Doors Co-Manager Passes
Danny Sugerman Dead at 50
 Danny Sugerman, who first saw The Doors in concert in 1967 and landed a job at their West Hollywood office answering fan mail, eventually becoming the group's manager, died last night, at the age of 50, after a long struggle with lung cancer. Born in L.A. in 1954, Sugerman attended Westchester High School and immediately became involved with The Doors. He co-wrote the 1981 N.Y. Times best-selling Jim Morrison biography, No One Here Gets Out Alive, with Jerry Hopkins, then followed up with the autobiographical Wonderland Avenue and books on Guns N' Roses and The Doors. Sugerman also consulted Oliver Stone on his 1990 movie The Doors, which starred Val Kilmer as Morrison. Danny had been co-managing The Doors with Jeff Jampol and The Firm. Said John Densmore, The Doors drummer, “Throughout his time with us that stretched from the 14-year-old kid who Jim Morrison suggested we hire to do our scrapbook, up until his passing on January 5th 2005, at age 50, Danny Sugerman has been the manager and driving force behind The Doors. He wrote a New York Times bestseller about the band and guided our career for over 30 years. I was with Danny a couple of hours before he passed, he knew he was going, and I only hope that when my time comes, I face it with as much courage and dignity as Danny did. He crossed over as a Bhodi Sattva.” Sugerman is survived by a brother, Dr. Joseph, sister, Nan, and wife, the former Fawn Hall. A recovering addict, he was active with organizations like the Drug Policy Foundation, Musicians Assistance Program and NARAS’ MusiCares Foundation. Private services are being planned. The family is requesting that in lieu of flowers, a donation be made in Danny’s name to the MusiCares/MAP Fund, 817 S. Vine Street, Hollywood, CA, 90038.
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Comments:
Another soul that will be missed. I enjoyed his books and I hope he is with Jim, wherever he may be.
Hope to see you again in another dimension.
I think that 2005 minus 1954 makes him 51 not 50.
Danny, you are greatly missed. Although I never knew you, I will never forget you. I believe that you were a wonderful person. Rest in peace...
man, i´m ear. now again.
´ll see you again. new creations will
become again, it´s just waters behind us. frendly.
i willl his miss his works, i so loved his book.
One by one the leaves fall from the tree. At 55 I have already out-lived some of my friends and many of my influences. If there is a band in Heaven then I want front row seats.
I actually had the pleasure of talking on the phone to Danny about 10 years ago. He was very nice and helpful in finding what I was looking for. All I can think about is what it must have been like back in those days. To see a Doors Concert.
Very sad...I read his book on the Doors 25 years ago and it left quite an impression on me as a 18 year old young man.
Danny, rest in peace. We will see you another day.
Peace,
Kerry Stephenson
I'm a musician from Italy and I really know the great job a manager can do with an artist,and if a project is successful it is also because of people who work behind the scenes like Danny did. So, thanks Danny for giving us the Doors as we know today, and for allowing me, now 28 years old, to understand the Jim's figure, and for bringing it in my job.
Great gratitude...Lu
I was born in 1954 myself here in the UK, and have just been buying up the digital remasters of the Doors great 6 studio album, which brought me to the sad news of Dannys death. What a joy, and what a great job has been done with these sonic recordings. Danny cherished the music of the perceptive Doors. Break on through to the other side, something all us Doors fans worldwide will do one day...see you there...RIP Danny
please say HI to Jim, never forget you, we miss you brave man
danny sugerman was an outstanding man as far as THE DOORS goes. I am shocked.
Let Jim know that his legacy is being preserved today by the many inspired by his music, poetry, and aspects of life. Neither of you will be forgotten...cause there is still some of us who spread Jim's philosophy still today...through their own forms of art.
do you like the doors, no i mean do you realy like the doors there are two kinds of people in this world those who get the doors and those who dont. i was to young to enjoy a doors concert and jim took the long vacation a couple of years before i hit the proper age but thanx to danny and the rest of the doors and some friends with a whole lota homegrown hey lol i found the doors one afternoon in 1974 thx danny for keepin the faith i hope i can meet ya when i break on through
MARCUS
dear old friend you will be missed... Now it's time to fly. Let me tell you about Danny Sugerman he was true friend, not a whole lot of people left like him in the world.danny was the key to unlocking the doors for the whole world to see... Now that special key is in a safe place. I'am very sad today, my heart and love go out to your family. THANK YOU!!! goodbye old friend,goodbye you gentle man, my friend Danny Sugerman - Jim
Danny authored a wonderful book on the doors, great perspective. His vision and presence will be missed.
