Trivia

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

Had feuded with Betty White.

He donated $1,000,000 to Georgetown University to endow a fund at its law school to focus on the study of animal rights. (2006)

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

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

Barker made a guest appearance on The Price is Right (1972) with Drew Carey to celebrate his 90th Birthday [12 December 2013].

He requested and received permission from The 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. (1987)

Springfield, Missouri named the street behind Drury University in his honor. This street is called Bob Barker Boulevard [26 September 2008].

Graduated from Drury College in Springfield, Missouri, summa cum laude with a degree in economics (1947).

He was not the producers' first choice to host The 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. Bill Cullen survived a childhood bout with polio that left him with significant physical limitations in walking for the rest of his life.

Future psychologist Phil McGraw, and his wife, Robin McGraw, were both in the audience on The 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), which was aired after Barker's final episode.

It was his late wife, Dorothy Jo, who had a great love for animals, inspiring Barker to follow her.

Barker was in Washington, D.C. to meet with congressmen to try to get elephants banned from circuses and traveling shows.

Had a ship named after him that is owned and operated by the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, whose donation of $5 million to the society facilitated the purchase of the ship. It first started operating for the group in late 2009/early 2010 in its campaign against whaling by Japanese fisheries.

After fellow game show host Richard Dawson left the second incarnation of Match Game (1973), Barker sat in his former place for the entire week, on the first week.

Underwent successful surgery at George Washington University Hospital in Washington, D.C., to clear a severe blockage in his left carotid artery, which carries blood to the brain [20 September 1999].

After filming the 30th season finale of The Price is Right (1972), and only six 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 announced his retirement as host of The Price is Right (1972) effective in June 2007 after thirty-five years on the show and fifty years on television. He later announced the date would be June 15 [31 October 2006].

Created The Price is Right (1972) pricing games "2 for the Price of 1", "Bonkers!", "Coming or Going", "Easy as 1 2 3", "Let 'Em Roll", "Triple Play", and "More or Less".

Long before Chuck Norris was a successful actor, he made a guest appearance with Barker on The All New Truth or Consequences (1950), where Barker first met him.

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.

He missed only four appearances of The Price is Right (1972) due to illness. Dennis James substituted for him for almost a week in 1974.

Nine days after his birthday, and until Edwards' death on November 16, 2005, he would have luncheon with Ralph Edwards, every December 21 of each year, at 12:05 P.M.

Was a huge sports fan. In his spare time, he enjoyed golf and martial arts.

Was very good friends with another retired game show host Richard Dawson, who was also employed at Mark Goodson Productions, for 10 years, as host of Family Feud (1976).

In 1931, when he was only age 7, Barker moved with his mother to the Rosebud Indian Reservation in Mission, South Dakota.

His mother, Matilda Valandra, passed away on February 26, 1989. She lived to be age 92.

Had nine biggest winners in the 35 years of hosting The Price is Right (1972): One was a contestant that had won $54,772 in cash/prizes, six years later (three in the same year), a veteran Marine has won $65,261, in car/prizes, followed by a former Pepperdine University student who won $88,865 in cars/prizes, then, a mother who won $79,845 in cash/prizes. Three years later, a childhood hero of Barker's won $71,377, in prizes. Then, on his 5,000th show, a college student won $60,766 in car/prizes. Six 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, a loyal fan of Barker's who won $98,484 in cash/prizes on his second-to-last appearance and a childhood hero of Barker's, who was born nine days after the show's debut, won $140,235 on Barker's last appearance.

He was sued for sexual harassment by one of the models on The Price is Right (1972). (1994)

From 1967 to 1988, Barker was the long-time host of Miss USA pageant.

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

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

He was a member of Sigma Nu Fraternity.

His idol was Buddy Ebsen. In fact, when Barker was growing up, he was a huge fan of his.

Inducted into the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame (2008).

After his mother's second marriage, Barker's family moved to Springfield, Missouri.

Before he was a successful game show host, producer and animal rights activist, he was a radio disc jockey and announcer.

Before he was a successful game show host, he was also a news writer.

On the very first episode of The Price is Right (1972), a contestant who played the game, 'Any Number', won a Chevrolet Vega, whose price was $2,746.

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 Price is Right (1972).

Was a spokesperson for the public service announcement, PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). (2011)

Barker made a guest appearance on The Price is Right (1972), on April 1, 2015. In fact, he led the first bid and the pricing game, which was "Lucky $even". This marked his last appearance on television.

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.

Before his death, Barker had survived a series of health problems, over the years, from a mild stroke, to a carotid endarterectomy, to a stroke, to prostate surgery, to skin cancer, to an adverse drug reaction, to a fall and finally to a back pain.

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, The All New Truth or Consequences (1950) and The Price is Right (1972). He did these until the mid-1980s.

Was the second television personality ever to have hosted a game show longer than anybody else in the business, behind Mike Wallace, but in-front of Vin Scully.

In 1939, when he was 15, he and his family moved to Springfield, Missouri.

Attended Todd County High School, in Mission, South Dakota, before attending Central High School in Springfield, Missouri, years later.

Attended and graduated from Springfield Central High School in Springfield, Missouri (1941), at only 17 years old.

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 Price is Right (1972) and his long involvement with the animal rights movement. FremantleMedia produces Barker's long-running CBS game show. (2001)