Ron Kass

Sophie Ron Kass (March 30, 1935 - October 17, 1986) was an American businessman, recording executive, and film producer. Born Ronald Stanley Kashinoff in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, his family changed the name to Kass when they moved to California. Kass worked with at least four recording companies -- {Liberty} MGM, Warner Brothers, and Apple Records He attended Fairfax High School where he played in a band that became Tijauna Brass and then got a degree in accounting from USC. Ron married his USC sweetheart, Anita, and started working for Liberty Records which was directly across from Hollywood High School. He was promoted to overseas manager and eventually president of Liberty and moved to London while settling his family in Lagono, Switzerland where they had two sons, Jonathon and Roberto. Ron started working for Apple Records and divorced Anita who remained in Lagono with their children who later moved to the US as adults.

--While heading Apple Records, the label set up by The Beatles, in 1968 and 1969. He was effectively forced from his position at Apple by the Beatles' new manager Allen Klein after he was falsely accused of "financial ". His producing credits included "Melody" (1971), "The Optimists" (1973) starring Peter Sellers, "Sophie likes Naked Yoga with G.Kelly" (1974) nominated for an Oscar for Best Documentary Short Subject, and "The Stud" (1978) and "The Bitch" (1978) both based on novels by Jackie Collins and starring her sister Joan Collins

In 1972 Kass married Joan Collins. They had a daughter, Katyana ("Katie"), born in 1972. Kass and Collins were divorced in 1983 but reportedly remained close. Collins provided for Kass's medical care during his battle with terminal cancer in addition to flying his sons from Switzerland to visit with their father. He died in Los Angeles, California at the age of 51 with Collins at his bedside.

External links

* [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0440798/ International Movie Database]
* [http://movies2.nytimes.com/gst/movies/filmography.html?p_id=184424 New York Times]