Jack Gordon (entertainment manager)
Jack Gordon | |
---|---|
Las Vegas, Nevada | |
Nationality | American |
Other names | Samuel Isaac Gordon (1981–83) Clifford William Johnson (1983) |
Occupations |
|
Years active | 1970–2005 |
Spouses | |
Children | 2 |
Jack Leon Gordon (November 10, 1939 – April 19, 2005), also known as Samuel Isaac Gordon and Clifford William Johnson, was an American businessman and entertainment manager. Gordon was the manager and husband of American singer–songwriter La Toya Jackson. Gordon also served as the manager of American tabloid subject later turned porn actor John Wayne Bobbitt. Gordon died of cancer on April 19, 2005, at age 65.
Life and career
Early life and criminal activity
Jack Leon Gordon was born in Springfield, Illinois to Abraham Gordon, a Jewish Russian immigrant, and Faye Stein, an Illinois native of Jewish heritage. While some sources cite Gordon's birthplace as Springfield, Illinois, he claimed Las Vegas was his birthplace when he changed his name in 1981 to Samuel Isaac Gordon. However, in 1983, when he changed his name again, this time to Clifford William Johnson, he said that he was born in Springfield.[1]
In the 1970s, Gordon ran arcades at
Attempted bribe of Harry Reid
In 1978, Gordon offered a $12,000 bribe to then-chairman of the
Management and coerced marriage to La Toya Jackson
In the mid-1980s, Gordon began to manage
Gordon sometimes hired bodyguards to watch La Toya and she claimed that he would never allow her to speak to or see her family. La Toya's father
In December 1993, Gordon hastily arranged a press conference in
Accusations about the Jackson family
While La Toya was in seclusion for four years, Gordon continued to make accusations about the Jackson family. He claimed that La Toya's younger brother Michael had performed monkey sacrifice rituals, abused Bubbles the chimpanzee, and even accused him of forcing Lisa Marie Presley to marry him. In 2002, Gordon did interviews advertising his tell-all book of the Jackson family entitled The Jackson Family: The True Story of the Most Powerful Family in the Music Industry. The entire family, including his former wife, stated that his allegations were "pure fantasy."[21]
Mafia associations
FBI wiretaps in 1994 linked Gordon to Genovese crime family member James "Little Jimmy" Ida. Gordon was taped arranging for mobsters to shadow Jackson on a trip to Russia. Gordon paid the group $1,500 a month for at least two years to protect La Toya from "shakedowns" by rival mobsters. Gordon also employed the services of organized crime defense attorney and former Las Vegas mayor Oscar Goodman.[22][23]
Other entertainment clients
Jack Gordon had few other entertainment clients apart from La Toya Jackson. Before Gordon became La Toya's co-manager with her father in the late 1980s (and eventually manager) it was widely known he had a disreputable past including a criminal record.
Death
Gordon died on April 19, 2005, at Mayo Hospital in Scottsdale, Arizona, after battling cancer for several months. He was 65 years old.[28][29]
References
- ^ a b Lavin, Cheryl (1991-08-11). "Brawl In The Family: La Toya Jackson's Book Heats Up The Tug Of War Between Her Family And Her Manager". Tribune Corporation. Retrieved 2015-04-29.
- ^ "News - JOHN L. SMITH: Here's to Willie Cohen, a colorful character of Las Vegas Past, dead at 98". Reviewjournal.com. 2006-07-07. Retrieved 2010-06-24.
- ^ a b "Harry Reid is up for re-election next yearWill he make it? - Senator Harry Reid of Nevada". Zimbio.com. Archived from the original on 2009-03-31. Retrieved 2010-06-24.
- ^ Walsh, Elsa (2009-01-07). "Annals of Politics: Minority Retort". The New Yorker. Retrieved 2010-06-24.
