The series, however, had financial benefits. He and his family moved into a beautiful Georgian colonial house which he called, "Bat's Belfry," he owned a 40-acre orange ranch, had mines in Nevada and was half-owner of a construction company. He piloted his 37-foot cabin cruiser in the Catalina waters and drove a Lincoln Continental. He bought land in Los Angeles where he and his construction partner planned to erect apartments and office buildings. He formed a television producing company, Barbety Enterprises, which owned part interest in "Burke's Law." That made up for those early years when life was not so secure. "Most years I was lucky to make $2,000. When Mike was born in 1946, Betty and I wondered how we could pay the doctor bill. When I bought a used car, I was such a lousy risk my brother-in-law had to sign the note. Those were tough years. If you want to enjoy the simple things in life, you've got to be rich. Burke's Law."

In 1964, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association honored Gene Barry with a Golden Globe Award for Best Television Star (Male). His "Burke's Law" show also received a Golden Globe Award, tying with "The Rogues."

But a change in the format and title was made in September 1965. After 2 seasons as the richest cop in the world, Amos Burke fired his chauffeur, left his staff to mind the squad room, and joined the government as "Amos Burke: Secret Agent." The producers felt that the character needed a change ... a 007 kind of change. He would be a debonair, globe-trotting secret agent who had the world as his beat and would be involved personally in the crimes. "Instead of my being out to get them, they'll be out to get me." However, the show perished opposite the new hit, "I Spy," which, unlike "Amos Burke: Secret Agent," was aired in color.

Happiness smiled again upon the Barry household with the arrival of their third child, daughter Elizabeth (Liza), whom they adopted in 1967.

Gene Barry had been actively involved in politics for a number of years, and was an avid campaign supporter of Robert Kennedy. He was with him the night he was assassinated. On that fateful day in 1968, Gene had just come from Salt Lake City where he had opened the campaign headquarters of RFK and was in the Los Angeles rally at the Ambassador Hotel where he announced the arrival of their favorite Presidential candidate. "Betty and I were both with him that terrible night. After what turned out to be his final speech, after he said, 'On to Chicago,' he turned to me and said, 'Thank you, Gene, for all your help.' I was going to follow him to the rear exit, but at the last moment, I pulled Betty back and said, 'We've been with him. Let's not go out the back way.' In that moment the shot or shots rang out." Gene Barry lost a very good friend that evening.

A few years later, the television viewer had another Gene Barry series to enjoy, "The Name of the Game." Still dapper and flamboyant, Barry played Glenn Howard, the multi-millionaire publisher of People magazine and CEO of Howard Publications. The 90-minute adventure series was quite an innovation, offering feature film length episodes every week. Along with Barry, Robert Stack and Tony Franciosa were featured in their own self-contained episodes of uncovering story material on a rotating basis. The three characters were globe-trotting journalists with noses for news and uncanny talents for crimebusting.