Gene Klein, an Israeli-American rocker, is better known on stage as Gene Simmons. He is best known as the bass guitarist and lead singer of KISS, a band he co-founded in the 1970s.
Quick Facts
| Celebrated Name: | Gene Simmons |
|---|---|
| Real Name/Full Name: | Gene Klein |
| Gender: | Male |
| Age: | 75 years old |
| Birth Date: | 25 August 1949 |
| Birth Place: | Tirat Carmel, Israel |
| Nationality: | Israeli, American |
| Height: | 1.88 m |
| Weight: | 75 kg |
| Sexual Orientation: | Straight |
| Marital Status: | Married |
| Wife/Spouse (Name): | Shannon Tweed (m. 2011) |
| Children: | Yes (Sophie Simmons, Nick Simmons) |
| Profession: | Israeli-American musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, entrepreneur, actor, author, and television personality |
| Net Worth in 2024: | $400 million |
Gene Simmons Biography
Gene Simmons was born in Israel on August 25, 1949. When he was eight years old, he moved to New York City with his mother, Florence Klein. His mother and brother are the only two survivors of their family from the Holocaust.
Ferenc Witz, his father, remained in Israel. Prior to beginning his music career, he worked at various odd jobs, one of which was as an assistant to an editor for Vogue magazine.
Gene Simmons Age, Height, Weight
Gene Simmons was born on August 25, 1949, He is 75 years old as of 2024. His height is 1.88 meters and his weight is 75 kilograms.
Career
He formed and played in bands such as Lynx, The Missing Links, The Long Island Sounds, and Bullfrog Beer in his youth.
Gene and Paul Stanley co-founded Wicked Lester in the early 1970s. They recruited new members but were dissatisfied with the music they were producing, so they left the band entirely.
The duo hired Paul Frehley, and the three of them released KISS’s first self-titled debut album. They’ve had a successful career since then, going on world tours and hosting fan conventions. They went on a successful tour in support of their hit album, Revenge, which was released in 1992.
Gene Simmons also appeared on and sometimes hosted reality television shows such as Mr. Romance, Rock School, and Gene Simmons Family Jewels. He also appeared on I Get That a Lot and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation as a guest star. He has appeared in films such as Runaway, Wanted: Dead or Alive, and Armed Response.
Gene Simmons Achievements and Awards
Gene Simmons was awarded a key to the city of Dallas in 2011, as well as having a street named after him. In the same year, he was awarded the honor of the key to the city of Winnipeg, Minnesota.
Gene received the Golden God award from Revolver magazine in 2012. The Smithsonian National Museum of American History inducted an autographed Gene Simmons Axe Bass in 2013. As a sign of acceptance, he was given a plaque stating the same. Simmons received the Golden Medal from the Reial Circle Artistic de Barcelona in 2014.
Gene Simmons’s Net Worth in 2024
Gene Simmons’ net worth is estimated to be around $400 million as of February 2024. His income comes from his own clothing line, acting, his own magazine, and hosting reality television shows.
Gene had a long and successful career as a member of the rock band KISS. However, as their musical tastes diverged, he chose to become an actor in order to stay in the entertainment industry. He discovered his true talent in hosting reality TV shows, and his shows are watched by millions of people around the world.
Gene Simmons Wife, Marriage
Gene Simmons had relationships with both Cher and Diana Ross. He did, however, marry Shannon Lee Tweed in October 2011, after dating her for 28 years. They have two children, Nick and Sophie, together.
He has lived a life fraught with controversy. For example, in 2004, in Melbourne, he is said to have described Islam as vile, despite his intention to condemn religious extremists in particular.
His former girlfriend, Georgeann Walsh Ward, filed a defamation suit against him in 2005, which was later settled out of court.
He made headlines in 2008 when a sex tape featuring him and an unknown woman was released. Gene claimed the tape was made without his permission.
