He was inducted in to the Radio Hall of Fame in 2003....
is slated to pass Barker in 2010.)
Barker has also had the second-longest run as the host of a single entertainment broadcast show (sports excluded), only a few months short of
Don McNeillDon McNeill may refer to:* Don McNeill , radio master of ceremonies, based in Chicago, Illinois but broadcast nationally* Don McNeill , tennis player- See also :...
, who spent 35½ years as host of
Don McNeill's Breakfast Club.
Barker, who was 83½ years old at the time of his retirement, holds the record of being the oldest man ever to host a regularly scheduled television game show and the oldest man ever to host a weekday television program since the inception of American network television. Barker also hosted/appeared on a five-day-a-week television program longer than anyone else in the history of television.
Filmography
- In 1996, Barker played himself in the Adam Sandler
Adam Richard Sandler is an American actor, comedian, musician, screenwriter and film producer. He is the founder of Happy Madison Productions, a film production company that also developed the television series Rules of Engagement.After becoming a Saturday Night Live cast member, he went on to...
comedy Happy GilmoreHappy Gilmore is a 1996 American sports comedy film directed by Dennis Dugan and starring Adam Sandler as the title character. This film is number 97 on Bravo's 100 funniest movies.-Plot:...
. In one scene, Barker beats up Gilmore after an altercation arising from their teaming up in a Pro-Am Golf Tournament. Gilmore fights back and briefly gets the upper hand, declaring, "The price is wrong, bitch!" Bob then gets up, holds Gilmore in a strangle hold and continues to punch him before delivering a high kick to Gilmore's chin that knocks him down a grassy hill, declaring "Now you've had enough...bitch!" Barker reportedly accepted the role when he learned he would get to win the fight with Sandler. He and Sandler won the MTV Movie Award for Best Fight for Happy Gilmore, making Barker the oldest winner of any MTV award at 73.
- In 2007, during a CBS prime-time special commemorating Barker's career, Sandler made a surprise appearance to thank Barker and read a poem in his honor.
- In the late 1990s, Barker played the father of Mel Harris
Mel Harris is an American actress.-Career:Harris is perhaps best known for her role as Hope Murdoch Steadman on the popular 1980s television show, Thirtysomething . During that time, in 1989, Harper's Bazaar named her one of "America's 10 Most Beautiful Women". She also had a starring role in the...
' character on a few episodes of the NBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices in Burbank,California...
sitcom Something So RightSomething So Right was an American television situation comedy which ran on two different networks during its time on the air.Something So Right starred Mel Harris as Carly Davis, a twice-divorced party planner who had married Jack Farrell Jere Burns, a divorced English teacher...
. He appeared in two animated television series as himself: in the FuturamaFuturama is an animated American sci-fi sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening and David X. Cohen for the Fox network. The series follows the adventures of a late 20th-century New York City pizza delivery boy, Philip J...
episode "The Lesser of Two Evils" in 2000, followed by the Family GuyFamily Guy is an American animated television sitcom, created by Seth MacFarlane, for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family which consists of Peter, Lois, Meg, Chris, Stewie, and their pet dog Brian...
episodes "Screwed the Pooch"Screwed the Pooch" is the 41st episode of Family Guy. It guest-stars Bob Barker as himself. In the United States, this episode was rated TV-14-DLS.-Plot summary:...
" in 2001, "The Fat Guy Strangler"The Fat Guy Strangler" is the seventeenth episode of season four of Family Guy, which originally aired on November 27, 2005. Lois discovers she has a long-lost brother, Patrick...
" in 2005, and "Tales of a Third Grade Nothing"Tales of a Third Grade Nothing" is the sixth episode of the seventh season of Family Guy that aired on November 16, 2008 and ended the first half of the season. Returning guest stars include Carrie Fisher as Angela, Peter's boss, as well as Frank Sinatra, Jr. and Bob Barker as themselves...
" in 2008.
- Barker appears briefly in the Canadian documentary Come on Down: Searching for the American Dream (2004), directed and written by Adam Liley and produced by Steven James May of Manifestation Television. Mr. Barker gives a special in-studio message pertaining to Liley's search for the elusive American Dream. The documentary also features Hunter S. Thompson
Hunter Stockton Thompson was an American journalist and author, most famous for his novel Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. He is credited as the creator of Gonzo journalism, a style of reporting where reporters involve themselves in the action to such a degree that they become central figures of...
and Chris GardnerChristopher Paul Gardner is a self-made millionaire, entrepreneur, motivational speaker, and philanthropist who, during the early 1980s, struggled with homelessness while raising his toddler son, Christopher, Jr...
