LOS ANGELES, CA (KELO) — Bob Barker, known as the host of “The Price Is Right” for decades, died Saturday morning, August 26th. Barker was 99-years-old.

Barker spent most of his younger days living on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in Mission, SD. His mother was a school teacher as well as Superintendent for Todd County Schools. When he was about five-years-old, Barker lost his father in an accident. Several years later, his mother remarried and they moved to Missouri where he attended high school.

Barker attended Drury College but WWII intercepted his plans and he became a fighter pilot for the Navy. Upon discharge from the military, he returned to Drury and worked at a radio station. Barker graduated summa cum laude with a degree in economics from Drury College. He briefly tried a stint for a radio station in Florida before moving to LA., where he hosted his own radio show called “The Bob Barker Show.”

Barker hosted more than 3,500 “Truth Or Consequences” shows over an 18-year period. Later he hosted “The Price Is Right” which became the highest rated and longest running game show in TV history. He did one show with comedian drew Carey in 2009 before handing the baton over to Carey as the next host of the show. Barker won numerous awards including 17 Emmy’s.

In his later years, Barker was a visible spokesperson for animal rights. For 21 years, he hosted the Miss USA and Miss Universe Pageants but abruptly quit after the shows wouldn’t remove fur coats from it’s pageant prizes.

Bob Barker was inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame’s Arts and Entertainment category in 1980. Also a philanthropist, he created an endowment of funds at seven of the highest-ranking law schools for the study of animal law.

Barker would have celebrated his 100th birthday on December 12, 2023.