Biography for
Bob Barker (I) More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

12 December 1923, Darrington, Washington, USA

Birth Name

Robert William Barker

Height

6' 1" (1.85 m)

Mini Biography

For 35 years, Bob Barker had been the host of "The New Price Is Right" (1972). Not only is it the highest rated daytime game show, it's also the longest-running game show in TV history, surpassing the prime-time hit, "What's My Line?" (1950), which ran for 18 years. He also served the show's executive producer since 1987. Named the most popular game show host of all time in a national poll, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award for Daytime Television in 1999. Although he has graced our television screen for more than four decades, his career continues at full circle.

In 1996, he made his motion picture debut in Universal Pictures' Happy Gilmore (1996), in which he played himself with Adam Sandler. His real acting debut, however, came when he was asked to play Mel Harris's father in NBC's "Something So Right" (1996). Another recent honor came when one of the most historic sites in the history of television, Stage 33 at CBS Television City in Los Angeles, was re-dedicated as the Bob Barker Studio in ceremonies following the taping of the 5,000th episode of The Price is Right, on March 11, 1998. Barker is the first performer to whom CBS has ever dedicated a stage.

Barker was born in Darrington, WA, and spent most of his youth on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota where his mother was a schoolteacher. His family eventually moved to Springfield, Missouri, where he attended high school and Drury College on a basketball scholarship. When World War II interrupted his studies, he became a Navy fighter pilot, but the war ended before he was assigned to a seagoing squadron.

Following his discharge, Barker returned to Drury and took a job at a local radio station to help finance his studies. It was there that he discovered what he did best was to host audience participation shows. After graduating summa cum laude with a degree in economics, he went to work for a radio station in Palm Beach, Florida. A year later, he moved to Los Angeles, and within a week, he was the host of his own radio program, The Bob Barker Show. He made his debut in 1956 on national television as the host of the popular "Truth or Consequences" (1950). 'Ralph Edwards", the show's originator, had sold the show to NBC as a daytime strip, but he had not chosen a host. He auditioned other hosts in Hollywood and New York for weeks, but when he heard The Bob Barker Show on his car radio, he knew he had found the man for the job. And proving that Edwards had chosen him wisely, Barker had hosted Truth or Consequences for an unbelievable 18 years, and he and Edwards remain close friends today. They drink a toast at lunch every December 21st to celebrate the day in 1956 when Edwards called him that he was going to become the host of Truth or Consequences.

Barker has been twice named in the Guinness Book of World Records as television's "Most Durable Performer," 3,524 shows, and "Most Generous Host in Television history" for awarding $55 million dollars in prizes on his various shows. During the ensuing years, the $55 million dollar figure has increased to more than $200 million. He has won 11 Emmys as a Game Show Host, more than any other performer, and 2 more as Executive Producer of The Price is Right. Bob also was given the Lifetime Achievement Award in 1999, for a total of 14, and won 2 additional awards, for a total of 16 Emmys. He has also received the coveted Carbon Mike Award of the Pioneer of Broadcasters.

In 1978, he developed The Bob Barker Fun & Games Show, a series of personal appearances which immediately attracted record-breaking audiences throughout United States and Canada. He also established the DJ&T Foundation in Beverly Hills, California, the purpose of which is to help control the dog and cat population. He is funding the foundation through his own resources to support low-cost or free sprat/neuter clinics. This foundation is named in memory of his wife, Dorothy Jo and his mother Matilda (Tilly) Valandra, both of whom loved all animals. Barker's work on behalf of animals has garnered him a long list of awards from prestigious humane organizations across the country. In fact, a columnist wrote that Bob has become a part-time television host and a full-time animal rights activist. However, he assures that there is room in his busy life for both television and animals.

IMDb Mini Biography By: Gary Richard Collins II

Spouse

Dorothy Jo Gideon

(12 January 1945 - 19 October 1981) (her death)

Trade Mark

Always closes the show with the phrase, "Help Control The Pet Population, Have Your Pets Spayed Or Neutered."