.
- Barker was a semi-regular panelist on the game shows Tattletales
Tattletales was a game show which first aired on the CBS daytime schedule on February 18, 1974. It was hosted by Bert Convy, with several announcers Jack Clark , Gene Wood , Johnny Olson and John Harlan providing the voiceover at various...
(with wife Dorothy Jo) and Match GameMatch Game is an American television game show featuring contestants attempting to match celebrities' answers to fill-in-the-blank questions...
. Barker sat in Richard DawsonRichard Dawson is a British-born American actor, comedian, game show panelist, and host. He is best known for his role as Bob Crane's British non-commissioned officer, Corporal Peter Newkirk, on the World War II situation comedy Hogan's Heroes, and as the original host of the Family Feud game show...
's former place during the first week of Dawson's permanent absence from Match Game. Barker also played on the Price is Right team against The Young and the RestlessThe Young and the Restless is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in a fictional version of Genoa City, Wisconsin. First broadcast on March 26, 1973, The Young and the Restless was originally broadcast as half-hour episodes,...
on Family FeudFamily Feud is an American television game show that pits two families against each other in a contest to name the most popular responses to a survey-type question posed to 100 people...
in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
- Barker co-hosted CBS' coverage of the Rose Parade from Pasadena, California for several years during the 1970s and 1980s.
- He created and hosted The Bob Barker Fun and Games Show from 1978-1986 which was a combination of stunt participation in the style of Truth or Consequences and pricing games such as Price in which he traveled throughout the United States and Canada in various arenas and venues.
- In the 1970s, he was the host of the annual/biennial Pillsbury Bake-Off
The Pillsbury Bake-Off is a cooking contest, first run by Pillsbury Company from 1949 to 1976 as an annual contest. Since then, the contest has been held biennially.-History:...
(the bake-off occurred every two years starting in 1976). In 1978, he was the first host to have a male category champ.
- He was a guest host on The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show is an American late-night talk and variety show airing on NBC since 1954. Tonight is the third longest-running entertainment program in U.S...
back in 1966, when he was a regular on NBC hosting Truth or Consequences.
- He appeared on Bonanza
Bonanza is an American television series that ran on NBC from September 12, 1959 to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons, it is among the longest running Western television series and continues to air in syndication....
, playing a character named Mort in the 1960 episode "Denver McKee".
- He has appeared on various talk shows such as: Dinah!
Dinah! was a daytime talk show hosted by singer and actress Dinah Shore, which aired in American syndication markets from its premiere on September 9, 1974 until the summer of 1980...
, Larry King LiveLarry King Live is an American talk show hosted by Larry King on CNN. The show debuted in 1985, and is CNN's most watched program, with over one million viewers nightly.The show broadcasts from CNN's Los Angeles studios...
, The Arsenio Hall ShowThe Arsenio Hall Show is an Emmy Award winning variety/talk show that aired late weeknights in Broadcast syndication and aired from January 2, 1989 to May 27, 1994. The show was created and hosted by comedian/actor Arsenio Hall.- Background :...
, Crook & ChaseCrook & Chase is an American television talk show hosted by Lorianne Crook and Charlie Chase, focusing primarily but not exclusively on country music....
, Donny & MarieDonny & Marie may refer to two television shows hosted by Donny and Marie Osmond.* Donny & Marie , a variety show aired from 1976 to 1979* Donny & Marie , a talk show aired from 1998 to 2000...
, The Rosie O'Donnell ShowThe Rosie O'Donnell Show was an American daytime television talk show hosted and produced by actress and comedian Rosie O'Donnell. It aired for six seasons from 1996 to 2002...
, The Ellen DeGeneres ShowThe Ellen DeGeneres Show is a syndicated television talk show hosted by comedienne Ellen DeGeneres and distributed by Warner Bros. Television. The show features interviews with celebrities, games with members of the public, comedic monologues by the host and music performances. It premiered on...
