Legendary Sunset Strip club owner who was a godfather figure to rock legends including Jim Morrison and Axl Rose dies aged 93

  • Mario Maglieri died at the age of 93 'surrounded by loved ones'
  • For decades he operated two of Hollywood's most venerable and legendary Sunset Strip nightclubs - the Whiskey A Go Go and the Rainbow Bar & Grill
  • At the Whiskey, the Doors found a following as the house band in the 1960s
  • Led Zeppelin, the Police, Van Halen and literally hundreds of other acts spanning generations have played there
  • 'The rowdiest? Oh, Guns N' Roses! I had to put them out I don't know how many times,' he told the Los Angeles Times in 1993 
  • A public memorial is scheduled May 28 at the Rainbow 

By Matthew Wright For Dailymail.com

Published: 22:23 EDT, 5 May 2017 | Updated: 03:20 EDT, 6 May 2017

The Hollywood entrepreneur who doubled as a godfather figure to generations of rock stars from the Doors' Jim Morrison to Guns 'N Roses' Axl Rose, has died.

Mario Maglieri died Thursday morning at the age of 93 'surrounded by loved ones,' his family said in a statement.

For decades he operated two of Hollywood's most venerable and legendary Sunset Strip nightclubs - the Whiskey A Go Go and the Rainbow Bar & Grill.

Mario Maglieri, the Hollywood entrepreneur who doubled as a godfather figure to rock stars from Doors' Jim Morrison to Guns N' Roses' Axl Rose has died at the age of 93. Maglieri was close with several greats including producer and club owner Lou Adler and singer Michelle Phillips

Mario Maglieri, the Hollywood entrepreneur who doubled as a godfather figure to rock stars from Doors' Jim Morrison to Guns N' Roses' Axl Rose has died at the age of 93. Maglieri was close with several greats including producer and club owner Lou Adler and singer Michelle Phillips

'Rest In Peace Mario Maglieri King of The Sunset Strip,' the marquee over the Whiskey proclaimed Friday. Maglieri with Ray Manzarek of the Doors at the Doors 40th Anniversary

'Rest In Peace Mario Maglieri King of The Sunset Strip,' the marquee over the Whiskey proclaimed Friday. Maglieri with Ray Manzarek of the Doors at the Doors 40th Anniversary

'Rest In Peace Mario Maglieri King of The Sunset Strip,' the marquee over the Whiskey proclaimed Friday.

It was at the Whiskey that the Doors found a following as the house band in the 1960s. Over the years Led Zeppelin, the Police, Van Halen and literally hundreds of other acts spanning generations have played there.

The Beatles dropped by for a visit during their first U.S. tour in 1964. George Harrison, annoyed by a paparazzi, threw a drink at him, hitting actress Mamie Van Doren instead.

At the Rainbow, Maglieri would keep many of his musicians in booze and food, occasionally having to throw one or more of them out when they caused too much trouble.

For decades Maglieri, ran two of Hollywood's most popular Sunset Strip nightclubs the Whiskey A Go Go and Rainbow Bar & Grill. This photo, taken in 1965, shows Go-go dancers perform the Watusi in a cage suspended from the ceiling at the Whiskey a Go-Go night club in West Hollywood, California

For decades Maglieri, ran two of Hollywood's most popular Sunset Strip nightclubs the Whiskey A Go Go and Rainbow Bar & Grill. This photo, taken in 1965, shows Go-go dancers perform the Watusi in a cage suspended from the ceiling at the Whiskey a Go-Go night club in West Hollywood, California

It was at the Whiskey that the Doors found a following as the house band in the 1960s. Over the years Led Zeppelin, the Police, Van Halen and literally hundreds of other acts spanning generations have played there. The entrepreneur  with Annabella from Bow Wow Wow and Cherie Currie from the Runaways attended "40 Years of Rock N' Roll at Whisky A Go-Go" in 2004

It was at the Whiskey that the Doors found a following as the house band in the 1960s. Over the years Led Zeppelin, the Police, Van Halen and literally hundreds of other acts spanning generations have played there. The entrepreneur  with Annabella from Bow Wow Wow and Cherie Currie from the Runaways attended "40 Years of Rock N' Roll at Whisky A Go-Go" in 2004

'The rowdiest? Oh, Guns N' Roses! I had to put them out I don't know how many times,' he told the Los Angeles Times in 1993. 

'They're good guys, but they get out of hand.'

Born Feb. 7, 1924, in Seppino, Italy, Mario Mikeal Maglieri moved to the United States with his family at age 4.

He ran restaurants and clubs in Chicago for a few years before moving to Los Angeles in the 1960s to manage the Whiskey, eventually taking it over. A few years later, he and partners took over a nearby Sunset Strip restaurant and renamed it the Rainbow.

Maglieri ran restaurants and clubs in Chicago for a few years before moving to Los Angeles in the 1960s to manage the Whiskey, eventually taking it over. A few years later, he and partners took over a nearby Sunset Strip restaurant and renamed it the Rainbow. He poses with rappers B-Real of Cypress Hill (left) and Vanilla Ice (right) in 2001

Maglieri ran restaurants and clubs in Chicago for a few years before moving to Los Angeles in the 1960s to manage the Whiskey, eventually taking it over. A few years later, he and partners took over a nearby Sunset Strip restaurant and renamed it the Rainbow. He poses with rappers B-Real of Cypress Hill (left) and Vanilla Ice (right) in 2001

At the Las Vegas Rainbow Grill Memorial Day Opening in 2005, Maglieri (right) poses with Motorhead's lead singer Lemmy Kilmister along with Bob Greenberg and Jerry Greenberg. Maglieri was constantly surrounded by drugs and alcohol but he said he never partook himself. 'I'm 70 years old, and I've never smoked a joint in my life,' he told the Times in 1993. 'People ask me and I tell them, "Dope is for dopes." People want to fight me on that, I'll fight them. I've seen too many lives destroyed by drugs'

At the Las Vegas Rainbow Grill Memorial Day Opening in 2005, Maglieri (right) poses with Motorhead's lead singer Lemmy Kilmister along with Bob Greenberg and Jerry Greenberg. Maglieri was constantly surrounded by drugs and alcohol but he said he never partook himself. 'I'm 70 years old, and I've never smoked a joint in my life,' he told the Times in 1993. 'People ask me and I tell them, "Dope is for dopes." People want to fight me on that, I'll fight them. I've seen too many lives destroyed by drugs'

It was a heady time on the Strip in those early years, one punctuated by up-and-coming young musicians and their groupies, many living in nearby Laurel Canyon. There was an abundance of drugs and alcohol as well, although Maglieri said he never partook of the former.

'I'm 70 years old, and I've never smoked a joint in my life,' he told the Times in 1993. 'People ask me and I tell them, "Dope is for dopes." People want to fight me on that, I'll fight them. I've seen too many lives destroyed by drugs.'

A public memorial is scheduled for May 28 at the Rainbow for the man who was connected to musical greats. Singer Rickie Lee Jones poses with Mario Maglieri

A public memorial is scheduled for May 28 at the Rainbow for the man who was connected to musical greats. Singer Rickie Lee Jones poses with Mario Maglieri

He said he bought Janis Joplin a bottle of her favorite whiskey, Southern Comfort, three days before she died of a drug overdose in 1970. He also spent a good deal of time trying to talk Morrison into cutting back on his substance abuse before he died in 1971.

'He was a good boy. It's too bad I couldn't straighten him out, because I tried awful hard,' he said.

But he also recalled numerous good times, among them talking politics with John Lennon in the parking lot and watching members of Led Zeppelin have fun.

'Every time they were in town, they'd party in the middle booth,' he said. 'And them guys know how to party.'

He is survived by his wife, Scarlett; a son, Mikeal; and three grandchildren.

A public memorial is scheduled May 28 at the Rainbow. 

 

Comments 12

Share what you think

  View all

The comments below have not been moderated.

  View all

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

We are no longer accepting comments on this article.