The Los Angeles coroner is reporting that Don Cornelius, the founder of the popular television show “Soul Train” was found dead from a gunshot wound in his Mulholland Drive home at about 4:00 am on Wednesday. The 75-year-old was pronounced dead at 4:56 a.m. at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, reported by Los Angeles County Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter.
In 1969, Cornelius created the pilot show for “Soul Train” with $400 of his money, taking the name from a previous promotional event he had been a part of.
Soul Train Holdings’ website states that “Soul Train is the longest running, first-run, nationally syndicated program in television history. During its 37-year run, the show featured such staples as the Soul Train line and performers as important and diverse as Al Green, Ike & Tina Turner, Marvin Gaye, The Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Whitney Houston, David Bowie, Justin Timberlake, Janet Jackson and Beyonce.” The website further states that “the iconic franchise and catalog of more than 1,100 hours of archival footage from Don Cornelius Productions” was purchased by MadVision Entertainment and Intermedia Partners in 2008.