, The Wayne Brady ShowThe Wayne Brady Show was a variety show hosted by Wayne Brady that originally ran from August 8 2001 to March 11 2002 on ABC. Due to low ratings, the show was cancelled by ABC and reformatted into a talk show for syndication...
, The Late Show With David Letterman, and The Late Late Show with Craig FergusonThe Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson is an American late-night talk show hosted by Scottish American comedian Craig Ferguson. Ferguson is the third regular host of the CBS Late Late Show franchise. The show follows "Late Show with David Letterman" in the CBS late-night lineup.The program is the...
.
- Barker also made cameo appearances on The Bold and the Beautiful
The Bold and the Beautiful is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS...
in 2002, Yes, DearYes, Dear is a television sitcom that aired from October 2, 2000 to February 15, 2006 on CBS.The series starred Anthony Clark, Jean Louisa Kelly, Mike O'Malley and Liza Snyder. Yes, Dear scored surprisingly solid ratings for CBS over the next four seasons, in spite of little to no promotion and a...
, and How I Met Your MotherHow I Met Your Mother is an Emmy Award winning American sitcom that premiered on CBS on September 19, 2005. The show was created by Craig Thomas and Carter Bays...
with announcer Rich FieldsRichard Wayne "Rich" Fields is an American broadcaster, spokesman, announcer and meteorologist, best known for being the announcer of the American version of the television game show The Price Is Right, after he succeeded Rod Roddy in 2004.-Early life and career:Fields was born in Bay Village,...
in 2007.
- About one year after retirement, Barker appeared in a public service announcement
A public service announcement or community service announcement is a non-commercial advertisement broadcast on radio or television, for the public interest. PSAs are intended to modify public attitudes by raising awareness about specific issues. The most common topics of PSAs are health and safety...
promoting the transition to Digital TelevisionDigital television is the sending and receiving of moving images and sound by discrete signals, in contrast to the analog signals used by analog TV.-Timeline:...
in the United States. The advertisement was produced under the first proposed date of February 16, 2009 for the transition.
- On September 7, 2009, Barker was a special guest host for Price is RAW
WWE Raw is a professional wrestling television program for World Wrestling Entertainment that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States. The show's name, which is sometimes stylized as RAW, is also used to refer to the Raw brand, in which WWE employees are assigned to work and perform...
in Rosemont, IllinoisRosemont is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States located immediately northwest of Chicago. The village was incorporated in 1956, though it had been settled long before that...
.
Awards and recognition
Barker has won 19 Emmy Awards in total. Fourteen were for Outstanding Game Show Host, more than any other performer. He has also won four for Executive Producer of
The Price Is Right and received the Lifetime Achievement Award for Daytime Television in 1999.
On April 9, 1998, on the occasion of the ceremonial five thousandth episode of
Price, CBS dedicated the sound stage where the show has been produced since 1972 in honor of Barker.
In 2004, Barker was inducted into the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame.
In 2007, Barker was inducted into the
Hall of Famous MissouriansThe Hall of Famous Missourians is located in Jefferson City, Missouri, in the third-floor rotunda of the Missouri State Capitol. The group of bronze busts depicts prominent Missourians honored for their achievements and contributions to the state. Inductees are selected by the Speaker of the...
, and a bronze bust depicting him is on permanent display in the rotunda of the
Missouri State CapitolThe Missouri State Capitol is the state capitol building of the U.S. state of Missouri. Housing the Missouri General Assembly, it is located in the state capital of Jefferson City at 201 West Capitol Avenue. The domed building was designed by the New York architectural firm of Tracy and Swartwout...
.
On April 14, 2008, Barker was inducted to the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame.
On June 6, 2009, during
GSNGSN is an American cable television and direct broadcast satellite channel dedicated to game shows and casino game shows. The channel was launched on December 1, 1994. Its slogan is "Play Every Day"...
's 2009 Game Show Awards, Barker was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award by
Tom BergeronThomas "Tom" Bergeron is an American television personality and game show host, best known to the public as the host of America's Funniest Home Videos and Hollywood Squares...
. However, prior to the taping of the awards, Barker and
Betty WhiteBetty Marion White is an American actress, comedian and former television host with a career spanning over sixty-five years...
were involved in a feud between the two of them over a plan to relocate an elephant to a sanctuary in San Andreas. In response, Barker threatened that he would not show up at the ceremony if White was there. White did not appear at the ceremony, however taped a dedication to Mark Goodson.
