Bob Barker’s Net Worth and Salary: What Was It?
The legendary American TV game show host and animal activist, Bob Barker, had a net worth of $0 when he passed away. He famously made a vow to “die broke,” intending to donate all his wealth to animal charities. Barker died on August 26, 2023, at 99 years old, having seemingly kept that promise.
At his peak, Bob’s wealth exceeded $70 million. Throughout his life, he contributed at least $30 million to various animal charities and causes, which is the amount we are aware of. An ardent advocate for animal rights, he concluded each episode of “The Price Is Right” by encouraging viewers to spay or neuter their pets. Among his significant contributions, he donated $2.5 million to PETA in 2012, leading the organization to honor him by naming its West Coast headquarters after him. Additionally, he funded the creation of the “DJ&T Foundation” with $25 million to finance clinics offering spay and neuter services. “DJ” referred to his late wife Dorothy Jo, while “T” was for his mother Matilda, affectionately known as “Tilly.” Moreover, he provided $5 million to the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society to fund an anti-whaling ship named the “S.S. Bob Barker.”
Bob Barker gained fame as the longest-running host of the game show “The Price Is Right,” a role he held from 1972 to 2007. Celebrated for his accomplishments, he had a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, was awarded the Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1995, and was recognized by Time magazine as the Greatest Game Show Host of All-Time. Before hosting “The Price Is Right,” Barker was already well-known as the host of another game show, “Truth or Consequences,” which aired from 1956 to 1974.
His unique and warm hosting style, combined with his authentic connection to contestants, played a crucial role in the overwhelming popularity of “The Price Is Right.” The show became a cultural touchstone, known for its captivating mini-games and the enthusiastic audience it attracted. Under his guidance, the program garnered numerous Daytime Emmy Awards, and Barker individually earned an impressive 19 Daytime Emmys for his hosting roles across various shows.
Photo by Mark Davis/Getty Images
Early Life
Born Robert William Barker on December 12, 1923, in Darrington, Washington, he spent significant parts of his childhood on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in Mission, South Dakota. He is recognized as an official member of the Sioux tribe according to the U.S. Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940, being one-eighth Sioux. His mother worked as a school teacher, while his father held a position as an electrical high-line foreman.
Barker earned a basketball scholarship to attend Drury College (now known as Drury University) in Missouri, where he joined the Epsilon Beta chapter of the Sigma Nu fraternity. He left college to serve as a fighter pilot in the US Navy during World War II. However, the war concluded before he could be assigned to a seagoing squadron. After the war, he returned to his studies and completed a degree in economics.
Career
While attending college, Barker started working at the KTTS-FM radio station in Springfield. He subsequently moved to Florida, where he served as a news editor and announcer at WWPG 1340 AM in Palm…
In Lantana, Beach is now known as WPBR. Later, in 1950, he relocated to California where he was granted his own radio show in Burbank, titled “The Bob Barker Show,” which aired for six years. While hosting an audience participation program in California, game show producer Ralph Edwards took notice of him. Consequently, Barker transitioned from radio to television, taking on the role of host for “Truth or Consequences” starting in 1956. He remained with the show until 1974.
While still hosting “Truth or Consequences” in 1971, he was chosen to lead an NBC pilot called “Simon Says.” Then, in early 1972, CBS showed interest in reviving “The Price Is Right,” a concept proposed by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman. The network agreed to move forward on the condition that Barker would serve as the host. Therefore, on September 4, 1972, Barker began hosting the modernized adaptation of “The Price Is Right” on CBS, a role he maintained until announcing his retirement from the show on October 31, 2006. He officially stepped down as host in 2007. His final episode, which aired on June 15, was recorded on June 6, 2007. After his retirement, Barker returned to the show three times: first in April 2009 to promote his autobiography; then in December 2013 to celebrate his 90th birthday; and lastly in April 2015, for an April Fools’ Day joke where he briefly took over hosting duties from Drew Carey, the current host at that time.
Price is Right Salary
During the last ten years of his time on the show, Barker’s annual salary reached $10 million.
(Photo by Mark Davis/Getty Images)
Other Work
A notable cameo by Bob Barker occurred in the film “Happy Gilmore” (1996), where he starred alongside Adam Sandler. In this film, a fistfight erupts between Sandler and Barker on a golf course, culminating in Barker knocking Sandler out with a face punch. Barker has mentioned in previous interviews that he is frequently approached by people in public who reference that iconic scene.
Besides that, Barker and his wife Dorothy Jo regularly appeared as panelists on the game shows “Tattletales” and “Match Game.” He has been featured 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.” Notably, he appeared in commercials forState Farm Insurance and recorded an advertisement supporting Republican Party Congressional candidate David Jolly. Furthermore, he lent his voice to the character Bob Barnacle in the Nickelodeon animated series “SpongeBob SquarePants.”
On April 6, 2009, Barker published his autobiography, “Priceless Memories,” which includes anecdotes and stories from his five-decade career in television as well as insights into his early life. Digby Diehl, a former book review editor at the L.A. Times, assisted him in writing the book.
Personal Life
Barker was married to his high school sweetheart, Dorothy Jo Gideon, from 1945 until her passing from lung cancer in 1981. Since then, he has not remarried, although he has had relationships with a few women, including Dian Parkinson, one of the famous “Barker’s Beauties.” Their relationship lasted for three years. His
His girlfriend, Nancy Burnet, has been his companion for nearly 40 years. They reside in a Spanish Colonial-style house in California, constructed in 1929, with an estimated value of around $2.3 million.
In honor of his contributions, CBS Television City has named the “Bob Barker Studio” after him.
Real Estate
For more than half a century, Bob called the same house in the Hollywood Hills his home. Located just 15 minutes from the studio where he filmed “The Price is Right,” his estate listed the property for sale in March 2024 for just under $3 million. A video tour of the home from September 2021 is available below. Before its listing in 2024, the residence underwent moderate renovations, including new paint and fixtures. In April 2024, Bob’s estate sold the home for $3.8 million, exceeding the asking price by $800,000.
Animal Activism
Even though he is officially retired today, Bob continues to be engaged in advocating for animal rights. An enthusiastic supporter of the cause, he famously concluded each show with his well-known phrase: “Please remember to have your pets spayed or neutered.”
Barker has taken part in many protests against circuses that confine animals in cages and make them perform tricks, often under significant sedation.
In 2010, he contributed $5 million to the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, an animal activist organization. This funding helped to acquire a ship that now intercepts and disrupts Japanese whaling boats. The vessel was named the “MY Bob Barker”:
S.S. Bob Barker (WILLIAM WEST/AFP via Getty Images)
The organization named another whaling interceptor after Sam Simon, a late producer of The Simpsons, who generously donated hundreds of millions of dollars during his lifetime to various animal charities and supported a vegan food drive for the homeless, helping to feed hundreds each week.
Bob Barker later acquired a helicopter for the Sea Shepherd Society and donated $2.5 million to PETA, aiding in the establishment of their Los Angeles headquarters, now referred to as the “Bob Barker Building.” Additionally, in 2014, he invested $700,000 to relocate three elephants from a zoo in Toronto to a wildlife sanctuary in California.