A publicist says popular game show host Bob Barker, a household name for a half-century as host of 香蕉视频直播淭ruth or Consequences香蕉视频直播� and 香蕉视频直播淭he Price Is Right,香蕉视频直播� has died at his home in Los Angeles. Barker was 99.

Barker 香蕉视频直播� also a longtime animal rights activist 香蕉视频直播� died Saturday morning (Aug. 26), according to publicist Roger Neal.

香蕉视频直播淚 am so proud of the trailblazing work Barker and I did together to expose the cruelty to animals in the entertainment industry and including working to improve the plight of abused and exploited animals in the United States and internationally,香蕉视频直播� said Nancy Burnet, his longtime friend and caretaker, in a statement.

Barker retired in June 2007, telling his studio audience: 香蕉视频直播淚 thank you, thank you, thank you for inviting me into your home for more than 50 years.香蕉视频直播�

Barker was working in radio in 1956 when producer Ralph Edwards invited him to audition as the new host of 香蕉视频直播淭ruth or Consequences,香蕉视频直播� a game show in which audience members had to do wacky stunts 香蕉视频直播� the 香蕉视频直播渃onsequence香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播� if they failed to answer a question 香蕉视频直播� the 香蕉视频直播渢ruth,香蕉视频直播� which was always the silly punchline to a riddle no one was ever meant to furnish. (Q: What did one eye say to another? A: Just between us, something smells.)

In a 1996 interview with The Associated Press, Barker recalled receiving the news that he had been hired: 香蕉视频直播淚 know exactly where I was, I know exactly how I felt: I hung up the phone and said to my wife, 香蕉视频直播楧orothy Jo, I got it!香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈��

Barker stayed with 香蕉视频直播淭ruth or Consequences香蕉视频直播� for 18 years 香蕉视频直播� including several years in a syndicated version.

Meanwhile, he began hosting a resurrected version of 香蕉视频直播淭he Price Is Right香蕉视频直播� in 1972. (The original host in the 1950s and 香蕉视频直播�60s was Bill Cullen.) It would become TV香蕉视频直播檚 longest-running game show and the last on a broadcast network of what in TV香蕉视频直播檚 early days had numbered dozens.

香蕉视频直播淚 have grown old in your service,香蕉视频直播� the silver-haired, perennially tanned Barker joked on a prime-time television retrospective in the mid-香蕉视频直播�90s.

In all, he taped more than 5,000 shows in his career. He said he was retiring because 香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 just reaching the age where the constant effort to be there and do the show physically is a lot for me. 香蕉视频直播� Better (to leave) a year too soon than a year too late.香蕉视频直播� Comedian Drew Carey was chosen to replace him.

Barker was back with Carey for one show broadcast in April 2009. He was there to promote the publication of his memoir, 香蕉视频直播淧riceless Memories,香蕉视频直播� in which he summed up his joy from hosting the show as the opportunity 香蕉视频直播渢o watch people reveal themselves and to watch the excitement and humor unfold.香蕉视频直播�

He well understood the attraction of 香蕉视频直播淭he Price Is Right,香蕉视频直播� in which audience members 香蕉视频直播� invited to 香蕉视频直播淐ome on down!香蕉视频直播� to the stage 香蕉视频直播� competed for prizes by trying to guess their retail value.

香蕉视频直播淓veryone can identify with prices, even the president of the United States. Viewers at home become involved because they all have an opinion on the bids,香蕉视频直播� Barker once said. His own appeal was clear: Barker played it straight 香蕉视频直播� warm, gracious and witty 香蕉视频直播� refusing to mock the game show format or his contestants.

香蕉视频直播淚 want the contestants to feel as though they香蕉视频直播檙e guests in my home,香蕉视频直播� he said in 1996. 香蕉视频直播淧erhaps my feeling of respect for them comes across to viewers, and that may be one of the reasons why I香蕉视频直播檝e lasted.香蕉视频直播�

As a TV personality, Barker retained a touch of the old school 香蕉视频直播� for instance, no wireless microphone for him. Like the mic itself, the mic cord served him well as a prop, insouciantly flicked and finessed.

His career longevity, he said, was the result of being content. 香蕉视频直播淚 had the opportunity to do this type of show and I discovered I enjoyed it 香蕉视频直播� People who do something that they thoroughly enjoy and they started doing it when they香蕉视频直播檙e very young, I don香蕉视频直播檛 think they want to stop.香蕉视频直播�

Barker also spent 20 years as host of the Miss USA Pageant and the Miss Universe Pageant. A longtime animal rights activist who daily urged his viewers to 香蕉视频直播渉ave your pets spayed or neutered香蕉视频直播� and successfully lobbied to ban fur coats as prizes on 香蕉视频直播淭he Price Is Right,香蕉视频直播� he quit the Miss USA Pageant in 1987 in protest over the presentation of fur coats to the winners.

香蕉视频直播淚 am so proud of the trailblazing work Barker and I did together to expose the cruelty to animals in the entertainment industry and including working to improve the plight of abused and exploited animals in the United States and internationally,香蕉视频直播� said Nancy Burnet, his longtime friend and caretaker, in a statement. Burnet is now also the co-executor of Barker香蕉视频直播檚 estate.

In 1997, Barker declined to be a presenter at the Daytime Emmy awards ceremony because he said it snubbed game shows by not airing awards in the category. He called game shows 香蕉视频直播渢he pillars of daytime TV.香蕉视频直播�

He had a memorable cameo appearance on the big screen in 1996, sparring with Adam Sandler in the movie 香蕉视频直播淗appy Gilmore.香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播淚 did `The Price Is Right香蕉视频直播� for 35 years, and they香蕉视频直播檙e asking me how it was to beat up Adam Sandler,香蕉视频直播� Barker later joked.

In 1994, the widowed Barker was sued for sexual harassment by Dian Parkinson, a 香蕉视频直播淧rice is Right香蕉视频直播� model for 18 years. Barker admitted engaging in 香蕉视频直播渉anky panky香蕉视频直播� with Parkinson from 1989-91 but said she initiated the relationship. Parkinson dropped the lawsuit in 1995, saying it was hurting her health.

Barker became embroiled in a dispute with another former 香蕉视频直播淧rice Is Right香蕉视频直播� model, Holly Hallstrom, who claimed she was fired in 1995 because the show香蕉视频直播檚 producers believed she was fat. Barker denied the allegations.

Neither uproar affected his goodwill from the audience.

Born in Darrington, Washington, in 1923, Barker spent part of his childhood on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota, where his widowed mother had taken a teaching job. The family later moved to Springfield, Mo., where he attended high school. He served in the Navy in World War II.

He married Dorothy Jo Gideon, his high school sweetheart; she died in 1981 after 37 years of marriage. They had no children.

Barker was given a lifetime achievement award at the 26th annual Daytime Emmy Awards in 1999. He closed his acceptance remarks with the signoff: 香蕉视频直播淗ave your pets spayed or neutered.香蕉视频直播�

Frazier Moore, The Associated Press