LOS ANGELES (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — Steve Blanck, veteran talent buyer and partner in Gayle Force Entertainment, passed away on February 10 while recovering from emergency surgery in Riverside, CA.
Blanck got his start in the industry when he joined the William Morris Agency in 1973 after a stint in Vietnam. He spent a decade at the agency, starting out booking clubs and colleges before eventually being promoted to co-head the International Booking Department, specializing in South America, Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Southeast Asia. During his tenure at WMA, he repped Jose Feliciano, The Spinners, Captain & Tennille, Manhattan Transfer, Roy Oribison and Kid Creole & the Coconuts, among others.
In 1984, Blanck left WMA to join Caesar's World Productions as Vice President at the newly-created corporate headquarters in LA. While at Caesar's, his portfolio included booking headliners at the company's properties in Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe and Atlantic City.
In 1992, Blanck teamed up with Producer/Talent Buyer Danny Heller to found Gayle Force Entertainment, producing shows for cruise ships, casinos such as Harrah's and other corporate clients.
Steve is survived by his wife Pam Rousseau and his two sisters, Karen McCoy and Linda Trabert. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Pasadena Humane Society or any animal advocates in Steve's memory. – CelebrityAccess Staff Writers
