Where Are They Now - Chuck Barris

Updated: 07/23/2006

Name: Chuck Barris

Birth Name: Charles Hirsch Barris

Born: June 3, 1929 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Claim To Fame: When I hear the name Chuck Barris there is only one thing I think... 'The Gong Show.' But what is interesting is he is the guy behind so many Game Shows. Even to this day his name comes up about his old classic shows as The Game Show network seems to be reviving more and more of them.

Family Life: Mary Barris (2000 - present)
Robin Altman (divorced in 1999)
Lyn Levy (divorced in 1976) on daughter Della Barris

Info: Chuck got his start in television as a page and later staffer at NBC in New York, and eventually worked backstage at the TV music show American Bandstand, originally as a standards-and-practices person for ABC. Barris soon became a music-industry figure, writing a top-ten hit song called Palisades Park in 1962, which was performed by Freddy Cannon. He eventually wrote or co-wrote some of the music that appeared on his game shows.

Chuck first hit the jackpot in 1965 with his first game-show creation, The Dating Game on ABC, hosted by Jim Lange, in which three bachelors or bachelorettes competed for the favor of a contestant blocked from their view.

Trivia: Nephew of singer/songwriter/actor Harry Barris.

As a songwriter, co-composed the song "Palisades Park", a number four hit in the US for singer Freddy Cannon in 1962.

Chuck's younger sister, mother, and father all died by the time he was a teenager.

Survived lung cancer.

Introduced first-run syndication on television when he bought back an unsuccessful show he created and resold it.

Began his television career as an NBC page

Daughter Della Barris died of suspected overdose. She was his only child.

He attended Drexel University, where he was a columnist at the student newspaper.

In his "unauthorized autobiography" 'Confessions of a Dangerous Mind', Barris claimed to have also worked as a CIA hitman, with over 100 kills (the movie suggested only 33 kills.) As of yet, these claims have been neither proven nor disproved. In 2002 the book was made into a film, turned into a script by Charlie Kaufman and directed by George Clooney. Sam Rockwell starred as Barris.

Chuck has also written a sequel entitled, 'Bad Grass Never Dies.' But the first movie was less than a hit, so it is doubtful it will see the light of day.

Where Is He Now: He splits his time living in Los Angeles and St. Tropez, France.

Chuck's name has been mentioned so much lately, because of the new NBC show 'America's Got Talent.' Many critics are comparing it to the Gong Show.

He also tours the country and makes appearances at various conventions and book fairs. In fact our current picture was taken of him at a book fair just this year.