Peter Criss

George Peter John Criscuola (born December 20, 1945, Brooklyn New York. Better known by his stage name Peter Criss, is a American musician and actor, best known as a co-founder, original drummer, and occasional vocalist of the hard rock band Kiss. Criss established the “Catman” character for his Kiss persona.

In the mid 1980s, Peter Criss played around Los Angeles in a band called Balls of Fire with John (JP) Pakalenka, Jane Booke and .
After that, Criss and onetime Kiss guitarist formed a new band called the Keep, along with one-time vocalist and St. John’s brother on bass.

In the first half of the 1990s, Criss formed a band under his own name “Criss” with musicians , and . Later members included , , , and . Criss toured extensively and released an EP and an album.

In 2014, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Kiss.
In december 2025, the surviving members of the original lineup of KISS, Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley and Peter Criss, along with the late guitarist Ace Frehley‘s daughter Monique, were among the Kennedy Center honorees who were presented with their medals by U.S. president Donald Trump.