Died On This Date (December 12, 2011) Bert Schneider / Created “The Monkees” TV Show
themusicsover Bert Schneider
May 5, 1933 – December 12, 2011
Bert Schneider was an American movie producer whose credits include Easy Rider, Five Easy Pieces, and The Last Picture Show. His contribution to pop music was huge and came by way of The Monkees television series he created with Bob Rafelson in 1966. The weekly comedy followed the hi-jinks of a fictional rock band as they tried to build a music career in Los Angeles. The show starred Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Peter Tork, and Michael Nesmith as the band loosely based on the Beatles. The show obviously launched their music careers even though in the beginning, they contributed very little musically. Many of the program’s songs, which were showcased like music videos every week, became hits and future staples of oldies radio. They included “(Theme From) The Monkees,” “Last Train To Clarksville,” and “I’m A Believer.” The show won two Emmys in 1967 and continued on in reruns ever since. Bert Schneider was 78 when he died of natural causes on December 12, 2011.
Thanks to Harold Lepidus for the assist.
Malina Olinescu was a Romanian pop singer. In 1998, Olinescu represented Romania in the popular Eurovision Song Contest with her song, “Eu Cred” which came in at #22. On December 12, 2011, Malina Olinescu reportedly took her own life by leaping from the 6th floor of a building. She was 37.
Karryl “Special One” Smith was one half of the popular San Francisco hip-hop duo, the Conscious Daughters. Smith formed the act with Carla “CMG” Green in 1992, and within a year, they were signed to Paris’ label, Scarface Records. Their first album, 1994’s Ear To The Street, included their first hit, “Somethin’ to Ride (Fonky Expedition).” They went on to secure a deal with the iconic Priority Records who released their follow-up, Gamers, which landed on the Billboard charts and sold upwards of 300,000 copies. More releases followed, including 2011’s The Jane Of All Trades. Special One was reportedly found dead inside her home on December 10, 2011. Cause of death was not immediately released.
David Astor’s contribution to popular music was the regional teen dance program he created and hosted for many years. In 1956, Portland, Maine television viewers were introduced to The Dave Astor Show: For Teenagers Only, a weekly dance program that Astor developed and hosted on WMGE. The American Bandstand type show, which aired every Saturday at 5pm, was an instant hit with the city’s youth and stayed on the air until 1971. The show featured area high school kids singing, lip-synching, and/or dancing to popular hits played by a student band – if they maintained good grades, of course. David Astor passed away on December 10, 2011. He was 92.
Dustin Hengst was the drummer for the popular Boston-area pop-punk band, Damone. Formed in 2001, Damone quickly built a local following that was hungry for their skate punk attitude and crunchy guitars. Within a couple of year, the band was signed to RCA Records and was sharing the stage with the likes of the Ataris and the Juliana Theory. They released their well-received debut, From The Attic in 2003. They were eventually let go by RCA but bounced back with their solid Island/Def Jam release of Out Here All Night in 2006. Hengst left the group in 2008. He also played behind the band, Bleu. On December 9, 2011, Dustin Hengst, 39, died in a Texas hospital where he had reportedly been struggling with health related issues for a few weeks. Cause of death was not immediately released.
