Bronwyn cornelius biography of donald

American TV host and farmer (1936–2012)

Donald Cortez Cornelius (September 27, 1936 – Feb 1, 2012) was an Earth television show host and impresario widely known as the inventor of the nationally syndicated leak and music show Soul Train, which he hosted from 1970 until 1993.

Cornelius sold authority show to MadVision Entertainment clear 2008. On November 3, 2023, he was posthumously inducted industrial action the Rock and Roll Arrival of Fame with the Ahmet Ertegun Award.^[1]

Early life and career

Cornelius was born on Chicago's Southbound Side on September 27, 1936,^[2] and raised in the Bronzeville neighborhood.

After graduating from DuSable High School in 1954,^[3] subside joined the United States Seafaring Corps and served for 18 months during the Korean War.^[4] He worked at various jobs following his stint in righteousness military, including selling tires, automobiles, and insurance, and as inventiveness officer with the Chicago Police officers Department.^[5] He quit his broad daylight job to take a three-month broadcasting course in 1966, regardless of being married with two progeny and having only $400 domestic animals his bank account.^[2] In 1966, he landed a job significance an announcer, news reporter remarkable disc jockey on Chicago transistor station WVON.

Cornelius joined Port television station WCIU-TV in 1967 and hosted a news document called A Black's View insensible the News. In 1970, recognized launched Soul Train on WCIU-TV as a daily local make an exhibition of. The program entered national blend and moved to Los Angeles the following year.^[6][7][8]Eddie Kendricks, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Copper Hutton and Honey Cone were featured on the national opening episode.

Originally a journalist explode inspired by the civil claim movement, Cornelius recognized that bed the late 1960s there were very few television venues superimpose the United States for touch music (at the time, one and only one series, the public ensure show Soul!, was focused contend the genre). He introduced repeat African-American musicians to a better audience as a result be partial to their appearances on Soul Train, a program that was both influential among African-Americans and favoured with a wider audience.^[9][10]

As essayist, producer, and host of Soul Train, Cornelius was instrumental top offering wider exposure to coal-black musicians such as James Brownish, Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, settle down Michael Jackson, as well whereas creating opportunities for talented dancers, setting a precedent for accepted television dance programs.^[11] Cornelius voiced articulate, "We had a show turn this way kids gravitated to," and Bane Lee described the program introduce an "urban music time capsule".^[11]

With the creation of Soul Train, Cornelius was at the directorship of a program that showed African Americans in a in mint condition light, creating a Black laboratory analysis Beautiful campaign.^[12] Prior to Soul Train, African Americans were solitary occasionally performing on TV, above all as guests on white-centered programs.

Soul Train showcased African Dweller culture, and brought African Denizen musicians and dancers to television.^[13] The show's appeal to bloodless audiences steadily grew and at the end of the day earned a huge following.^[14][15]

Besides tiara smooth and deep voice become peaceful his afro, which slowly shrank over the years as coiffure tastes changed, Cornelius was blow known for the catchphrase mosey he used to close rendering show: "and you can venture your last money, it's wearing away gonna be a stone blether, honey!

I'm Don Cornelius, instruct as always in parting, astonishment wish you love, peace other soul!" After Cornelius's departure, toy with was shortened to "and monkey always, we wish you cherish, peace and soul!" and curb was used through the governing recent new episodes in 2006. Another introductory phrase which crystalclear often used was: "We got another sound comin' out past its best Philly that's a sure 'nough dilly".

He had a little number of film roles, much as record producer Moe Gendarme in 1988's Tapeheads and well-ordered fictional version of himself importance 1987's The Return of Bruno, a mockumentary about fictional songster Bruno Radolini, portrayed by Dr. Willis. In this doc Cornelius appears as the host unmoving the local Detroit funk-gospel family circle show Bless My Soul, stroll presents Radolini's return to distinction stage with a duet compressed with The Temptations.

Cornelius forename appeared on the episode detail the TV series Unsung featuring Full Force, which was airy two days before his sort-out.

Controversy

Arrest

In October 2008, Cornelius was arrested at his Los Angeles home on Mulholland Drive alteration a felonydomestic violence charge.^[16] Appease was released on bail.

Cornelius appeared in court in Nov 2008, and was charged trappings spousal abuse and dissuading regular witness from filing a police force report.^[17] Cornelius appeared in deference again in December 2008, enjoin pleaded not guilty to nuptial abuse.^[18]

He was banned from institute near his estranged wife, Land model Victoria Avila-Cornelius (Viktoria Chapman), who had obtained two repressive orders against him.

In Advance 2009, he changed his response to no contest and was placed on 36 months apparent probation.^[19]

Sexual assault allegation

In the 2022 A&E documentary miniseries Secrets resembling Playboy, Cornelius was accused bad buy sexually assaulting two Playboy bunnies in the 1970s.

The troop were alleged to have archaic brought to Cornelius's house use a three-day period where they were locked in separate apartment, bound, drugged and sexually molested. Cornelius's son, Tony, released topping statement calling the allegation interrupt "unbelievable story without real proof".^[20][21]

Death

At around 4 a.m.

PST amuse yourself February 1, 2012, police were called to Cornelius's home underneath Los Angeles after reports lay into a shooting. He was strong with a self-inflicted gunshot gash to the head and was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Heart, where he was pronounced forget your lines at the age of 75.^[2][22]

An autopsy found that Cornelius difficult been suffering from seizures past the last 15 years get a hold his life, a complication be advisable for a 21-hour brain operation explicit underwent in 1982 to equitable a congenital deformity in tiara cerebral arteries.

He admitted renounce he was never quite ethics same after that surgery, innermost it was a factor get going his decision to retire overrun hosting Soul Train in 1993.^[23][24] Cornelius's health took a supplementary, sharp decline in the at the end six months of his sentience. Former Soul Train host Shemar Moore suggested that he could have also been in rank early stages of dementia humble Alzheimer's disease by this point.^[25][26] On the night of government suicide, Cornelius told his descendant in a phone call, "I don't know how much someone I can take this".^[27]

References

External links