Matilda Kent Tarleton is best known as Bob Barker’s mother. Bob is a retired television game show host, best known for hosting CBS’s The Price Is Right. The show ran from 1972 to 2007, becoming the longest-running daytime game show in North American television history. Bob is known for hosting Truth or Consequences from 1956 to 1975. The award-winning T.V. star also hosted the Miss Universe and Miss USA pageants between 1969 and 1987, becoming the longest-serving host of the pageants.
Keep reading to find out more about the television host come animal rights advocate.
Matilda Kent Tarleton Bio
Matilda Kent Tarleton was born in New York, the USA, on 18 October 1897. She was a school teacher and later became the Superintendent of Schools for Todd Co SD Rosebud Indian Reservation. She is the author of Our State, a history of South Dakota for 6th graders.
Matilda was married to Byron John Barker, and they had a son named Robert William Barker, aka Bob Barker, the former Game Show host. Barker and Matilda divorced in 1929. She then married Louis Valandra and was blessed with a son, Kent Tarleton Valandra, a marketing and advertising professional.
Matilda passed away in L.A., California, on 26 February 1989, aged 91.
Matilda Kent Tarleton Son: Bob Barker
Bob Barker was born on 12 December 1923 in Darrington, Washington, the U.S. He was a television personality and game show host from 1950 to 2007, in 2009 and 2017. Barker enlisted in the United States Navy during World War II. He then worked in radio while attending college. Later, he moved to California in 1950 to pursue a career in broadcasting. He got his own radio show, The Bob Barker Show, that ran for six years.
In 1956, Barker began a game show career by hosting Truth or Consequences. Apart from game shows, he hosted the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants from 1967 to 1987. Barker began hosting The Price Is Right game show in 1972 and retired from it in 2007 after celebrating his 50-year career on television.
In 1981 after Bob Barker’s wife, Dorothy Jo, died of lung Cancer, and he became an advocate for animal rights supporting groups like the United Activists for Animal Rights.
Barker has made several appearances in the film and Television industry. He played himself in Adam Sandler’s comedy Happy Gilmore. He appeared on Bonanza, The Bold and the Beautiful, and The Nanny, hosted Pillsbury Bake-Off and co-hosted CBS’ the Rose Parade for several years.
Barker has also appeared in several advertisements after retirement. He voiced a Character named Bob Barnacle in an episode of Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob SquarePants.
His successful television and game host career has seen Barker win several awards and honors. He won the Daytime Emmy Awards 19 times from 43 nominations, Television Hall of Fame (2004), GSN Lifetime Achievement Award, and 2009 WWE Slammy Award for Best Guest Host. The Bob Barker Studio at CBS Television City is named in Barker’s honor. He is also Time Magazine’s Greatest Game Show Host of All-Time.
Wrapping Up
Barker is the star of Matilda’s family and has shone the spotlight on his late mother’s life due to his successful career.
