Photos: The life and death of Bob Barker, legendary host of 'The Price is Right'

Robert William ‘Bob’ Barker was born on December 12, 1923, in Darrington, Washington, USA. He grew up living on the Rosebud Indian Reservation and was a member of the Sioux tribe. Barker was one-eighth Sioux and was proud of his indigenous status.

Bob Barker married his childhood love, Dorothy Jo Gideon, in 1945. They did not have any children. The couple shared a passion for ensuring the wellbeing of animals.

The couple had been married for 36 years when Dorothy died from lung cancer at the age of 57, in 1981. Barker never remarried but was in a long-term relationship with Nancy Burnet since 1983.

Barker studied Economics at Drury College. During the war, he trained as a fighter pilot. When the war ended, he returned to college to finish his degree.

While studying at college, Barker had a part-time job in radio. After graduation, he moved to California in search of broadcasting opportunities. From 1950-1956, he had his own radio show called, ‘The Bob Barker Show.’

Barker hosted the established game show from 1956-1975. The show combined quiz elements for players who had to perform stunts as a consequence for getting an answer wrong.

Bob Barker hosted ‘The Price is Right’ from 1972 until his retirement in 2007. Viewers loved Barker’s dapper style, perpetual golden tan, and his infamous charm. He warmly guided often star-struck and nervous contestants through a variety of games to win cash and other prizes.

Barker has attributed the longevity of his career to being content. He taped over 5000 episodes over his 35 years hosting ‘The Price is Right.’

Among these awards was a Lifetime Achievement Award which he received at the Daytime Emmy Awards in 1999. He received other accolades including having a CBS studio named the ‘Bob Barker Studio’ in his honour and was immortalized with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

While his main role as daytime game show host was what he was best known for, Barker enjoyed some movie roles where he would most often play a version of himself. His cameo alongside Adam Sandler in the 1996 comedy ‘Happy Gilmore’ became an instant classic.

At the end of every episode of ‘The Price is Right,’ Barker would tell his viewers, ‘Help to control the pet population. Have your pets spayed or neutered.’ Barker offered his time, notoriety, and financial support throughout his life to organizations fighting against cruelty toward animals.

When it came to animal welfare, Barker lived his values. He stopped eating meat and became a vegetarian, and stopped dyeing his hair because the dyes were tested on animals.

Barker quit his lucrative job as a pageant host for Miss America and Miss Universe because of the continued use of fur coats as prizes.

Barker wrote ‘Priceless Memories’ with Digby Diehl. The book chronicled his life from his early days, personal life, success in television, and his lifelong work as an animal rights activist.

After 50 years in the entertainment industry, Barker shared his plans to retire in 2007. Citing the physical demands of the filming schedule, he decided to step away from the spotlight.

At the age of 83, Bob Barker retired from the job that made him a familiar face in homes across the world.

In recent years, Barker had been dealing with various health issues. According to his publicist, Roger Neal, Barker died of natural causes at his Hollywood Hills home. He will be forever remembered for his contributions to the television industry and his tireless work to protect animals.