Legendary Hollywood talent agent and Mercury Records co-founder BERLE ADAMS has died, aged 92.
Berle passed away on Tuesday (25Aug09) in Los Angeles following a long illness.
He founded the label in 1945 with partners Irving Green, Ray Greenberg and Art Talmadge – and recorded Frankie Laine’s 1947 tune That’s My Desire and Vic Damon’s I Have But One Heart.
In 1950 he began a 20-year career with MCA, where he represented Jack Benny, Rosemary Clooney, Alfred Hitchcock and Dinah Shore.
He was also responsible for packaging new TV programs and established the music company’s Uni Records, which signed The Who, Neil Diamond, Elton John and Olivia Newton-John.
In 1978, he served as executive producer of The Brass Target, starring Sophia Loren, John Cassavetes and Max von Sydow.
Berle is survived by a son, Richard, a daughter, Helen Kleinberg, four grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.