John Barbour

John Barbour (born April 24, 1933 in Toronto, Ontario) known as the godfather of reality TV, is an actor, comedian, television host and is the only performer in TV to win Emmys for both entertainment and news shows. Barbour is known as one of the hosts of the NBC reality television series Real People for which he was also a creator and co-producer.

Career
Barbour moved to the United States in the early 1960s. His comedy act, particularly his 1965 album It's Tough to Be White dealt in part with civil rights and black-white relations.

Barbour is perhaps best known for creating and appearing in the hit 1970s TV show Real People. He also hosted the pilot for The Gong Show in the mid-1970s (walking away from the show in objection to its farcical premise and forcing producer Chuck Barris to step in front of the cameras as host) and was a regular panelists on the 1988 Canadian (US syndicated) version of Liar's Club.

Baubour portrayed a game show host named Harry Monte (spoof of the late Monty Hall) for the game show spoof Wheel and Deal (spoof of Let's Make a Deal) in the 1975 episode called The Masquerade Party of the formerly popular hit sitcom Sanford and Son''.

Barbour wrote and narrated Keith Burns' documentary called Ernie Kovacs: Television Original Genius.

Barbour also directed and wrote the 1922 documentary The JFK Assassination: The Jim Garrison Tapes. This film covers the investigation of District Attorney Jim Garrison who after the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy decided to further investigate the official report given by the Warren Commission. The documentary hypothesizes connections between the assassinations and the FBI, the CIA, the Mafia the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Vietnam War and other organizations and foreign affairs issues. The film won an award in 1993 at the San Sebastian Film Festival in Spain.

Show Hosted
The Gong Show (1976 pilot)

Show appeared
The New Liar's Club

Link
VH1: John Barbour bio