THE GONG SHOW Host Chuck Barris Dies at Age 87

Variety reports that Chuck Barris, perhaps best known as the host of the wacky TV talent competition "The Gong Show"and creator of "The Dating Game" and "The Newlywed Game," passed away Tuesday, March 21st of natural causes in Palisades, N.Y. at the age of 87. His publicist confirmed the news of his passing.

Barris got his start in television as a page and later staffer at NBC in New York City, and eventually worked backstage at the television music show American Bandstand. He produced pop music on records and television, but his most successful venture was writing "Palisades Park". Recorded by Freddy Cannon, it peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks (June 23-30, 1962), the biggest hit of Cannon's career.

Barris formed his production company Chuck Barris Productions and in 1965 went on to create The Dating Game on ABC. Hosted by Jim Lange, the show would air for eleven of the next fifteen years and be revived twice in the 1980s and 1990s. The next year Barris began The Newlywed Game, also for ABC.

Barris created several other short-lived game shows for ABC in the 1960s and for Syndication in the 1970s. Barris also made several attempts through the years at non-game formats, such as ABC's Operation: Entertainment, a variety show staged at military bases akin to USO shows; a CBS revival of Your Hit Parade; and The Bobby Vinton Show, a Canadian-based Syndicated variety show for singer Bobby Vinton.

Watch a clip from THE GONG SHOW below: