Biography

Don Cornelius

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Born
September 27, 1936 · Chicago, Illinois, USA
Died
February 1, 2012 · Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, California, USA (self-inflicted gunshot wound)
Birth name
Donald Cortez Cornelius
Nickname
- The World's Coolest Uncle
Height
6′ 1″ (1.85 m)

Don Cornelius was born on September 27, 1936 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He was a writer and producer, known for Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (2000), Soul Plane (2004) and Soul Train (1971). He was married to Viktoria Chapman and Delores Harrison. He died on February 1, 2012 in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, California, USA.

In the mid-1960s, WVON Radio personality Ed Cobb was pulled over by Chicago Police officer Don Cornelius. When Officer Cornelius asked him typical traffic stop questions, Cobb noticed his unique speaking voice. Cobb told him that he was in the wrong profession, and suggested that Cornelius come down to the radio station and make a demo tape. Cornelius took him up on it, and was hired as an announcer.
Used $400 of his money to produced and create Soul Train (1971).
He joined the United States Marine Corps and served 18 months in Korea.
Once had a brain tumor and underwent a successful 21 hour brain surgery. [November 12, 1982].
His son Tony Cornelius and lifelong friend Gladys Knight were his caregivers during his last days.

We can't make it important to anybody else. Some of the audience we serve doesn't really care about what you did yesterday and you have to be cognizant of that ... But it's important to us.
It's always a pleasure to find something that matters.
[About the dancers who care about the music he recorded on Soul Train (1971)]: I figured as long as the music stayed hot and important and good, that there would always be a reason for 'Soul Train.'
[on Soul Train (1971)'s success]: We just seem to be surrounded on this anniversary show by all of our personal favorites. I have to say that in the first person, because they're my personal favorites.
[on selling Soul Train (1971) in 2008]: The Soul Train legacy and brand are of the utmost importance to me and to Soul Train's millions of fans. After years of offers, I feel the time is now finally right to pass the torch. The MadVision team understands and respects my vision, and they share my own commitment to seeing the brand rise to the next level.

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