Gene Simmons was born in Haifa, Israel in 1949, and is the only child of his mother, a German Nazi Concentration Camp survivor.
He has always attributed his ethics, morals and drive to his mother's notion's about life. "Every day above ground, is a good day," his mother is apt to say. Every day above ground, indeed.
He came to America at eight and a half years of age.
He graduated State University (NYSU) and City University (CUNY) and got a Bachelor of Education degree.
He taught sixth grade in Spanish Harlem in New York City.
He then became the Assistant to the Director of the Puerto Rican InterAgency Council, a government funded research and demonstration project.
He worked at Glamour and then at Vogue, as the assistant to the editor, Kate Lloyd.
Gene speaks a few languages: English, Hungarian, Hebrew, German and is getting better at Japanese every day. At present, he is becoming fascinated by Mandarin Chinese and has every intention of becoming fluent in it.
After 28 years of Happily Unmarried Bliss, Gene and Shannon Tweed got married on October 1, 2011 at the Beverly Hills Hotel. The wedding was filming for GENE SIMMONS FAMILY JEWELS.
Tweed was born in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, to Donald Keith Tweed, a mink rancher and Louise Tweed. She was raised near Whitbourne, Newfoundland where her father had the family ranch, along with six siblings until she was 11 years old. After her father's tragic car accident, her mother moved the family back to the prairies where her first 2 children were born, and Tweed attended Caroline Robins Elementary School and graduated from Mount Royal Collegiate in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
Shannon became involved in beauty pageants at a young age. She moved east in 1978, she was Miss Ottawa Valley and the third runner-up in the Miss Canada Pageant. She won the Miss Canada talent competition for singing ,and decided to live in Toronto before seeking fame and fortune in Hollywood.
After the Canadian wish-fulfillment TV series Thrill of a Lifetime arranged for her to pose for Hugh Hefner's Playboy, she was chosen to be the Playmate of the Month for the November 1981 issue and eventually the Playmate of the Year for 1982. Since then, Tweed has primarily acted in TV series such as the HBO comedy 1st and Ten, the prime-time soap opera Falcon Crest and guest appearances on Frasier, Married With Children, Wings, Dukes of Hazzard, Baywatch, 21 Jump Street, Dear John, Murder She Wrote, and United States Of Tara among many others. In 1985, she landed a role on Days of our Lives as Savannah Wilder, remaining with the show until 1987. Shannon co-starred with David James Elliot as air-service proprietor Sally "Slick" Monroe on the diverting Canadian TV adventure weekly Fly By Night, but before retiring from show biz to raise her kids, she co-starred with Oliver Hudson and Michael DesBarres in My Guide To Becoming A RockStar.
Tweed has appeared in over 60 films, including Detroit Rock City, produced by Gene Simmons in 1999.
In 2006, Tweed authored an autobiography, Kiss and Tell, published by Phoenix Press.
After a brief relationship with Hugh Hefner, Tweed has lived with Gene Simmons of KISS since 1985. Their two children are Nicholas (born January 22, 1989) and Sophie (born July 7, 1992). The family members star in a reality television show on A&E entitled Gene Simmons Family Jewels. She also has two younger sisters, Tracy (born May 10, 1965), who is an actress and Sarah, who live in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, as well as an older sister Kim and 3 brothers Lance, Tarry and Jeff.
Tracy occasionally makes appearances on Gene Simmons Family Jewels.
1. Given Name:
Shannon Lee Tweed
2. Date of Birth:
March 10 1957
3. Place of Birth:
Markland, Newfoundland, Canada
4. Contributions, Awards & Achievements:
Over 160 television appearances.
Active with the NOH8 campaign against bullying. Avid animal rescuer, cancer awareness/fundraiser for Pink Lotus and Rally for Kids with Cancer.
Was president of Wildwood's High School PTA for 2 yrs and Parent activities co-ordinator for both upper and lower campus for 1yr.
Nick Tweed-Simmons is the son of Gene Simmons and Shannon Tweed. He was born on January 22, 1989.
Nick recently graduated from Pitzer College in Claremont, CA, with Honors in English and World Literature.
Nick has done voiceover work, is a Screen Actors Guild (SAG) member, and has appeared in a Dr Pepper commercial with his dad.
Nick is one of the stars of Gene Simmons Family Jewels on A&E, which has aired for seven seasons and is still going strong.
Nick and Sophie both love to sing, and most recently performed packed shows at River Rock Casino in Van BC, where they performed classic standards. He is putting a new band together currently. When he's not listening to blues and classic rock, Nick's other interests include writing, drawing, and philosophy.
Sophie Tweed-Simmons is the daughter of Gene Simmons and Shannon Tweed. She is currently earning her degree in Religious Studies at Pitzer College in Claremont, CA. She hopes to graduate early as a Junior.
Sophie is one of the stars of Gene Simmons Family Jewels. As well as being a television personality, Sophie has competed in high level competitive indoor volleyball in the United States and Europe. She also has a passion for Computer Engineering.
Sophie has been singing for years but never professionally until now. Most recently Sophie and her brother Nick Tweed-Simmons sang at the River Rock Casino and Resort in Vancouver, BC.
When she is not singing Sophie spends time setting up numerous charitable and philanthropic foundations such as Sophie's Place, in association with the Centre for Child Advocacy. Sophie's Place is a center for abused children to seek help in a kid-friendly, safe environment.
