Bob Barker, longtime "The Price Is Right" host, dies at 99

Bob Barker, who hosted "The Price Is Right" for 35 years, has died, his representative, Roger Neal, told CBS News on Saturday. He was 99.

Barker died at home, Neal said, adding that, "he had a beautiful life."

"We lost a beloved member of the CBS family today with the passing of Bob Barker. During his 35 years as host of THE PRICE IS RIGHT, Bob made countless people's dreams come true and everyone feel like a winner when they were called to 'come on down.' In addition to his legendary 50-year career in broadcasting, Bob will be remembered as a dedicated animal rights activist. Daytime television has lost one of its most iconic stars," CBS said in a statement.

Barker appeared on national television for over 50 years. Before his time at the country's longest-running game show on CBS, he hosted one of the nation's first televised game shows, "Truth or Consequences," for nearly 20 years, earning him recognition in the Guinness World Records book as television's "most durable performer."

On "Truth or Consequences," Barker charmed audiences with his quips and plainspoken style. Every December 21, show creator Ralph Edwards and Barker would drink a toast at lunch to celebrate the day in 1956 when Edwards notified Barker – who had no previous television experience – that he was going to become the host. He stayed with the program for 18 years, calling it a "fun show," during an author chat promoting his memoir at the Google office in Santa Monica, California.

The ongoing joke, including the one on my Twitter is,

"TV legend Bob Barker dying at 99 means he got as close as he could to 100 without going over. That should give us all some level of comfort."

ShellyMcG said:

That middle gif where he grabs the guy around the throat is hilarious. He must have a really long arm. Also, I'm surprised you haven't mentioned the death of Harley Quinn. Given that you're the org's resident Batman, I thought you might have read about it in the Gotham Gazette.

I didn't know I was never into soap operas but she as Calliope Jones was so fun to watch. Why NBC never gave her character Calliope Jones & Eugene (Q from Star Trek fame) their own show I will never know

TrivialPursuit said:

The ongoing joke, including the one on my Twitter is,

"TV legend Bob Barker dying at 99 means he got as close as he could to 100 without going over. That should give us all some level of comfort."

Love it. I have fond memories of watching Price is Right with my grandfather every summer morning when I was a kid. I could never get into Drew Carey as host.

Seems as though Mr. Barker never revealed his condition. He had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's and that was listed as his cause of death.