- Born
- Died
- Birth nameErnest Eugene Barnes Jr.
- Height6′ 3″ (1.91 m)
- Ernie Barnes was born in Durham, North Carolina, USA. He is known for his art on Good Times (1974), specifically "The Sugar Shack," the iconic dance painting which sold for over $15 million in 2022. Barnes' work is in museums, institutions and collected internationally. He is the first American professional athlete to become a noted painter.- IMDb Mini Biography By: Estate of Ernie Barnes
- SpousesBernadine Gradney(December 1984 - April 27, 2009) (his death)Janet Thaleen Norton(December 23, 1965 - January 17, 1983) (divorced, 3 children)Andrea Burnett(July 1957 - December 1965) (divorced, 2 children)
- Was paid his final football season by New York Jets owner Sonny Werblin "to just paint." A year later, Barnes debuted his art in a solo exhibition at a prestigious Manhattan gallery. The show sold out and he subsequently retired from football.
- Played offensive guard for the New York Titans (1960), San Diego Chargers (1961-1962), and Denver Broncos (1963-1964).
- Appeared on a 1967 episode of the game show "To Tell The Truth" The panelists correctly guessed Barnes was the professional football player-turned-artist.
- In 1971, along with Mike Henry, created the "Super Comedy Bowl," a CBS television variety special which showcased pro athletes with celebrities such as John Wayne, Frank Gifford, Alex Karras, Joe Namath, Jack Lemmon, Lucille Ball, Carol Burnett and Tony Curtis. A second special aired in 1972.
- His iconic painting "The Sugar Shack" gained international recognition when it appeared on the television series "Good Times" (1974-1979) and on a 1976 Marvin Gaye album. Throughout the television series, most of the paintings are works by Ernie Barnes.
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content