Biography for
Sonny Bono More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

16 February 1935, Detroit, Michigan, USA

Date of Death

5 January 1998, South Lake Tahoe, California, USA (skiing accident)

Birth Name

Salvatore Philip Bono

Height

5' 6½" (1.69 m)

Mini Biography

Singer-entertainer who left show business and found himself in politics. He became mayor of Palm Springs, California and was eventually elected to the U.S. House of Representatives as Congressman from the State of California, a position he held until his death.

IMDb Mini Biography By: Bill Takacs

Spouse

Mary Bono	(February 1986 - 5 January 1998) (his death) 2 children
Susie Coelho	(31 December 1981 - 1984) (divorced)
Cher	(27 October 1964 - 26 June 1975) (divorced) 1 child
Donna Rankin	(3 November 1954 - 1962) (divorced) 1 child

Trivia

Interred at Desert Memorial Park, Cathedral City, California, USA, section B-35, #294.

According to his widow, Bono was addicted to pain killers at the time of his death and was taking up to 20 pills a day. [1998]

He acknowledged an illegitimate son, Sean, born in 1964 from an affair with Mimi Machu.

When Fox-TV announced plans to produce an autobiographical movie about Sonny & Cher in 1992, Sonny suggested Kevin Costner to play him and Roseanne Arnold as Cher.

Also recorded under the names Sonny Christie, Ronny Sommers, and Prince Carter.

Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. [1994]

Daughter, with Rankin, Christy.

Daughter, with Cher, Chastity Bono.

Half-brother-in-law of Georganne LaPiere.

Became interested in politics rather late in life, when he decided he wanted a bigger sign for the restaurant he'd opened in Palm Springs (California) and ran straight into red tape, dealing with the city government. Bono had never voted or registered before, but resolved to change things by running for mayor. He won the election, served a successful four-year term (lending his name and fame to the local economy), and wound up pursuing a whole new career as a politician.

Decided he'd had enough of show business the day he was on the set of "Fantasy Island" (1978), shooting a scene with Hervé Villechaize as Tattoo, and misremembered Tattoo's name. Villechaize flew into a rage, sputtering at Bono, and Bono (as he related later) literally asked himself what the hell was he doing there.

While struggling as a songwriter, he also made deliveries for a local butcher shop. A few music industry people remembered him as the kid who would come in to plug new songs, still wearing a bloodstained butcher's apron, then run out to get back to his route.

Biography in: "American National Biography". Supplement 1, pp. 54-55. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002.

Is Godfather of Anthony Kiedis.

Personal Quotes

"You're just borrowing (fame). It's like money. You're going to die, and somebody else is going to get it."

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