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“You can’t fool television viewers with dancing girls and flashing lights.” Chances are, if you grew up in the 1980s and 1990s, you might remember watching Bob Barker on The Price Is Right! As one of the most famous game show hosts in the entertainment industry. Barker got his start in the 1950s on Truth or Consequences. He moved over to The Price Is Right in 1972 and spent the next 35 years on the show before handing over the mic to Drew Carey. Retired since 2007, let’s take a look at Barker’s career and how his time in the United States Navy inspired his move to television.

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Early Life and Career Beginnings

The son of a schoolteacher and an electrical foreman, Robert William Barker was born on December 12, 1923, in Darrington, Washington where his family was part of the Sioux Indian tribe. He grew up on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota until his father was tragically killed in 1929 after he fell from a tower. A few years later, his mother remarried and moved the family to Springfield, Missouri. Barker graduated from Central High School and earned a basketball scholarship to Drury University.

With the outbreak of World War II, Barker enlisted in the United States Navy as a fighter pilot. It was his time in the Navy that introduced him to the entertainment industry. “I owe it all to the United States Navy. I was a naval aviator—during the Second World War, not the War of 1812,” he joked during an interview with CNN. “And when I came back, I was going back to college and I wanted a job. And I heard about the manager of a radio station who was crazy about airplanes. And I had never been in a radio station, but I thought that might be fun to work in a radio station. So, I put on my naval officer’s uniform, my wings of gold, and I went in and G. Pearson Ward and I talked about airplanes for about half hour, 45 minutes, and I had my first job in a radio station.”

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Hired on at KTTS-FM Radio in Springfield reporting on local news and sports, Barker earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from Drury University and married his high school sweetheart, Dorothy Jo, in 1945. When he was hired as a news editor and announcer for WWPG 1340 AM, Barker and his wife moved to Lake Worth, Florida. They barely unpacked their bags before they were back on the road to California where Barker was given his own radio show, The Bob Barker Show, on a local Burbank radio station.

Barker quickly became a favorite on the radio and was hired to host the Miss USA and Miss Universe Pageants, which he did from 1967 to 1987. He caught the attention of game show producer Ralph Edwards who invited him to host his new series, Truth or Consequences. Barker stepped into the hosting gig in 1956 and spent the next 18 years on the series while also lending his hand to other shows like End of the Rainbow, The Family Game (1967), and Simon Says (1971).

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The Price Is Right

Becoming one of the most revered hosts in television, Barker caught the attention of CBS who wanted Barker to replace Dennis James on The Price Is Right in 1972. James wasn’t ready to step down, so Barker offered to host the network’s other game show, The Joker’s Wild. CBS refused and hired Barker to host the daytime version while James hosted the weekly nighttime slot. Everyone was happy as Barker made his debut on The Price Is Right on September 4, 1972.

By the 1970s, Barker’s hair was already graying but he didn’t mind and refused to dye it. Before long, his gray hair became his signature look and inspired other game show hosts like Monty Hall and Alex Trebek to let their hair go natural. This, along with Barker’s natural charm, made him an icon in the entertainment industry, which allowed him to use his platform to promote something even closer to his heart—animal rights. “I’ve always loved animals, had dogs and cats as a kid,” he said. “As I participated more in advocacy, I became aware of the exploitation of animals and I felt compelled to do what I could. So, I’ve become more and more involved until now it is a passion within me.”

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Adopting a vegetarian lifestyle in 1979, Barker used The Price Is Right to make a positive impact in the world and eliminated any animal-based products on the show. He was also approved to end every show with a new catchphrase: “This is Bob Barker reminding you to help control the pet population—have your pets spayed or neutered.”

Health Issues and Life after The Price Is Right

Barker became a staple in daytime television with millions of fans tuning in each day to see the legendary host. In 1992, he gave everyone a scare when he suffered a mild stroke. Fortunately, he recovered quickly and returned to the series. Then, in 1999, he suffered another health setback when he was rushed to George Washington University Hospital for a partially blocked artery. Once again, Barker made a full recovery and was back on The Price Is Right within the month.

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Barker suffered a second stroke in 2002 and underwent prostate surgery. In 2007, his growing health concerns and the wear and tear of over four decades in the spotlight led him to retire from The Price Is Right. He handed the reins over to Drew Carey with confidence and has made a handful of special appearances on the show since then to promote his autobiography, Priceless Memories, and to celebrate his 90th birthday.

Today, Barker’s health continues to decline especially after several falls that have slowed him down in recent years. “I think that at my age two things are terribly important—nutrition and exercise,” he says. “Well, at any age, but it’s more important for old people.” Doing his best to eat healthy and stay active, the 95-year-old Barker is involved in his DJ&T Foundation, an animal rights advocacy group. In fact, that’s how Barker says he’d like to be remembered—not as the host of The Price Is Right but “as the man who said, ‘Have your pets spayed or neutered.’”