Born:
June 03, 1929
Died:
March 21, 2017
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Trivia:
Was hired as a page by NBC in 1955 and put into the sales program, selling TelePrompTers. Worked backstage at American Bandstand (which filmed in his hometown of Philadelphia) as a network watchdog to ensure Dick Clark wasn't receiving any payola. First wife Lyn Levy was the daughter of one of the founders of CBS and the niece of CBS president William S. Paley. Wrote "Palisades Park," recorded by Freddy Cannon, which hit the top 10 in 1962. Formed Chuck Barris Productions in 1965, creating shows like The Dating Game and The Newlywed Game. Released his supposed autobiography, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, in 1984, which detailed his alleged secret life as a CIA assassin. Had part of a lung removed after being diagnosed with lung cancer in 2000. Published Della: A Memoir of My Daughter in 2010 to help cope with the loss of his only child, who died in 1998.