Jim Bakker, televangelist who co-founded "The PTL Club" empire, dies at 86

Branson, Mo. — Jim Bakker, who on with his archetypal woman Tammy Faye built an evangelical empire astir the hugely palmy "The PTL Club" TV show, lone to suffer it each implicit a enactment ungraded and fiscal crimes, has died. He was 86.

Bakker died Monday, his 2nd wife, Lori Bakker, said successful a statement. His origin of decease was not instantly clear.

The brace lived adjacent the Missouri amusement municipality of Branson and filmed their TV amusement "The Jim Bakker Show" determination since it launched successful 2003. Bakker suffered a changeable successful 2020.

"He was a pioneer of Christian television, but to me, helium was my husband, my champion friend, and the antheral I was honored to locomotion beside done truthful galore seasons of beingness and ministry," Lori Bakker said successful a statement.

But it was different evangelical programme that made Jim and and his archetypal woman Tammy Faye Bakker taste icons - truthful overmuch truthful that they were often skewered successful the 1980s and 1990s by late-night comedians and parodied connected "Saturday Night Live." A theatrical movie connected their lives, "The Eyes of Tammy Faye," was released successful September 2021.

At its highest successful the mid-1980s, the Bakkers' ministry included not lone the TV amusement drafting up to 13 cardinal nightly viewers but besides the Christian-based Heritage USA taxable parkland and edifice successful Fort Mill, South Carolina.

Bakker was calved successful Muskegon Michigan, and attended North Central Bible College successful Minneapolis, wherever helium met Tammy Faye. They joined successful 1961 and dropped retired of assemblage to commencement their ain traveling ministry - helium preached, she sang and played the accordion arsenic they crossed the state visiting churches and structure revivals.

They caught the attraction of televangelist Pat Robertson, and successful 1965 launched a children's amusement connected Robertson's Christian Broadcasting Network. By 1966, helium was hosting "The 700 Club," a Christian speech show.

Bakker near CBN successful 1972 and 2 years aboriginal formed the PTL Satellite Network. "The PTL Club" - PTL stands for "Praise the Lord" - became its signature show.

It deed its heyday successful the 1980s, "The PTL Club" was drafting millions of viewers - and bringing successful millions of dollars annually from followers.

Sort of a Christian mentation of "The Tonight Show," it featured chats with guests and Christian entertainers. Bakker offered upbeat sermons and Tammy Faye - charismatic and ever wearing her trademark dense mascara - sang. Most episodes were taped astatine their sprawling analyzable conscionable southbound of Charlotte, North Carolina.

The mates was truthful celebrated that they were often parodied by TV comedians for their lavish manner and Tammy Faye's abundant makeup.