Health
Barker had suffered some minor health problems early (he suffered a herniated disc and
sciaticaSciatica is a set of symptoms including pain that may be caused by general compression and/or irritation of one of five nerve roots that give rise to the sciatic nerve, or by compression or irritation of the sciatic nerve itself. The pain is felt in the lower back, buttock, and/or various parts of...
) around 1982, however, his bigger health problems started in 1991 after he complained of having
visionVisual perception is the ability to interpret information and surroundings from visible light reaching the eye. The resulting perception is also known as eyesight, sight or vision...
problems while exercising. After a visit to the doctors, they sent him to see a neurologist, where the doctors told Barker he had a mild
strokeA stroke is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by thrombosis or embolism or due to a hemorrhage...
. He soon recovered and went back to work.
On September 16, 1999, Barker was in
Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C. , formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States, founded on July 16, 1790...
, to speak about HR 2929, the proposed legislation that would ban
elephantElephants are large land mammals in two genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta. Three species of elephant are living today: the African Bush Elephant, the African Forest Elephant and the Asian Elephant...
s from traveling shows (i.e., circuses). While preparing for the presentation, Barker experienced what he called "clumsiness" in his right hand. He was admitted to George Washington University Hospital and diagnosed with a partially blocked left carotid artery. Barker underwent
carotid endarterectomyCarotid endarterectomy is a surgical procedure used to prevent stroke, by correcting stenosis in the carotid artery. Endarterectomy is the removal of material on the inside of an artery....
to remove the blockage. The procedure went well enough that he was able to return to work within the month.
Three years later, Barker had two additional health crisises after taping the 30th season finale of
The Price is Right. While lying down in the sun, Barker was hospitalized with a stroke on May 30, 2002; six weeks later, on July 11, Barker underwent
prostateThe prostate is a compound tubuloalveolar exocrine gland of the male mammalian reproductive system. Females do not have prostate glands...
surgery, both at George Washington University Hospital in
Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C. , formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States, founded on July 16, 1790...
Both surgeries were successful.
In July 2006, Barker suffered a minor injury to his right hand. On the July 15, 2006 episode of
The Late Late ShowThe Late Late Show is an American late-night television talk and variety show on CBS hosted by Craig Ferguson since 2005. It immediately follows Late Show with David Letterman and is produced by Letterman's Worldwide Pants Incorporated. It originates from CBS Television City and is shot in High...
, he jokingly stated that he broke it by karate chopping "countless desks," something he later proceeded to do to host
Craig FergusonCraig Ferguson is a Scottish-American television host, stand-up comedian, writer, director and actor. He is the present host of CBS's The Late Late Show, a role that earned him an Emmy nomination in 2006....
's desk.
Barker has also had several mild bouts with
skin cancerSkin cancer is a malignant growth on the skin which can have many causes. The most common skin cancers are basal cell cancer, squamous cell cancer, and melanoma. Skin cancer generally develops in the epidermis , so a tumor is usually clearly visible. This makes most skin cancers detectable in the...
, which is a result of his frequent tanning. He consults a dermatologist regularly to make sure any cancers are caught and removed before they spread; they do not pose a threat to his life. In an interview, Barker told people at home:
Controversy
In 1994, Barker was sued by former model
Dian ParkinsonDian Parkinson is a former American model on The Price Is Right.-Career history:...
following a bitter breakup after the two of them dated for three years while working on
The Price is RightThe Price Is Right is a U.S. television game show that is currently owned by the FremantleMedia subsidiary of the RTL Group. It was created by Bob Stewart for Goodson-Todman Productions in the United States in 1956, and was significantly revamped by them in 1972...
. Parkinson later dropped her lawsuit, claiming the stress from the ordeal was damaging her health.
In 1995, model
Holly HallstromHolly Hallstrom was one of the models on the daytime game show The Price Is Right, from 1977–1995...
exited
Price and later filed suit against Barker for wrongful termination and malicious prosecution claiming Barker had launched a media attack against her, allegedly saying that she was disruptive to the working atmosphere of
Price. Barker dropped his case, while Hallstrom did not, finally ending in settlement in 2005.