God bless you Danny, thank you for your time here. PM
I met Danny just once. I said hello and he took a few minutes to talk to me. He made me feel special. I had one special memory of Jim, which I shared with him . . . I saw a young girl offer him a rose . . . and he took it with such style and grace. Danny . . . I offer you a rose and a word of thanks. I carry the memory, which I will always cherish.
I am really sorry for the loss of a great guy.
David Morris
Say hello to Jim for me, I'm from argentina, look how far get the doors around the world............. and rest in peace
Danny.....party hearty with Jim and Paul Rothchild now! Death is life.......break on through........
I met Danny in 1986 when as editor of Guitar World I came out here to visit. He was real mishpucha, a mensch of the highest order. As Jimi said, "See you in the next world, don't be late" - Noe the G
Good to see you again, tiker man
Interesting man to say the least!
sad sad Now He Broke on Threw To The other Side. Say Hi To Jim!
i didnt know him but jim liked him, and i didnt know jim, i know everything the media knows about jim, ive read books, magazines, i read dannys book, all i know is he was a good dude, the world is slowly subtracting into this hell filled with sluts and violence inspired by rap
cwm
Party with Jim, Danny. You broke on through to the other side.
Danny turned me on to The Doors. Amazing legacy!
J.M.
I loved reading your record reviews and book on the doors. See you in the next world.
You will meet Jim again. tell him, we miss him!
sorry to hear of his passing he knew so much of Jim morrison & company. He ill be missed-like JIm once said "no one gets out alive". see ya :-)
just a fan of the doors. good night and god bless America.
Let the soft parade continue for all the unknown soldiers. thanks for the music, steve
When I worked in camp Timber Lake in 1968, the camp band was a Doors cover band. We used to go to Woodstock, NY to go bowling or see a movie in a a remade church. From my travels the "Riders on the Storm" were popular in Canada. Howard Wirth auditioned to "replace" Jim ("Audience" opened for Led Z. and later "Moonbeams" and back again, popular in Italy) I read. Jim's Wiccan wife (at Magical Child?) after Mr. Sugarman's death, wrote an article in NYC Daily News about celebrating Halloween as "Samhain" the "end of summer" or a new year. It's too bad that he didn't kick those butts.
Goodbye my friend. Thanks for the memories. God Bless.
ohh how sad i was hoping to talk to him about the doors,,,,rest in peace with jim now!!!
Danny's books were influential in my life in a way few others have been. He opened up a lot of possibilities in my mind. I hope he's blissful now in a way that we here can't even begin to imagine.
Danny made us all feel like we were there. Rest easy my brother. TC
I just finished Danny's book Wonderland Avenue. I read it in about 4 days! I loved it so much i couldnt put the damn thing down. thank you so much you made a great influence on me im only 18 and have experienced a few similar things and your book hit me right at home. Im just starting noone here gets out alive. RIP hopefully see you in the future
Peace~ Rene D.
Thanks Danny for giving us the Doors... From Mexico
It is no coincidence that music today no where nears the quality or essence that existed during the days of The Doors. It's people like Danny that worked behind the scenes that allowed the musicians to feel at ease. They were therefore able to do their best and expand their creativity to unlimited heights. Thank you Danny. May many more like you follow. May God Bless You and your surviving family and friends. Don G., Upper Saddle River, NJ
I met Danny & his mother at a Wild Child show in 1987 at the Roxy in Hollywood. He was kind enough to give me his backstage pass as he was leaving, obviously sensing my incredible passion for the Doors music as a young man. He was a highly intelligent, caring & articulate human being & his passing saddens me so. God Bless him & his family.
As a recently-turned 50-year old myself, the passing of someone so young always hits home. I recetly read the book Life Death Legend - the Jim Morrison story and came to understand the "saga of The Doors" more clearly. Rest in Peace, Danny - say hello to Jim and Pamela....it is the prayer of all Doors fans that they, too, have found the peace that alluded them on Earth.
I know Jim thought very highly of you and you of him. Now you can be reunited. I thank you for all the knowledge passed on fron your books.Peace M.A.R.
As I get to know the world of The Doors better and better, I wish more and more than Danny was still around. His integrity, decency and kindness to others is reflected incredibly in what is written here, ahead of me. The Doors could really do with your strength and spirit right now. Thanks for everything Daniel, wherever you are now.
YOu guys should reissue "The Shoes - Best Of"
as well as "Lucifer's Friend"
rest in peace dude...Thank you for changing my life...
I will miss u...
A.S
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