Chuck Barris facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chuck Barris
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Barris in 1977
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| Born |
Charles Hirsch Barris
June 3, 1929 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
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| Died | March 21, 2017 (aged 87) Palisades, New York, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Drexel Institute of Technology |
| Occupation | Television producer, television presenter, songwriter, author |
| Years active | 1962–2010 |
| Spouse(s) |
Lyn Levy
(m. 1957; div. 1976)Robin Altman
(m. 1980; div. 1999)Mary Clagett
(m. 2000; died 2017) |
| Children | 1 |
Charles "Chuck" Barris (born June 3, 1929 – died March 21, 2017) was an American TV creator, producer, and host. He was famous for hosting The Gong Show. He also created other popular shows like The Dating Game and The Newlywed Game.
Barris was also a songwriter. He wrote the song "Palisades Park". This song was a hit for Freddy Cannon. It was also recorded by the band Ramones.
He wrote a book about his life called Confessions of a Dangerous Mind. This book was later made into a movie directed by George Clooney.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Chuck Barris was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on June 3, 1929. His parents were Edith and Nathaniel Barris. He grew up in Lower Merion Township. He went to Lower Merion High School.
His uncle, Harry Barris, was a singer, songwriter, and actor. Chuck Barris graduated from Drexel University in 1953. While there, he wrote for the student newspaper, The Triangle.
Starting a TV Career
Barris began his career at NBC in New York City. He started as a page, which is like an assistant. Later, he worked at ABC on the music show American Bandstand.
He also produced pop music. He wrote "Palisades Park", which became a big hit in 1962. Barris also wrote music for his own game shows.
Barris moved to Los Angeles and worked in ABC's daytime TV section. He helped decide which game shows ABC would broadcast. He thought his own ideas were better than the ones being pitched. So, ABC suggested he become a producer.
Creating Famous Game Shows
Chuck Barris started his own company, Chuck Barris Productions, on June 14, 1965. His first big success was The Dating Game in 1965. This show aired on ABC.
On The Dating Game, three contestants competed for a date. They answered questions from a person they couldn't see. The show was very new and exciting for its time. It ran until 1980 and was brought back later.
In 1966, Barris created The Newlywed Game for ABC. This show featured newly married couples. They answered funny questions about each other. The show became very popular. It ran for 19 years, making it one of his longest-running shows. Barris once said it was easy to create: "All I needed was four couples, eight questions, and a washer-dryer."
Barris also created other game shows. These shows often focused on the contestants' reactions. He also tried non-game shows, like Operation: Entertainment. This was a variety show for military bases.
The Gong Show: A Unique Talent Show
Chuck Barris became a public figure in 1976. He produced and hosted The Gong Show. This show was a funny take on talent shows. It became a huge hit and gained a cult following.
The show had amateur performers. They would show off their talents, which were often silly or strange. A panel of three judges would decide if they were good. If an act was really bad, a judge could hit a large gong. This meant the act had to stop.
Barris himself became a popular host. He was funny and a bit clumsy. He had catchphrases like "We'll be right back with more er... STUFF..." He often wore unusual hats and joined in the show's silliness. Fans called him "Chuckie Baby."
The show also featured memorable characters. These included "Father Ed," "The Unknown Comic" (who wore a paper bag over his head), and "Gene Gene the Dancing Machine". Gene Gene was a stagehand who would dance whenever the band played "Jumpin' at the Woodside".
In 1980, Barris directed a movie based on the show, The Gong Show Movie. The show has been brought back several times over the years.
Ups and Downs in Television
After the mid-1970s, some of Barris's shows, like The Dating Game and The Newlywed Game, were canceled. But the success of The Gong Show helped him bring them back. He also added $1.98 Beauty Show.
However, some of his shows faced challenges. For example, Three's a Crowd caused protests. Many TV stations stopped airing it. By 1980, Barris had no shows in production for a short time.
He tried to make a comeback. He brought back Treasure Hunt in 1981. In 1984, he formed Barris Industries. He brought back The Newlywed Game and The Dating Game in syndication. The Gong Show also returned for one season in 1988.
In 1987, Chuck Barris sold his company shares. He moved to France. His company, Barris Industries, was later bought by Sony Corporation. Sony continued to revive his popular game shows.
CIA Career Claims
In 1984, Barris wrote a book called Confessions of a Dangerous Mind. In this book, he claimed he secretly worked for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in the 1960s and 1970s. He wrote that he was an assassin.
A movie based on the book came out in 2002. It showed Barris killing many people. He later wrote a sequel book in 2004.
However, the CIA said Barris never worked for them. A CIA spokesperson called his claims "ridiculous" and "absolutely not true."
In a TV interview in 1984, Barris admitted he made the story up. He said, "No, I was never a CIA hit man. I never did those things." He explained that he once applied to the CIA, but then got a job in television instead. He said he always wondered what would have happened if he had done both.
Personal Life and Passing
Chuck Barris was married three times. His first wife was Lyn Levy. They were married from 1957 to 1976. They had one daughter named Della. Della sometimes appeared on The Gong Show. She passed away in 1998 at age 36.
In 1980, Barris married Robin Altman. They divorced in 1999. The next year, he married Mary Clagett.
Barris was diagnosed with lung cancer in the 1990s. He had surgery and recovered.
Chuck Barris passed away on March 21, 2017. He was 87 years old. He died of natural causes at his home in Palisades, New York.
Shows Created or Hosted
- The $1.98 Beauty Show
- Bamboozle (unsold pilot)
- Camouflage
- The Chuck Barris Rah-Rah Show
- Comedy Courtroom (unsold pilot)
- Cop Out (unsold pilot)
- The Dating Game
- Dollar a Second (unsold pilot)
- Dream Girl of '67
- The Mama Cass Television Show (ABC special, 1969)
- The Family Game
- The Game Game
- The Gong Show
- How's Your Mother-in-Law?
- Leave It to the Women
- The Newlywed Game
- Operation: Entertainment
- The Parent Game
- People Pickers (unsold pilot)
- Three's a Crowd
- The New Treasure Hunt/Treasure Hunt
- Your Hit Parade (CBS, 1974)
Books Written by Chuck Barris
- You and Me, Babe (1974) Novel
- Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (1984) Memoir
- The Game Show King (1993) Memoir
- Bad Grass Never Dies (2004) Memoir
- The Big Question (2007) Novel
- Who Killed Art Deco? (2009) Novel
- Della: A Memoir of My Daughter (2010) Memoir
CDs Featuring Chuck Barris
- Confessions of A Dangerous Singer (Domo Records, 2003)
- Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (Domo Records, 2003)
