The Incredible Life of Bob Barker: A Journey Through Time
1972 was a year full of excitement and change. Don McLean’s famous song “American Pie” topped the charts, Richard Nixon was in the White House and trying to hide the Watergate Scandal, NASA launched its Space Shuttle program, and Bob Barker was starting his journey as the host of a brand-new game show called The Price is Right, where he gave away flashy cars worth less than $4,000!
Bob Barker became a household name, a true entertainment legend who hosted The Price is Right for an amazing 35 years. This year, he’s celebrating his 100th birthday!
Born on an Indian reservation in South Dakota, Barker, a proud member of the Sioux Tribe, met his future wife, Dorothy Jo Gideon, at an Ella Fitzgerald concert. They fell in love and married in 1945 while Barker was on leave from the United States Navy Reserve. He had trained as a fighter pilot during World War II but never saw active duty. Instead, he went back to school and earned a degree in economics.
At 99 years old, Barker was working on a radio show in Los Angeles when a game show producer named Ralph Edwards noticed him. Edwards was searching for a new host for Truth or Consequences, the first game show ever shown on television. Barker hosted the show from 1956 to 1975, and his popularity skyrocketed. By 1967, he was also hosting the Miss Universe and Miss USA pageants!
Then came 1972, a turning point when he stepped onto the stage of The Price is Right. This was the beginning of an amazing journey that launched him and the show into the spotlight!
The Price is Right went on to become the longest-running game show in history, a record it still holds today. Barker took on the role of executive producer in 1988, winning 14 Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Game Show Host and four Emmys for his work as executive producer.
Speaking to the Television Academy Foundation in 2008, Barker praised his late wife, saying, “She gave me the confidence to even try to do what I set out to do. She didn’t just urge me on, she worked right at my side.”
Tragically, Dorothy passed away from lung cancer in 1981, leaving Barker heartbroken after 36 years of marriage. He reflected, “I never had any inclination to remarry. She was my wife.” Despite this, Barker found a loving partner in Nancy Burnet, who has been with him for 40 years. Nancy believes one secret to Barker’s good health is his limited use of medication.
Just before his 99th birthday in December, Burnet shared some surprising news with Fox News Digital. “He’s going to be 99, and he takes one prescription medication and that’s for his thyroid. His health care providers often ask for a list of his medications, and I say, ‘Let me just show you the bottle. That’s it!’ He does not take anything for blood pressure, cholesterol, or the umpteen other things that most people take as they grow older,” she said, joking about his one prescription.
“He’s in very good health for his age and his humor is still in good shape. He’s had a very charmed life.”
But it hasn’t always been easy for Barker. In 1999, he noticed clumsiness in his hand, leading to surgery to fix a partially blocked artery and reduce his stroke risk. In 2002, he suffered a stroke, followed by prostate surgery. As a sun-lover, he faced several mild skin cancer cases and endured multiple falls that landed him in the hospital. Barker has also struggled with serious back problems.
Nancy explained how she stepped in to help him regain strength with supplements. “It was not to replace meals but to enhance everything. He was looking tired and kind of frail, not just unhealthy. If you’re going to be a vegetarian or vegan, you better know what you’re doing,” she noted.
After retiring from The Price is Right, which is now hosted by comedian Drew Carey, Barker made a few guest appearances, including a special on his 90th birthday in 2013. Nancy remarked about his time on the show, “He never grew tired of it. I’m not sure I could do the same show every day. But he never grew bored with it. So maybe that’s why it was so successful because he was always ready to do it and happy to do it.”
Barker echoed this sentiment on Good Morning America in 2007, saying, “I am really not ready to say goodbye to it. I think it’s a good time to say goodbye because I want to leave them wanting more.” He left behind many great memories, from Vanna White competing on The Price is Right before she became famous on Wheel of Fortune to the hilarious moments when contestants lost their tops from jumping up and down in excitement!
The best part? Barker used his platform to promote animal welfare. He is famous for his catchphrase, “This is Bob Barker reminding you to help control the pet population. Have your pets spayed or neutered.” His late wife, Dorothy, inspired his dedication to animal rights. Barker shared, “She was ahead of her time. 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.”
Through his DJ&T Foundation, named after his late wife and his mom, Matilda (nicknamed “Tilly”), Barker has donated millions to animal rights and even established animal rights curricula at prestigious law schools like Harvard, Columbia, and Northwestern. “If young people are introduced to the terrible exploitation and mistreatment of animals in society, it will help influence them in anything they do,” he told the Associated Press in 2015. “When your education and encouragement fail, you have to have legislation.”
Barker met Nancy at an animal adoption event he hosted in 1983, and together they continue to advocate for animal rights and oppose animal entertainment.
What an incredible journey! In nearly 100 years, Bob Barker has made a significant impact on the world. We are lucky to have someone as passionate as Barker, a true champion who uses his fame to help innocent animals!
What do you think about Bob Barker’s amazing life? Share your thoughts in the comments!
