may have been sealed as early as high school, where he met his first and only wife, dorothy jo, as he told deborah roberts in 2007. >> and i finally got the opportunity to do an audience participation show. dorothy jo heard it. when i got home she said, that's what you should do. if i have had any successes, she shares them. >> it's been a long time since she passed. >> 1981, october 19, 1981. >> reporter: they were married for 37 years. barker's success gave him a way to promote his purpose. alongside longtime girlfriend nancy burnet, he was a passionate animal advocate, signing off his show every day with a reminder -- >> help control the pet population, have your pet spayed or neutered. >> reporter: barker retiring from "the price is right" in 2007. >> i'm 83 now, and so i think it's a good time to say good-bye. because i want to leave them wanting more. >> reporter: and he did, even making his big screen debut, poking fun at his nice-guy personality in "happy gilmore." >> all right, let's go. ooh! ugh! >> reporter: barker viewed his time on tv as a way for people to escape. >> i think it's pure entert