    robert william "bob" barker (born december 12, 1923) is a former american television game show host. he is best known for hosting cbs's the price is right from 1972 to 2007, making it the longest-running daytime game show in north american television history, and for hosting truth or consequences from 1956 to 1974. born in washington state to modest circumstances, barker enlisted in the united states navy on the outbreak of world war ii. barker worked part-time in radio while he attended college. in 1950, barker moved to california in order to pursue a career in broadcasting. he was given his own radio show, the bob barker show, which ran for the next six years from burbank. barker began his game show career in 1956, hosting truth or consequences. from there, he hosted various game shows as well as the miss universe pageants. eventually, he hosted the price is right, beginning in 1972. when his wife dorothy jo died, barker became an advocate for animal rights. since then, barker has been a long-time supporter of animal rights, and of animal-rights activism, including groups such as the united activists for animal rights and the sea shepherd conservation society. in 2007, barker retired from hosting the price is right after celebrating his 50-year career on television. ==biography== ===early life===  thumb|295px|born as robert barker in the indian census roll, 1930 barker was born in darrington, washington, and spent most of his youth on the rosebud indian reservation in south dakota. the u.s. indian census rolls, 1885â40, list barker as an official member of the sioux tribe.{{cite web | title = robert (bob) barker - south dakota's indian census roll april 1, 1930 | url = http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/file:robert_(bob)_barker_-_south_dakota
1923_births American_game_show_hosts American_male_television_actors American_military_personnel_of_World_War_II American_people_of_Native_American_descent Animal_rights_advocates Beauty_pageant_hosts California_Republicans Daytime_Emmy_Award_for_Outstanding_Game_Show_Host_winners Lakota_people Living_people Native_American_male_actors People_from_Snohomish_County,_Washington People_from_Todd_County,_South_Dakota Stroke_survivors Television_Hall_of_Fame_inductees The_Price_Is_Right