George Barris

George Barris (born George Salapatas; November 20, 1925 – November 5, 2015) was an American designer and builder of Hollywood custom cars. Barris designed and built the Hirohata Merc. Barris's company, Barris Kustom Industries, designed and built the Munster Koach and DRAG-U-LA for The Munsters; and the 1966 Batmobile for the Batman TV series and film.

Born in Chicago on November 20, 1925, Barris and his brother Sam moved to California to live with relatives. By his high school graduation, Barris had customized and sold multiple cars. He moved to Los Angeles at the age of eighteen to build custom cars for private buyers, including the Hirohata Merc in 1951. In the 1950s, Barris's business became Barris Kustom Industries. Barris's company designed and built vehicles for multiple television series in the 1960s, including Batman, The Munsters, and The Beverly Hillbillies. Barris's company designed and built custom cars for celebrities and private individuals. His company also built replicas of cars.

Barris died in Encino, Los Angeles on November 5, 2015.