Jack Bean was a producer and personal manager who guided the career of his wife Mitzi Gaynor, a star of motion pictures, television musical specials and Las Vegas. He was also a successful public relations executive who introduced products like Wishbone Salad Dressing and Hamilton watches to the market. He died of pneumonia on December 4, 2006, at the age of 84, in his Beverly Hills home. This article will explore his life, achievements and legacy, as well as the details of his death and its impact on his family and friends.
Early Life and Career
Jack Bean was born on January 14, 1922, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He showed his talent for show business at the age of 14, when he booked the Benny Carter Band for a Saturday night dance event, which sold out. He continued to book known personalities in Minneapolis until he enlisted in the U.S. Army at 19, serving in the Battle of the Bulge during World War II. He was assigned to the Special Services division, where he organized and oversaw numerous USO tours for the troops.
After the war, he moved to New York, where he became a manager for the Joe Mooney Quartet, a jazz group. He then moved to Los Angeles, where he earned his master’s degree in psychology at USC. He worked with mentally ill war veterans, using his show business connections to bring celebrities like Charles Laughton and Orson Welles to perform for them as part of their therapy.
He returned to show business as an agent for singer Ella Fitzgerald and others at Music Corp. of America. There, he met Mitzi Gaynor, who was under contract to 20th Century Fox and already the star of movies like Golden Girl. She asked him to become her agent, and he agreed. They fell in love and got married in 1954.
Producing and Managing Mitzi Gaynor
Jack Bean was instrumental in advancing Mitzi Gaynor’s career, both in film and on stage. He fought for her to star in the film version of South Pacific, the biggest hit musical of the time, which became one of her biggest films, a major box office blockbuster and, to this day, at more than five years, the longest-running motion picture in London.
He also produced and managed her theatrical act, which toured the country and performed in venues like the London Palladium and the Hollywood Bowl. He also produced 10 multi-Emmy Award-winning musical specials starring Gaynor for NBC and CBS, which showcased her singing, dancing and comedic talents.
He also partnered with Bob Rose in Bean/Rose Public Relations, where he introduced products like Wishbone Salad Dressing, which became a household name. He also pioneered the concept of product placement in films, by placing Hamilton watches on the wrists of stars like Jack Benny.
He and Gaynor formed Green Isle Inc., their own production company, which produced films like Witches’ Brew and Very Close Quarters, as well as the Mitzi Gaynor lecture series and personal appearance tours. He was working on a new act for Gaynor to tour the country when he died.
Death and Legacy
Jack Bean died of pneumonia on December 4, 2006, in his Beverly Hills home. He was 84 years old. He was survived by his wife Mitzi Gaynor, who was devastated by his loss, and their daughter. He was cremated and his ashes were scattered in the Pacific Ocean.
Jack Bean was a man of many talents and achievements, who left a lasting mark on the entertainment industry. He was a loving husband and father, who supported and nurtured his wife’s career for over five decades. He was also a generous and charitable person, who donated to causes like the Professional Dancers Society and the Actors Fund. He was respected and admired by his peers and colleagues, who praised his vision, creativity and professionalism.
Jack Bean cause of death was a sad event that took away a remarkable man, but his legacy lives on in his wife, his daughter, his friends and his fans. He will always be remembered as a producer, a manager, a publicist and a partner of Mitzi Gaynor, one of the most versatile and talented performers of all time.
