Bob Barker, iconic American TV game show host, dies at age 99

"It is with profound sadness that we announce that the World's Greatest MC who ever lived, Bob Barker has left us," Barker's publicist Roger Neal said.

Washington: Emmy Award-winning game show host Bob Barker, who spent five decades with game show ‘The Price Is Right’, passed away at the age of 99, reported Variety.

“It is with profound sadness that we announce that the World’s Greatest MC who ever lived, Bob Barker has left us,” Barker’s publicist Roger Neal said in a statement on Saturday.

---

Before Alex Trebek surpassed him, Barker was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for his continuous hosting of game shows and doling out hundreds of millions of dollars in cash and prizes. In June 2007, Barker announced his retirement after 35 years of hosting ‘The Price Is Right’, the longest-running game show in television history.

In ‘The Price Is Right’, the eager competitors are asked to “Come on down” and play mini-games based on estimating the price of goods by the deep-voiced announcer.

As per Variety, Barker was a strong advocate for animal rights, and donated millions of dollars to animal neutering programs. He was known for ending his shows by saying, “And remember folks, always spay or neuter your pets!”

At the time, ‘The Price Is Right’ was the only game show left in the afternoon slot, having lasted 12 years after the cancellation of its previous rival. (CBS would subsequently bring back daytime gaming in 2009). The network kept airing ‘The Price Is Right’ with Drew Carey as the host.

Barker held a weekday TV job continuously for 51 years, which included his years on ‘Truth or Consequences’. He won 19 Emmy Awards in total, including 14 for gameshow host, more than any other performer. He also won four for executive producer of ‘The Price Is Right’ and received a lifetime achievement Emmy for Daytime Television in 1999, reported Variety.

Despite occasionally playing himself (like in the 1996 Adam Sandler film ‘Happy Gilmore’), he never performed as an actor, which he attributed to his popularity. He frequently brought his pets to the studio, and his shows were a family affair that were produced by his first wife, Dorothy Jo Gideon, his high school sweetheart, until her death from cancer in 1981.

With his resonant speaking voice, he decided to pursue a career in radio after college and tried a number of different positions before settling on audience-participation programming. After working in Florida, he moved to California, where he hosted ‘The Bob Barker Show’ from 1950 through 1956, when he was tapped by Ralph Edwards, who wanted a daytime host for his show ‘Truth or Consequences’ (which was already playing in primetime and had originated on radio).

He shot his first show in late 1956 and continued until 1966 on NBC and for another eight years in syndication, reported Variety.