George Salapatas, born on the 20th of November 1925 in Chicago, Illinois USA, of Greek descent, was known as George Barris in the field of car designing. He gained fame for creating automobiles for Hollywood, including the iconic Batmobile and Munster Koach. Barris’ net worth experienced a significant increase due to his remarkable designing skills and knowledge of cars. His career remained active from the 1940s until 2010. He passed away in 2015.
Have you ever wondered how rich George Barris was at the time of his death? According to authoritative sources, it has been estimated that Barris’ net worth was as high as $10 million, earned through his successful career as a car designer.
George Barris Net Worth $10 Million
George Barris was born into the family of Greek immigrants. When he was three years old, his father sent him and his brother Sam to live with their uncle in Roseville, California. George developed an interest in cars at an early age, and by the age of seven, he was already making car models and winning contests. Working at the Greek family restaurant with his brother, they saved enough to purchase their first car, a 1925 Buick. Despite its poor condition, the brothers improved it, made modifications, and later sold it for a profit. This was the first of George’s many custom cars.
After attending San Juan High School, Barris moved to Los Angeles at the age of 18 and opened Barris Custom Shop. Following his discharge from the army, Sam joined his brother in L.A., and they began working on custom cars for private buyers before catching the attention of the movie industry. They were then asked to design cars for Hollywood stars and executives, as well as for use as props in films. Their first car used in a movie was in “High School Confidential” in 1958.
Barris subsequently designed various cars for movies, including the Ford police car in “North by Northwest” (1959), a modified Plymouth Barracuda for “Fireball 500” (1966), a Mercury station wagon for “The Silencers” (1966), and a Dodge Charger for “Thunder Alley” (1967). Furthermore, he created vehicles for films such as “Supervan” (1967) and the Lincoln Continental Mark III for “The Car” (1977), all of which significantly augmented George‘s net worth.
Arguably, Barris’ most notable work was when the ABC executives commissioned him to create the signature car for the TV series “Batman” (1966-1968). Due to time constraints, George used his Lincoln Futura as a base, and the resulting Batmobile became an international sensation. It remained under Barris’ ownership until he sold it at auction for $4,620,000 in 2013. The sale of this famous vehicle made a substantial contribution to his net worth.
Barris also constructed and modified cars for celebrities such as Zsa Zsa Gabor, Bob Hope, Elton John, Ann-Margret, Bing Crosby, and Glen Campbell. He further modified cars for John Wayne, Elvis, Dean Martin, and Sonny and Cher, all of which added significantly to his net worth. Later in his career, he worked on a Toyota Prius for The New York Times in 2005 and designed a special 2010 Chevrolet Camaro Spirit, further contributing to his net worth.
In his personal life, George Barris married Shirley Nahas in 1958, and they remained together until her passing in 2001. They had two children together. George Barris passed away peacefully in his sleep at home in Encino, California, in November 2015.
Structural Info
Facts
Filmography
Awards
Full Name
George Barris
Net Worth
$10 Million
Date of Birth
November 20, 1925, Chicago, Illinois, United States
Died
November 5, 2015, Encino, Los Angeles, California, United States
Profession
Businessman, Designer for Hot rod art, automobile customizing and pinstriping, Builder of many famous Hollywood custom cars
Education
San Juan High School
Nationality
American
Spouse
Shirley Nahas (m. 1958–2001, her death)
Children
Joji Barris, Brett Barris
Parents
Fanicia Barakaris, James Salapatas
Siblings
Sam Salapatas
Facebook
Twitter
IMDB
Movies
“North by Northwest” (1959), “The Beverly Hillbillies” (1962), “Fireball 500” (1966), “Back to the Future”, “The Silencers” (1966), “Thunder Alley” (1967), “Bearcats!” (1971), “Supervan” (1967), “The Car” (1977), “Batman” (1966), “Supervan” (1977)
TV Shows
“The Beverly Hillbillies” (1962-1963), “The Late Show” (1988), “TV Land’s Top Ten”, “TV’s Greatest Cars” (2004), “The Batmobile” (2012, documentary), “G4 Presents Comic Con 2012 Live Z” (2012)
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Fact
1
Still running Barris Kustom Industries in Toluca Lake, California. [1999]
2
Well known builder of hot rods and custom cars, such as the Batmobile from Batman (1966) and the truck from The Beverly Hillbillies (1962).
Miscellaneous
Title
Year
Status
Character
James Dean: Live Fast, Die Young
1997
race car: Kustom Spyder
Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie
1997
car customizer
Jurassic Park
1993
car modifications – uncredited
Knight Rider
1982
TV Series car designer
The Dukes of Hazzard
1979
TV Series car modifications
The Car
1977
car customizing
Supervan
1977
car customizer
Bearcats!
1971
TV Series car – 13 episodes
The Bugaloos
1970-1971
TV Series car designer – 14 episodes
The Beverly Hillbillies
TV Series car designer – 3 episodes, 1962 – 1963 production assistant – 1 episode, 1968
