What was Bob Barker’s Net Worth and Salary?
At the time of his passing, Bob Barker, a celebrated American game show host and animal rights advocate, had a net worth of $0. He famously pledged to “die broke”, committing his fortune to animal charities. Bob passed away on August 26, 2023, at the age of 99, having seemingly honored that commitment.
At his wealth’s peak, Bob had amassed over $70 million. Throughout his lifetime, it is known that he donated at least $30 million to various animal charities and causes. He was a lifelong champion for animal rights, concluding each episode of “The Price Is Right” with an appeal for viewers to spay or neuter their pets. Among his significant contributions was $2.5 million to PETA in 2012, which subsequently named its West Coast headquarters in his honor. Additionally, he founded the “DJ&T Foundation” with a personal contribution of $25 million to support clinics that provide spaying and neutering services (with “DJ” honoring his late wife, Dorothy Jo, and “T” referencing his mother Matilda, affectionately called “Tilly”). Moreover, he generously donated $5 million to the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society to fund an anti-whaling vessel named the “S.S. Bob Barker.”
Bob Barker is best remembered for being the longest-serving host of “The Price Is Right,” having held the position from 1972 until 2007. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, was honored with the Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1995, and recognized by Time magazine as the Greatest Game Show Host of All Time. Prior to “The Price Is Right,” he had already become well-known for hosting “Truth or Consequences” from 1956 to 1974.
His unique and warm hosting style, paired with a genuine connection with contestants, played a significant role in the overwhelming success of “The Price Is Right.” The show became a cultural touchstone, celebrated for its captivating mini-games and active audience engagement. During his tenure, the show collected numerous Daytime Emmy Awards, while Bob himself achieved an astonishing 19 Daytime Emmys for his work across various programs.
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Early Life
Born Robert William Barker in Darrington, Washington, on December 12, 1923, he spent much of his childhood on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in Mission, South Dakota, where he is recognized as an official member of the Sioux tribe on the U.S. Indian Census Rolls from 1885-1940. Barker has one-eighth Sioux heritage; his mother was a schoolteacher, and his father worked as an electrical high-line foreman.
Barker received a basketball scholarship to Drury College (now Drury University) in Missouri, where he pledged the Sigma Nu fraternity’s Epsilon Beta chapter. During World War II, he paused his education to serve as a fighter pilot in the US Navy, although the war concluded before he could join a seagoing squadron. Following his military service, Barker returned to his studies and earned a degree in economics.
Career
During his college years, Barker found employment at the KTTS-FM radio station in Springfield. He later relocated to Florida, where he took on the roles of news editor and announcer at WWPG 1340 AM in Palm
Originally known as Beach (now referred to as WPBR in Lantana), he made the move to California in 1950, where he was given the opportunity to host his own radio show titled “The Bob Barker Show” in Burbank, which aired for six years. While hosting an audience participation program in California, he caught the attention of game show producer Ralph Edwards. This led Barker to transition from radio to television, where he began his tenure as the host of “Truth or Consequences” in 1956, remaining with the show until 1974.
In 1971, during his time as host of “Truth or Consequences,” he was chosen to host an NBC pilot called “Simon Says.” Subsequently, early in 1972, CBS expressed interest in reviving “The Price Is Right,” a concept proposed by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman, with the stipulation that Barker was to be the host. Consequently, on September 4, 1972, Barker commenced hosting the revamped version of “The Price Is Right” on CBS, a role he fulfilled until his retirement from the show on October 31, 2006, officially stepping down in 2007. His final episode aired on June 15, 2007, having been recorded earlier on June 6. After retiring, Barker made three guest appearances on the show: once in April 2009 to promote his autobiography, a second time in December 2013 for his 90th birthday celebration, and finally in April 2015, as part of an April Fools’ Day prank where he momentarily took over hosting duties from Drew Carey, the current host at that time.
Price is Right Salary
Throughout the last ten years of his time on the show, Barker earned an annual salary of $10 million.
(Photo by Mark Davis/Getty Images)
Other Work
Bob Barker made a notable cameo appearance alongside Adam Sandler in the film “Happy Gilmore” (1996). In this film, their characters engage in a fistfight on the golf course, culminating in Barker knocking Sandler out with a powerful punch. In past interviews, Barker has recounted that not a day passes without someone referencing that iconic scene when they encounter him in public.
Furthermore, Barker and his wife, Dorothy Jo, regularly appeared as panelists on game shows such as “Tattletales” and “Match Game.” He has also made appearances on various talk shows, including “Dinah!,” “Larry King Live,” “The Arsenio Hall Show,” “The Rosie O’Donnell Show,” “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” and “The Wayne Brady Show.” His commercial appearances include brands like State Farm Insurance, and he even filmed an ad supporting Republican Party Congressional candidate David Jolly. Additionally, Barker lent his voice to the character Bob Barnacle in the animated series “SpongeBob SquarePants” on Nickelodeon.
Barker published his autobiography, “Priceless Memories,” on April 6, 2009, sharing stories and memories from his 50-year career in television and reflections on his early life. Digby Diehl, a former book review editor at the L.A. Times, assisted him in writing this book.
Personal Life
Barker was wed to his high school sweetheart, Dorothy Jo Gideon, from 1945 until her passing due to lung cancer in 1981. He has not remarried since, though he has had relationships with several women, including one of the well-known “Barker’s Beauties,” Dian Parkinson, with whom he was involved for three years. His
His girlfriend, Nancy Burnet, has been Bob Barker’s companion for nearly 40 years. They reside in a Spanish Colonial-style residence located in California, built in 1929, valued at approximately $2.3 million.
The “Bob Barker Studio” at CBS Television City was named in his honor.
Real Estate
Bob lived in the same Hollywood Hills home for over 50 years. Positioned only 15 minutes from the studio where “The Price is Right” was filmed, his estate listed the property for sale in March 2024 for just under $3 million. A video tour of the house from September 2021 is featured below. Prior to the 2024 listing, the house underwent moderate renovations, including fresh paint and updated fixtures. In April 2024, Bob’s estate sold the home for $3.8 million, exceeding the asking price by $800,000.
Animal Activism
Despite being officially retired, Bob continues to actively support animal rights. He is a passionate advocate for this cause and often concluded each show with the well-known phrase: “Please remember to have your pets spayed or neutered.”
Bob has joined numerous protests against circuses that confine animals in cages and compel them to perform tricks, often under heavy sedation.
In 2010, he made a $5 million donation to the animal activist organization Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, which was used to acquire a ship for intercepting and disrupting Japanese whaling operations. This vessel was named the “MY Bob Barker”:
S.S. Bob Barker (WILLIAM WEST/AFP via Getty Images)
The organization named a different whaling interceptor after the late Sam Simon, a producer for The Simpsons, who contributed hundreds of millions to various animal charities while also supporting a vegan homeless food initiative that feeds hundreds of individuals each week.
Additionally, Bob Barker purchased a helicopter for Sea Shepherd Society and contributed $2.5 million to PETA, aiding in the establishment of their Los Angeles headquarters, which now bears the name “Bob Barker Building.” In 2014, he allocated $700,000 for relocating three elephants from a Toronto zoo to a wildlife sanctuary in California.