Chuck Barris: ‘Gong Show’ Host Dead At 87

Chuck Barris, the game-show legend behind "The Newlywed Game" and "The Dating Game," has died of natural causes at the age of 87. The prolific producer became a star himself after taking over the hosting duties of "The Gong Show," where he oversaw a series of amateur talents who'd be gonged by celebrity judges like Jamie Farr, Rip Taylor and Jaye P. Morgan. The show became a massive hit after debuting in 1976, with Chuck overseeing multiple versions — and even starring in 1980's "The Gong Show Movie."

Chuck's show also made daytime heroes of The Unknown Comic and stagehand Gene Gene The Dancing Machine. His teenage daughter Della would also often appear to introduce her dad — although many viewers never knew that she ended up in a tragic downward spiral, even working as a prostitute before dying at 36 from a drug overdose. In a heartbreaking confession late in life, Chuck wrote a wrenching 2010 memoir about his failure to save Della from an early death.

Chuck's show also made daytime heroes of The Unknown Comic and stagehand Gene Gene The Dancing Machine. His teenage daughter Della would also often appear to introduce her dad — although many viewers never knew that she ended up in a tragic downward spiral, even working as a prostitute before dying at 36 from a drug overdose. In a heartbreaking confession late in life, Chuck wrote a wrenching 2010 memoir about his failure to save Della from an early death.

The book was an unexpected follow-up to Chuck's hit "autobiography" Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, where he added a sideline as a CIA assassin to a look back at his showbiz career. Chuck had divorced Della's mom in 1976, and married Robin Altman in 1980 — before divorcing in 1999 and marrying Mary Kane in 2000, who was with Chuck until his March 21, 2017, death in Palisade, New York. His home there had special meaning, since Chuck's first big showbiz success was penning the hit song "Palisades Park" in 1962. The eccentric star also made one last bow as a "Gong Show" host in 2004, showing up at a NYC school fundraiser to host their talent show after seeing a flyer promoting it as a "Gong Show" parody.