Always uses a wired microphone with a marble top.

White hair

Trivia

September 20, 1999: Underwent surgery at George Washington University Hospital in Washington, DC, to clear a severe blockage in his left carotid artery, which carries blood to the brain.

Was in Washington to meet with congressmen to try to get elephants banned from circuses and traveling shows.

He has fourteen Emmies as "outstanding game show host" of "The New Price Is Right" (1972), winning in 1982, 1984, 1987, 1988, 1990-1992, 1994-1996, 2000, 2002, 2004, and 2007.

In 1994 he was sued for sexual harassment by one of the models on "The New Price Is Right" (1972).

Long-time host of Miss USA Beauty Pageant.

Vegetarian.

Attended Springfield Central High School and graduated in 1941.

Started dating Dorothy Jo Gideon on November 17, 1939, and went to hear Ella Fitzgerald.

Hosted two of the longest-running game shows in television history. He hosted "Truth or Consequences" (1950) for 18 years, followed by "The New Price Is Right" (1972) for 35 years, surpassing "What's My Line?" (1950), which had a 17-year run.

Barker and Syd Vinnedge, a senior executive with FremantleMedia (formerly Pearson Television) presented $500,000 to the Harvard Law School to fund courses on animal rights law. The gift is being given by FremantleMedia in honor of Barker's 30 years as host of "The New Price Is Right" (1972) and his long involvement with the animal rights movement. FremantleMedia produces Barker's long-running CBS game show. [2001]

Broke the record set by Johnny Carson for hosting the same network TV show continuously, with 29 years, 7 months, 22 days as host of "The New Price Is Right" (1972). [26 April 2002]

A Civil War buff.

Has a black belt in karate. Also earned a red belt in tang soo do karate under Chuck Norris.

December 1999: Had his Hollywood home - a 1929 5,000-sq.-ft. Spanish Colonial Revival-style house - designated a historic-cultural monument by the city of Los Angeles.

His father, Byron John Barker, a power-line foreman, died in 1929 from complications after falling off a pole.

Has a half-brother named Kent Valandra.

1987: He requested and received permission from "The New Price Is Right" (1972) producers and network executives to stop coloring his hair and allow it to go gray, a move that met with approval from his fans.

6 weeks after recovering from a stroke, he was in another health crisis when he underwent prostate surgery at George Washington University Hospital in Washington, D.C., to remove his enlarged prostate. His third operation was so successful that he recovered just in time for him to go back to work. [11 July 2002]

He is a member of Sigma Nu Fraternity.

Enlisted in the United States Navy on November 24, 1942. Was assigned the service number 7033834 and became a naval aviation cadet on June 10, 1943. Was commissioned an ensign on December 6, 1944 and served on active duty until November 24, 1945. Was awarded the American Campaign Medal and World War II Victory Medal. Served as a Flight Officer in the U.S. Naval Reserve. Remained on the rolls of the Naval Reserve until December 7, 1960, when he was discharged from service as a lieutenant junior grade.

Appeared on "The Wayne Brady Show" (2002) for his 80th Birthday.

Appeared on "The Arsenio Hall Show" (1989) twice.

Had five biggest winners in the 35 years of hosting "The New Price Is Right" (1972): one was a mother who won $79,845 in cash/prizes, after a former Pepperdine University student who won $88,865 in cars/prizes, twelve years later, on his 6,000th show, the other contestant won $97,130 in cars/prizes, at the beginning of his final year, a University of Tennessee volleyball player/mother who won $147,517 in cash/prizes and a childhood hero of Barker's, who was born 9 days after the show's debut, won $140,235 on Barker's last appearance.

Before she became a game show hostess, Vanna White was one of his former contestants.

Is good friends with Rosie O'Donnell, and appeared on her show in 1998, shortly before his 75th birthday.

Created "The New Price Is Right" (1972) pricing games "2 for the Price of 1," "Bonkers!," "Coming or Going," "Eazy az 1 2 3," "Let 'Em Roll," and "Triple Play.".

