Gene Simmons

Biography: Blood-spitting, fire-breathing rock-and-roll showman; notorious ladies' man; marketing genius and entertainment mogul: Simmons wears many hats, or more accurately, a lot of makeup. His résumé is quite eclectic for an Israeli-born fellow who once taught sixth grade in Spanish Harlem. In the 1970s, Simmons played bass, sang in a variety of outfits, and eventually hooked up with guitarist-singer Paul Stanley. Along with drummer Peter Criss and guitarist Ace Frehley, they formed KISS, one of the most theatrical, over-the-top bands ever, and Simmons was the driving force behind its success. Playing simple but catchy hard-rock anthems and sporting skintight spandex outfits, huge platform shoes, metal spikes and Kabuki-like black-and-white face paint, the group exploded onto the music scene (literally, as their concerts were filled with pyrotechnics). KISS mania ran rampant, and soon the marketplace was flooded with everything from KISS comic books to TV-movies (such as the infamousBlood-spitting, fire-breathing rock-and-roll showman; notorious ladies' man; marketing genius and entertainment mogul: Simmons wears many hats, or more accurately, a lot of makeup. His résumé is quite eclectic for an Israeli-born fellow who once taught sixth grade in Spanish Harlem. In the 1970s, Simmons played bass, sang in a variety of outfits, and eventually hooked up with guitarist-singer Paul Stanley. Along with drummer Peter Criss and guitarist Ace Frehley, they formed KISS, one of the most theatrical, over-the-top bands ever, and Simmons was the driving force behind its success. Playing simple but catchy hard-rock anthems and sporting skintight spandex outfits, huge platform shoes, metal spikes and Kabuki-like black-and-white face paint, the group exploded onto the music scene (literally, as their concerts were filled with pyrotechnics). KISS mania ran rampant, and soon the marketplace was flooded with everything from KISS comic books to TV-movies (such as the infamous KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park) to masks. Although the band changed its lineup numerous times and its popularity waxed and waned over the years, Simmons had a knack for remaining in the spotlight with a variety of projects, whether it was penning his autobiography, launching a magazine (named Tongue, of course), overacting in a number of films (Wanted: Dead or Alive, Runaway), bragging about his sexual conquests (4,600 and counting) or hawking bizarre products (a KISS coffin that doubled as a beer cooler). Never one to ignore a trend, in the 2000s he tried his own reality series: the lackluster Gene Simmons' Rock School, in which he taught kids how to rock out, and Gene Simmons Family Jewels, a more successful, Osbournes-like, behind-the-scenes look at his home life with longtime companion Shannon Tweed and their two children. In his spare time, Simmons enjoys studying foreign languages and speaks Hungarian, Hebrew, German and Japanese...and hopes to tackle Mandarin Chinese. Expand

Gene Simmons' Scores

  • Movies
  • TV
Average career score: 49
Highest Metascore: 65 Creem: America's Only Rock 'n' Roll Magazine
Lowest Metascore: 13 Armed Response
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 12
  2. Negative: 4 out of 12
12 movie reviews
Title: Year: Credit: User score:
64 Rock Camp: The Movie Jan 15, 2021 Self tbd
tbd Chuck Berry: The Original King of Rock ‘n’ Roll Sep 2, 2020 Self tbd
65 Creem: America's Only Rock 'n' Roll Magazine Aug 7, 2020 Self - KISS tbd
13 Armed Response Aug 4, 2017 Producer / Producer / Producer / Cast / Cast / Cast 5.3
39 Why Him? Dec 23, 2016 Himself - KISS 7.8
64 We Are X Oct 21, 2016 Himself tbd
64 Sample This Sep 13, 2013 Narrator tbd
tbd Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage Jun 10, 2010 Himself 9.4
61 Extract Sep 4, 2009 Joe Adler 6.0
24 The New Guy May 10, 2002 Reverend / Reverend 8.6
33 Detroit Rock City Aug 13, 1999 Producer 7.9
58 The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years Jun 17, 1988 Himself tbd
57 Trick or Treat Oct 24, 1986 Nuke tbd
50 Runaway Dec 14, 1984 Luther / Luther 5.3