Biographie
Sydney Rose was an entrepreneurial producer with an amazing track record spanning over four decades in the entertainment industry as a producer, writer, personal manager and agent. His worldwide entertainment experience covered movies, television, stage productions, large arena events and sports.
Sydney entered the film industry as a freelance writer, photographer and publicity agent. He worked with some of the legendary names in the entertainment industry - Judy Garland, Bob Hope, Sammy Davis Junior, The Beatles, Frank Sinatra and Johnny Mathis.
Next, Rose pioneered and produced the two famous "Glad Rag Ball" concerts at Wembley Arena in 1965 and 1966 that featured live performances by The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Hollies, Manfred Mann, Donovan and many other top names from this period. Rose was also responsible for the televising of both these major concerts, paving the way for large arena concerts with lineups of multiple major artists, now the norm in rock n' roll.
For a lengthy period in the 1970s, Sydney worked on both sides of the Atlantic as a leading agent with Management Agency & Music, also known as MAM, and the then European representatives of Creative Management (CMA) Associates, now International Creative Management (ICM.) During his time with MAM Sydney had the pleasure of working on productions with some of the most important and legendary names in the 'business' including Frank Sinatra, Liza Minnelli, Bob Hope, Grace Kelly and Dean Martin.
Sydney Rose was probably best known as the executive producer of the groundbreaking motion picture classic "The Kids Are Alright" about the legendary rock group The Who. This definitive "rockumentary" also featured The Rolling Stones, Steve Martin and Ringo Starr in addition to the members of The Who. This film was on the list of "Variety's" biggest grossing films of 1979 and the first major triumph for Sydney Rose Productions Ltd.
The next stage of Rose's career took him into the commercial world of airlines, hotels and travel companies by founding the pioneering in-flight entertainment company Airshow International that specialized in the production of in-flight product placement for major airlines and tourist boards. Travel related stories and destination films were written around high profile sponsors and were included in the in-flight entertainment programs on various international and domestic airlines. Sponsors included Hertz, Visa, Jameson Irish Whiskey, Hilton Hotels, Holiday Inn Hotels, Kentucky Fried Chicken and many other top brands.
As a direct result of these films, Rose was commissioned by a New York publisher to produce "The Innovators" for worldwide television distribution. This in depth production featured most of the UK's leading figures of the 80s from the worlds of media, entertainment, business and fashion. Included in the footage were Sir Terence Conran (Habitat), Anita Roddick (The Body Shop), Jeremy Isaacs (Channel 4), Bruce Oldfield (Royal Fashion Designer), Richard Rogers & Terry Farrell (Architects), composer Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber and Lord Romsey etc.
In his only directing credit Sydney made "The Ravenswood Experience" in the early 1980s. Broadcast on Thames Television, the program was a moving documentary on a residential village for the severely handicapped.
In 1997 he executive-produced "An Audience With Alf Garnett" for the ITV Network. 'Alf Garnett' was the main character played by actor Warren Mitchell that was the forerunner to the American 'Archie Bunker' in the renowned TV sitcom "All In The Family." Warren Mitchell's performance was described as one of the funniest individual tour de force's of comedy ever seen on British Television.
In 1998 Sydney executive-produced the international television special "A Royal Celebration for Prince Charles 50th Birthday" at The Lyceum Theatre in London. This was a live three-hour entertainment event with performances from Robin Williams, The Muppets, Roger Moore, Rowan Atkinson, Robbie Williams, Luciano Pavarotti, Charlotte Church, Peter Ustinov and many others. It included an amazing surprise comedy performance by the birthday boy himself...Prince Charles!
In 2004 he joined Reverie Productions and began developing feature film and television properties with producer/director/writer Christopher Carson. Rose and Carson produced a promotional piece for the "West Hollywood Halloween Costume Carnaval," the world's largest Halloween street party, which won them both a Telly Award.
Most recently, Sydney was attached to produce the epic feature film "1066" written by Robin Jacob about Duke William of Normandy and King Harold II of England warring against each other during the Battle of Hastings.
Sydney was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in June 2006 and died on 30 April 2007 at the age of 68. He leaves a wife, Judith, a daughter and son.
