Barker — his first day on the job in 1972 (GIF via GIPHY)

Bob Barker, who set a record with his long-running hosting gig on The Price Is Right, and who went on to become associated with spaying and neutering pets, died Saturday at 99. TMZ was first to report the news.

Barker would have turned 100 in December, so:

The fact that Bob Barker dying at 99 means he got as close to 100 without going over gives me comfort. pic.twitter.com/g13VjGRePh

— Matthew Rettenmund (@mattrett) August 26, 2023

Barker was born December 12, 1923, in Darrington, Washington, was in the Navy Reserve in WWII and worked in radio until landing his own show, The Bob Barker Show (1950-1956).

List of 1,000+ Celebs Age 80 & Over — HERE

His TV game-show career, the most iconic in history, began with his work hosting Truth or Consequences (1956-1975), and continued with his signature work hosting The Price Is Right for a record-breaking 35 years (1972-2007).

With on the show, Barker was famous for his crisp, jocular banter with often out-of-their-mind-with-excitement contestants, who had to bid on prizes in order to get into the game, and who then had to win an individual game — patiently or impatiently explained by Barker — in order to win a chance to spin a wheel. The two contestants who came closest to 100 with their spins without going over won spots in the Showcase Showdown, when each would be shown an avalanche of big-ticket prizes and be expected to guess their cost ... again, without going over.

The unique construct of the game has never been topped, and it continues today with Drew Carey as Barker's successor.

Barker had many famous run-ins with contestants on the show — Samoans had a sweet spot for him — but also was infamously sued for sexual harassment by former lover and Barker's Beauty Dian Parkinson in 1994; by Barker's Beauty Holly Hallstrom in 1995 (for asking her to lie about Parkinson, for firing her for gaining weight — they settled); and by CBS staffer Deborah Curling in 2007 over creating a hostile environment for Black employees (Barker was later removed from that suit).

@boyculturedotcom Bob Barker Urges: Have Your Pets Spayed or Neutered! #animalrights #peta #bobbarker #gameshow #thepriceisright ♬ original sound - Matthew Rettenmund/BoyCulture

Along with his work on the series, Barker became famous for his PSAs urging people to have their pets spayed or neutered. He hosted  the Miss Universe and Miss USA pageants for 20 years (1967-1987), quitting when the organization refused to abandon real fur in the productions.

Barker appeared on many other game shows, notably his runs on Tattletales in 1975 and 1976 with his beloved wife Dorothy Jo (to whom he was wed from 1945 until her death in 1981) and Match Game (1973-1980). He played himself on countless series, and probably made his most famous non-Price appearance playing a version of himself in the 1996 Adam Sandler film Happy Gilmore.

Barker has had various health woes in recent years, including a stroke, skin cancer and prostate issues. He fell in 2015 and 2017, and made trips to an ER twice in 2018 for pain.