Price is Right employees
Sherrell ParisThe Paris Sisters were an American girl group from San Francisco, California.They are best remembered for two U.S...
, Linda Reigert, Sharon Friem, and models
Janice PenningtonJanice Marie Pennington was one of the original "Barker's Beauties" models on The Price Is Right, from 1972 to 2000. She was also Playboy magazine's Playmate of the Month for the May 1971 issue. Her centerfold was photographed by Mario Casilli...
and
Kathleen BradleyKathleen Bradley was primarily known as a "Barker's Beauty" on the daytime game show The Price Is Right from 1990 to 2000...
were all released from the show in 2000. Reigert and Friem filed lawsuits against Barker,
CBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is an American television network, one of television's original "big three", which also include NBC and ABC. Like NBC, CBS started out as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System...
, and
FremantleMediaFremantleMedia, Ltd. is the content and production division of RTL Group, Europe's largest TV, radio, and production company...
as a result. Friem additionally charged Barker and
Price with sexual harassment. Pearson Television, which took over the show's production in October 2000, made changes as CBS needed to cut costs.
In 2002, announcer
Rod RoddyRobert Ray "Rod" Roddy was an American radio and television announcer. He is known primarily for his role as an offstage announcer on game shows. Among the shows that he announced are the CBS game shows Press Your Luck and The Price Is Right...
's on-air camera time on
Price was eliminated upon the start of Season 31. FremantleMedia claimed that it is their official policy for announcers not to appear on camera on any of their shows, however insiders speculated that a falling-out between Roddy and Barker was the real reason that Roddy was never shown again. During Roddy's cancer-related surgeries during Season 31, substitute announcers
Paul BolandPaul Boland is a singer, impressionist and 3-D artist who also was a one-time game show announcer for the 1998 revival of Match Game. He also filled in for announcer Rod Roddy on The Price Is Right for a week in 2002 during Roddy's cancer operations...
and
Burton RichardsonBurton Richardson is an American television announcer. He announced The Arsenio Hall Show from 1989 to 1994, where he became known for his long-drawn-out introduction of the show's host: "ARSENIOOOOOOO.....
were both shown on-camera occasionally. Roddy was shown one last time, looking noticeably thinner, on the Season 32 premiere in 2003. When
Rich FieldsRichard Wayne "Rich" Fields is an American broadcaster, spokesman, announcer and meteorologist, best known for being the announcer of the American version of the television game show The Price Is Right, after he succeeded Rod Roddy in 2004.-Early life and career:Fields was born in Bay Village,...
was hired as announcer, he was also shown on-camera occasionally. Following Barker's retirement in 2007, Fields began appearing on-camera daily.
In October 2007, Deborah Curling, a long-time employee of
Price, filed a lawsuit against Bob Barker and
Price producers, claiming that she was forced to quit her job after testifying against Barker in a wrongful-termination lawsuit brought on by a previous show producer. Curling claimed that she was demoted to an "intolerable work environment" on the back stage of the show which caused her to leave the job. Curling, who is black, also alleged that the show's producers (including Barker) created a hostile work environment in which black employees and contestants were discriminated against. Some time later, it was announced that Barker was removed from the lawsuit for the time being.
Autobiography
Bob Barker has written his autobiography, assisted by former
L.A. Times Book Review editor Digby Diehl, titled "Priceless Memories". It was released April 6, 2009. It features stories from his early life as well as stories and experiences in the 50 years of his television career. An audiobook is also available, read by Barker himself.
It was also then reported that Barker would appear on
The Price is Right to promote his book. His initial appearance was scheduled for the March 2, 2009 taping, however, the taping was postponed until March 25 due to host Drew Carey contracting
pneumoniaPneumonia is an inflammatory illness of the lung. Frequently, it is described as lung parenchyma/alveolar inflammation and abnormal alveolar filling with fluid ....
. The episode aired on April 16, during which Barker appeared during the
ShowcasesThe Showcase is the major prize round featured at the end of every episode of the game show The Price Is Right.The two prize packages each typically involve three prizes or prize packages usually connected by a common theme or a story...
to promote the book. Drew Carey stated in an interview that the show stopped taping for over an hour as the crowd continued to give Barker a standing ovation and allow the audience to ask questions of what Barker was doing post-retirement.
External links