Robert Stigwood

Australian-born agent, producer, arranger, publisher, manager, impresario, and entertainment entrepreneur. Though largely active in the 1960s and 1970s, his career extended into the new Millennium. Stigwood initially began as a theatrical agent in London in the late-1950s, but through the unexpected success of one of his actors turned singer, John Leyton, he began, along with his associate Joe Meek, to produce music. The success of Leyton's 'Johnny Remember Me' led to other production work during the early-1960s, for acts such as Billy Boyle, Mike Sarne, The Innocents (2), and Don Spencer. Having also become Leyton's manager he decided to take on other acts for his roster, and would eventually go on to represent Mike Berry, Cream, and the Bee Gees, amongst others. In 1966, he formed the record label Reaction, on which he released tracks by The Who, and Cream, but it was short-lived and in January 1967 he merged his business with that of his friend, Brian Epstein, who in-turn made him manager of NEMS Enterprises. However, after the untimely death of Brian Epstein in August of that year, ownership passed to Epstein's brother, Clive. Stigwood remained with NEMS until December, when he chose to leave the company and form his own, The Robert Stigwood Organisation. In 1968 he returned to theatre with the musical 'Hair', which was followed in 1970 by 'Jesus Christ Superstar'; both of which were highly acclaimed. In the early-1970s he branched-out into film production and was subsequently involved in 'Tommy' (1975), 'Saturday Night Fever' (1977), 'Grease' (1978), The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Fame (1980), 'Gallipoli' (1981), and 'Evita' (1996), to name but a few. Born: 16th April 1934, in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. Died: 4th January 2016 [aged 81], in London, United Kingdom