- ^ Walsh, Elsa (August 8, 2005). "Minority Retort: How a pro-gun, anti-abortion Nevadan leads the Senate's Democrats". The New Yorker. Retrieved 2008-03-17.
- ^ a b Randolph, Laura B. (1992). "LaToya Jackson on: fame, family and her future in Paris - Interview - Cover Story - page 2 | Ebony". Findarticles.com. Retrieved 2010-06-24.
- ^ "Wedding Bells Were A Hoax, La Toya Says | Deseret News". Archive.deseretnews.com. 1989-09-08. Retrieved 2010-06-24.[dead link]
- ^ "LA Times: 'LaToya Jackson Beaten in Rome', June 15, 1990". Articles.latimes.com. 1990-06-15. Retrieved 2010-06-24.
- ISBN 0-451-17415-1.
- ^ a b "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2007-03-18. Retrieved 2006-11-27.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Lavin, Cheryl (1991-08-11). "Archives: Chicago Tribune". Pqasb.pqarchiver.com. Archived from the original on 2012-11-07. Retrieved 2010-06-24.
- ^ Norment, Lynn (1993). "Grown-up Janet Jackson talks about racism, sensuality and the Jackson family - Cover Story | Ebony | Find Articles at BNET". Findarticles.com. Retrieved 2010-06-24.
- ^ a b 'La Toya Jacksons Ex Threatened To Kill Michael and Janet', femalefirst.co.uk, 25-01-2005
- ^ Multiple sources:
- "Danger Zone". People.com. 1993-05-03. Retrieved 2010-06-24.
- "More la Toya Stories the Grande Dame of Dysfunction Will Reveal 'Family Secrets' on Her New 900-Line". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on 2011-01-17. Retrieved 2016-02-07.<
- "The Whole Scoop and Nothing but the Scoop". Newsbank. 1993-04-24.
- ^ "La Toya: Charges Are True; Family Says Jackson Never Molested Kids". The Washington Post. 1993-12-09. Archived from the original on 2012-10-26. Retrieved 2010-06-24.
- ^ Taraborrelli, p. 534-540
- ^ Morrison, Jane Ann: "Gordon's family leaves the skeletons in his closet and out of his obit.", Las Vegas Review-Journal, April 28, 2005.
- ^ "La Toya on escaping Jack Gordon". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 2010-06-24.
- ^ "LaToya Jackson Defends Michael". 1. January 20, 2005. ABC News. LaToya Jackson Defends Michael.[dead YouTube link]
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-09-28.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Jacko Is Very Wacko If Jack Gordon Is To Be Believed". Popdirt.com. 2002-10-09. Retrieved 2010-06-24.
- ^ "Archive". The Smoking Gun. Retrieved 2010-06-24.
- ^ Capeci, Jerry (1996-08-01). "La Toya Hubby Pay-Offs Cited". Nydailynews.com. New York. Archived from the original on 2011-07-30. Retrieved 2010-06-24.
- ^ Gordon vs. Gordon, Page 01875 Family Division Book 19990201, Page 5, Paragraph 7 (District Court of Clark County, Nevada March 3, 1998).
- ^ "JACK GORDON, 'A FAIRGROUND GUY WITH A MISSION" (PDF). Bkc.mikovice.com. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
- ^ "Paula Jones She and her husband living apart but claims marriage not in jeopardy". New York: CNN Politics. 1999-03-17. Archived from the original on 2010-12-04. Retrieved 2013-02-05.
- ^ Rush, George (1999-06-03). "Paula Lied About Bill: Promoter". Nydailynews.com. New York. Retrieved 2010-06-24.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "News: JANE ANN MORRISON: Gordon's family leaves the ske". Reviewjournal.com. 2005-04-28. Archived from the original on May 6, 2010. Retrieved 2010-06-24.
- ^ "Gordon, LaToya's ex-husband, Bobbitt's manager, dies at 66". Las Vegas Sun. 20 April 2005. Retrieved 2 February 2018.