Neil Bogart

Bogart (far right) with Kiss.

Neil Bogart (February 3, 1943 – May 8, 1982) was an American record executive. He is perhaps best known as the founder of Casablanca Records, with Peter Guber.

Born Neil E. Bogatz in New York City, he grew up in the Glenwood Houses, the housing projects in the Flatlands section of Brooklyn. He was a singer in the 1960s, using the name Neil Scott, prior to running the Michigan offices of Cameo-Parkway Records.^{[citation needed]} After Cameo-Parkway was shut down by the government for stock fraud in 1968,^{[citation needed]} Bogart became an executive at Buddah Records. Bogart is credited with being a key player in the rise of bubblegum pop music during his time working at Cameo-Parkway and Buddha.

He started Casablanca in 1973 when he first signed KISS and later became identified with the rise of disco by promoting the career of acts such as Donna Summer and The Village People, (The Casablanca roster also contained rock acts such as T.Rex, but the label became best known for its disco product).

He died of cancer and lymphoma at age 39. Shortly before his death, he founded Boardwalk Records, and jumped on the New Wave bandwagon as disco was in decline. Joan Jett was among his last signings.^{[citation needed]}

He was interred at Hillside Memorial Park in Culver City, California. His death inspired the formation of the T.J. Martell Foundation for the assistance of cancer stricken children.^{[citation needed]} His wife, Joyce Bogart-Trabulus, teamed up with songwriter Carole Bayer Sager and founded the Neil Bogart Memorial Fund (now The Bogart Pediatric Cancer Research Program) in 1983. In 1984, the fund established its laboratories at the Children's Hospital in Los Angeles.

The KISS album Creatures of the Night was dedicated to the memory of Neil Bogart (the dedication is found on the back cover of the original vinyl release of the album near the bottom [Casablanca Records NBLP-7270]. The dedication is also found on the CD release on the inside of the CD insert where the CD credits are located [Casablanca Records/Mercury 314-532-391-2]. The dedication simply states "Neil Bogart 1943-1982").

Donna Summer's self-titled album from 1982 was also dedicated to Bogart's memory, and the liner notes contain one of Mr. Bogart's favorite sayings, "why head for the mountaintop when you're reaching for the sky".

In the 1980 film Can't Stop the Music, actor Paul Sand plays a record executive loosely based on Bogart.

Justin Timberlake has signed on to star in the feature Spinning Gold, a biopic of Neil Bogart filmed by Tim Bogart.

Bogart's Children: Jylle Bogart Barker, Timothy Scott Bogart, Bradley Bogart, Evan "Kidd" Bogart, is a songwriter in Los Angeles.

External links

• MP3.com biography page
• The Bogart Pediatric Cancer Research Program
• Neil Bogart at Find a Grave
• http://www.deadline.com/2011/09/justin-timberlake-to-portray-neil-bogart-in-feature-biopic-of-late-record-executive Justin Timberlake To Portray Neil Bogart In Feature Biopic Of Late Record Executive

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Name	Bogart, Neil
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Date of birth	February 3, 1943
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Date of death	May 8, 1982
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