Music Manager Don Arden has died in a Los Angeles nursing home at the age of 81. Known for directing the careers of the likes of ELO, Black Sabbath and The Small Faces, he became more notorious as the father of Sharon Osbourne, from whom he became estranged as they fought for control over Ozzy Osbourne's career. Arden reconciled with his daughter in 2002 when he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.
Arden was born Harry Levy in Manchester in 1926 and decided on a career in show business at an early age. Initially a singer in the West End and on radio, he began to pursue a more financially viable route by organising tours for the likes of Gene Vincent and Little Richard, a move which led him into artist management. During his years in the music industry he developed a reputation for being a bit of a hard man, notorious for allegedly having hung rival manager Robert Stigwood by his feet from a fourth floor balcony for trying to poach one of Arden's acts, The Small Faces, away from him. He later denied that this was the case in his 2002 biography Mr Big, writing: "To try to steal my discovery - that was unforgivable. Yes, I threatened to throw Robert Stigwood off the balcony of his office. But no, I didn't personally hang him by his boots. I wouldn't have dirtied my hands on them".
Sharon Osbourne confirmed, however, that her father did have an angry disposition, revealing in a recent TV interview: "My father really had a temper. He had a voice which would echo through the entire house. A couple of times he would whack me and he used to yank my hair. I wouldn't say I was abused and beaten. In those days it was a normal thing".
Arden, who made frequent post-reconciliation appearances on the Osbourne reality show, is survived by Sharon, and his son, David. His wife, Hope, predeceased him in 1998.