Gene Simmons

Gene Simmons

actor, producer, composer

Gene Simmons was born on Aug 25, 1949 in Israel. Gene Simmons's big-screen debut came with Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park directed by Gordon Hessler in 1978, strarring The Demon. Gene Simmons is known for My First Mister directed by Christine Lahti, Rutanya Alda stars as Woman at Apartment and Natasha Braisewell as Girl in Vintage. Gene Simmons has got 3 awards and 1 nominations so far. The most recent award Gene Simmons achieved is Guinness World Record Award. The upcoming new movie Gene Simmons plays is Armed Response which will be released on Aug 09, 2017.

Best known as the fire breathing, blood splitting and larger than life co-founder of the major hard rock group, KISS. Simmons was actually born Chaim Witz in August 1949 in Haifa, Israel, the son of Hungarian Jewish parents, Flóra "Florence" (Klein or Kovács) and Feri Yechiel Witz. He moved to New York as a young child. Like many American teenagers of the 1960s, he was influenced by a fascination with comic book super heroes, monster movies and rock and roll music, thus the teenage Simmons set about creating what he perceived as the ultimate music supergroup.Simmons eventually crossed paths with like-minded musician / songwriter Paul Stanley (born Stanley Eisen) in the early 1970s, and after several failed attempts to create their dream band, they recruited fellow New Yorkers spaced out guitarist Ace Frehley (born Paul Daniel Frehley) and "do anything to make it" drummer Peter Criss (born Peter Crisscuola).The four struggling young musicians practiced relentlessly in a rundown loft in New York City refining their music & stage show before eventually launching themselves on the New York live music scene in the early 1970s with their blitzkrieg style of hard rock, kabuki stage make up and unforgettable high energy performances. After bombarding media, TV & public relations identities with invites to their shows, Simmons and Stanley soon brokered a deal with Madison Ave executive Bill Aucoin for him to manage the band, and Aucoin soon scored KISS a record deal with the fledgling Casablanca Records & Filmworks.....and the rest as they say is KISStory!Since their first album debuted in 1974, KISS have sold over 80 million albums and played over 2,000 shows to millions of loyal fans (known as the KISS Army) right around the globe. Never one to keep still for too long, the charismatic Simmons made his first feature film appearance as his alter ego (The Demon from KISS) in the 1978 telemovie Kiss contre les fantômes (1978), which received scathing reviews in the USA from TV critics. However KISS fans internationally loved the film and it played theatrically to strong box office business in dozens of countries, and has since become something of a cult film....despite its corny, cartoonish plot! Since KISS didn't drop wearing their distinctive make up until 1983, it was several years before Simmons appeared in front of the cameras again (this time without the Demon make up), as an evil techno-junkie killer battling Tom Selleck in the thriller Runaway - L'évadé du futur (1984). Simmons has since continued to turn up in low-key roles in B-grade thrillers such as Mort ou vif (1986) and Red Surf (1989) that utilize his ability to glower and look menacingly into the camera. In addition, Simmons has appeared in minor guest roles in several TV crime shows including Deux flics à Miami (1984), Millennium (1996) and, most recently, in New York 911 (1999).

  • Birthday

    Aug 25, 1949
  • Place of Birth

    Tirat Carmel, Israel
  • Also known

    Gene the Demon, Chaim Weitz, Gene Klein, Kiss

Known For

Awards

3 wins & 1 nominations

Guinness World Record Award
2020
Highest Flame Projection in a Music Concert
Winner - Guinness World Record
KISS 2020 Goodbye (2020)
2020
Most Flame Projections Launched Simultaneously in a Live Concert
Winner - Guinness World Record
KISS 2020 Goodbye (2020)
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
2014
Performers
Winner - Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Trophy

Movies & TV Shows

All
Movies
TV Shows