Robert Stigwood, manager for Cream and Bee Gees, dies at 81

Robert Stigwood, who managed Cream and The Bee Gees, has died. He was 81 years old.

Stigwood’s death was first reported by TMZ. The cause of death was not released.

After the Bee Gees’ early successes in Australia, Stigwood, a native Australian himself, signed the group and produced their first international albums. Also during the ‘60s, he managed Cream and went on to continue to work with Eric Clapton, even after Cream broke up, notes Ultimate Classic Rock. He also started the Robert Stigwood Organisation and began producing musicals like Hair, Pippin and Evita.

RSO also produced films, including Saturday Night Fever, Jesus Christ Superstar, Grease and Tommy. However, he had flops with the Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band film and the poorly received sequels to Grease and Saturday Night Fever.

Stigwood’s last film production was the 1996 film version of Evita with Madonna.