What is Peter Criss’ Net Worth?
Peter Criss, the American rock star and actor, has a net worth of $5 million. He is widely known for being one of the original members of the legendary band, Kiss.
Criss formed Kiss by placing a work wanted ad in “Rolling Stone”, which was answered by Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley. He remained with the group for 14 albums before pursuing a solo career in 1980.
During his solo career, Criss released two albums and played with various bands before rejoining Kiss for a reunion tour from 1996-1997. The group released an album in 1998, but Criss faced criticism for only drumming on one song.
He left Kiss again in 2000 after destroying his drums on stage, but returned in 2002. He left the band for good in 2004 and attempted another solo album with the release of “One for All” in 2007.
In 2014, Criss was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Kiss.
Peter Criss Early Life
Peter Criss, born in Brooklyn, New York, on Dec. 20, 1945, was the oldest of five children from parents Loretta and Joseph Criscoula. The Criscoulas were a middle-class family that owned an antique shop. Criss had an early interest in art and music, particularly painting and swing music, and was not one for formal education.
Peter Criss: From Founding Kiss Drummer to Solo Artist
Peter Criss began drumming for small bands in New York in the early 1970s. He took out an ad in Rolling Stone Magazine looking for bandmates to form a new group. Aspiring musicians Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons responded to the ad, and the trio became the founding members of Kiss in 1973.
Kiss became the first group signed to Casablanca Records, but despite less than stellar record sales, they gained a respectable reputation and following from their live performances. A live album was recorded and released in 1975 as Alive!, a double live album that reached Gold record status. Destroyer was released in 1976 and contained huge anthemic hits for Kiss, including Shout It out Loud, Rock and Roll All Nite, and Detroit Rock City.
Criss wrote and sang the album’s biggest commercial success, the ballad Beth, which reached number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 and won a People’s Choice award in 1977. Kiss released six more albums before 1980, but relationships were strained, and Criss and guitarist Ace Frehley suffered from addictions to drugs and alcohol.
Criss claims he quit the group, but others say he was fired, and his issues with addiction may have contributed to his 1980 departure from Kiss. Criss went on to work on solo projects, music production, and made guest appearances on a number of albums. He has reunited with the group several times since his initial departure, but the hot and cold nature of the interpersonal relationships of the band have prevented a lasting reunion with the original members.
Criss retired from touring in 2017.
Peter Criss’ Acting Career
Peter Criss played himself in the 1978 made-for-television sci-fi movie “Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park”. He also made appearances in Fox networks “Millennium” and in 2002 played Martin Montgomery in the HBO drama “Oz.”
Impostor Claims to be Peter Criss in 1991 Star Magazine Interview
In a 1991 interview with Star magazine, a man claiming to be Peter Criss was depicted as broke, homeless, and living on the streets of Los Angeles. However, it was later revealed that the man giving the interview was not Criss, but a drifter named Christopher Dickinson who had made a deal with a reporter from Star magazine in exchange for $500 and a motel room.
Criss confronted Dickinson on The Phil Donahue Show later that year, where Dickinson admitted to impersonating Criss and claimed to have been under the influence of alcohol during the interview. Criss later discovered that Dickinson had been presenting himself as Criss for some time, and this was not an isolated incident.
Peter Criss’ Struggles with Drugs, Alcohol, and Cancer
Peter Criss faced issues with drugs and alcohol throughout the 1970s and 1980s, specifically with cocaine. His problems with substance abuse reportedly caused tensions among his bandmates and contributed to his departure from the band. However, Criss claims that he has been sober since 1984.
In 2008, Criss was diagnosed with male breast cancer after discovering a lump in his chest during a workout. He underwent a lumpectomy to remove the affected area and surrounding tissue, and as of 2021, he remains cancer-free.
Peter Criss’ Marriages
Peter Criss has been married three times. He first married Lydia Di Leonardy in 1970, but they divorced in 1979. He then married Debra Jensen, a former Playboy Playmate, but they divorced in 1994. In 1998, he married Gigi Criss, and they have been together since then.
Criss has one daughter, Jenilee, who was born in 1981.
Peter’s Home in Wall Township, NJ
Peter resides in a spacious residence located in Wall Township, NJ.
