Person Biography:
Gene Simmons, co-founder of the iconic hard rock group KISS, was born Chaim Witz in August 1949 in Haifa, Israel, to Hungarian Jewish parents Flóra "Florence" (Klein or Kovács) and Feri Yechiel Witz. He moved to New York as a young child, where he was influenced by comic book super heroes, monster movies, and rock and roll music. This fascination led him to create what he perceived as the ultimate music supergroup.
Simmons eventually teamed up with like-minded musician and songwriter Paul Stanley in the early 1970s, and after several failed attempts, they recruited fellow New Yorkers Ace Frehley and Peter Criss to form the band. The four musicians practiced relentlessly in a rundown loft in New York City, refining their music and stage show before launching themselves on the New York live music scene.
KISS's unique blend of hard rock, kabuki stage makeup, and high-energy performances quickly gained attention, and Simmons and Stanley brokered a deal with Madison Ave executive Bill Aucoin to manage the band. Aucoin soon secured a record deal with Casablanca Records & Filmworks, and the rest is KISStory.
Throughout his career, Simmons has appeared in various film and television roles, often playing his iconic character, The Demon from KISS. He made his feature film debut in the 1978 telemovie Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park, which received mixed reviews but has since become a cult classic. Simmons has also appeared in B-grade thrillers, such as Runaway (1984),and minor guest roles in TV crime shows, including Miami Vice (1984),Millennium (1996),and Third Watch (1999).
