Bob Barker, one of America’s talk show icons, passed away on August 23, 2023. He’s known for his impressive tenure on “The Price Is Right,” hosting the program from 1972-2007.
“The Price Is Right” holds a special place in the hearts of many of us. Whenever I was home sick from school, you bet Bob Barker was keeping me company!
But Bob Barker was a lot more than his recognizable position on your first television set. He was an activist, athlete, and more with a rich 99 years on earth.
Let’s learn some fun facts about Bob Barker!
1. He was a big-time award winner.
Throughout his career, Bob Barker took home a ton of awards. In 1975, he received a Golden Globe award for Best Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy for his hosting of “The Price Is Right.” In 1999, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Daytime Emmys to commemorate his work.
Bob was also inducted in the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 2004 for his accomplishments in the industry. Finally, he won an MTV Movie Award for Best Fight… a tussle he had with Adam Sandler in the film “Happy Gilmore.”
2. Bob was a huge animal rights activist.
One of Bob’s primary animal rights causes was spaying and neutering. Bob often ended episodes of “The Price Is Right” with a reminder to spay and neuter your pets. Additionally, Bob left his position as a host of Miss USA beauty pageants because the institution wouldn’t stop giving away fur coats as prizes.
In his lifetime, Bob raised millions for animal rights. He established the DJ&T foundation, focused on providing spaying and neutering services to help stop pet euthanasia. Coincidentally, he passed away on International Dog Day, which was fitting for this animal-lover.
3. Bob was a skilled athlete.
Bob headed to college on a basketball scholarship. Despite his talents for basketball, Bob’s interest was truly baseball. He didn’t feel like he had the skill to pursue it, so he remained an avid fan. He was particularly interested in his home team, the St. Louis Cardinals. Once Bob was famous, the Cardinals reached out and signed a contract with him! Bob was paid $1 per year to not pitch for the team. How hilarious!
Bob was also interested in martial arts after hosting Chuck Norris on his early game show, “Truth or Consequences.” Bob started martial arts lessons mentored by Chuck himself! Who knew?
4. Bob Barker was a fighter pilot!
Bob Barker was a military veteran, having trained as a fighter pilot in World War II. He was in the U.S. Navy and he quickly developed skills in aviation, something he had never previously done. After rigorous training in dogfighting, flight, and more, Bob Barker was ready to head to the Pacific.
Then, right as he was about to head out, the war ended. Bob jokes that “When the enemy heard that I was headed for the Pacific, they surrendered. That was the end of World War II.
5. Bob was hosting TV shows before he even owned a television!
Bob’s first television gig was on “Your Big Moment.” This show premiered so early in the history of television that it was still common to not even own a TV! The show aired in 1949 and was discontinued in 1953. His first gig was older than my parents!
Bob’s career spanned the decades of technological development. Think of how far TV has come since “The Price Is Right” started in 1972. Bob certainly witnessed some evolution within his industry!
From TV to sports to animal activism, Bob lived a great life. He has a special place in the hearts of many. One Twitter user took the time to point out one fun fact… he passed away at 99 without “going over” a centennial, in the style of “The Price Is Right.”
The featured images for this post come from Twitter (here and here).
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