Was inducted into the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame in May 2004 by Dick Askin, Chairman & CEO of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Askin is also President & CEO of Tribune Entertainment Company.

Is a huge sports fan. In his spare time, he enjoys golf and even martial arts.

Created and ran "The Bob Barker Fun and Games Show", which were personal appearances by him at parties and social events. They utilized aspects of his two shows, "Truth or Consequences" (1950) and "The New Price Is Right" (1972). He did these until the mid-1980s.

The first game show that he produced was "Lucky Pair". It ran on local Southern California television and was the first game show hosted by Richard Dawson. Dawson would later become host of "Family Feud" (1976), which was also produced by Mark Goodson, who produced Barker's "The New Price Is Right" (1972).

Won an MTV Movie Award for his fight scene with Adam Sandler in Happy Gilmore (1996), during which he uttered the immortal line, "Now you've had enough... bitch!".

On October 31, 2006, he announced his retirement as host of "The New Price Is Right" (1972) effective in June, 2007. He later announced the date would be June 15th.

On stage after one of his last tapings as host of the Price is Right, he was given an award for his lifetime of animal activism from the spca-LA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Los Angeles) by its President, Madeline Bernstein, and its honorary board member and celebrity animal ambassador, Vicki Roberts.

In 2006, he donated $1,000,000 to Georgetown University to endow a fund at its law school that will focus on the study of animal rights.

He was not the producers first choice to host "The New Price Is Right" (1972). It was only when Mark Goodson found out that Bill Cullen had a great difficulty walking around the set because it was too strenuous for him.

On September 26, 2008, Springfield, MO named a street behind Drury University in honor of him. This street is called Bob Barker Boulevard.

Future psychologist Phil McGraw, and his wife, Robin McGraw, were both in the audience on "The New Price Is Right" (1972), during their honeymoon in 1976. In 2007, Dr. Phil paid tribute to him at the The 34th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards (2007) (TV), which was aired after Barker's final episode.

Nine days after his birthday, and until Edwards' death in 2005, he would have luncheon with Ralph Edwards, every December 21 of each year, at 12:05 P.M.

Before she became a talk show hostess, Jenny Jones was one of his contestants. She also won several prizes.

Personal Quotes

Don't go to them, do not go to movies in which there are animals, because if you do, you are subsidizing animal cruelty.

I'm a vegetarian - I think there's a strong possibility, had I not become a vegetarian, I would not be working now. I became a vegetarian about 25 years ago, and I did it out of concern for animals. But I immediately began having more energy and feeling better.

You cannot accept that . . . when you see animals in pictures, you are putting them at risk.

[about his decision to stop coloring his hair during the 1987-1988 season] The producers and executives at CBS were very hesitant about it initially, but I knew that a change had to be made. Once my hair was starting to look more red and yellow than brown, I knew that the days of getting my hair to have its natural color were long gone and it was time to face the facts that I was getting older. Though it surprised and shocked fans initially when I let my hair go gray, they stuck behind me and the show stayed strong.

[about how he would do if he was a contestant instead of the host on "The New Price Is Right" (1972)] I don't do my own shopping, my housekeeper does that for me, so I'd be doomed if I was a contestant on the show.

[about when he will retire from "The New Price Is Right" (1972)] I don't know what else I would do. I don't have a family to look after and my wife [Dorothy Jo] has passed on to a better place. I love my job, as long as I enjoy coming to work everyday and have a bounce in my step, I'll keep doing it.

[when he wasn't familiar with Drew Carey's performances for his choosing as his own replacement on "The New Price Is Right" (1972) in 2007]: I understand he ad-libs very well and that he has a very nice, friendly way of working, and I think both of those would be helpful to him on 'The Price Is Right.'

Salary

"The New Price Is Right" (1972)

$10,000,000/year (2007)

Where Are They Now

(October 2006) Announces intentions to retire from "The New Price Is Right" (1972) in June 2007 after thirty five years on the series and fifty years on television.

(2009) Release of his autobiography, "Priceless Memories" by Bob with Digby Diehl.

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