‘Woodstock’ Producer Fred Weintraub Dies

Fred Weintraub, 88, former owner of The Bitter End comedy club / music venue in New York and producer of the “Woodstock” documentary, died in his Los Angeles home from complications due to Parkinson’s disease March 5.

– Fred Weintraub

In the ’50s, Weintraub grew his family’s furniture business into 50 stores, the proceeded to become a piano player at a house of ill repute in Cuba. He took over a Greenwich Village coffee shop, renamed it The Bitter End, and hosted acts like Bob Dylan, Bill Cosby and Joni Mitchell. Peter, Paul & Mary posed in front of the club’s brick wall for the cover of their debut album, according to the Los Angeles Times.

He sold the club and became a TV producer, creating the music series “Hootenanny.” Then, as an exec at Warner Bros. film studio, he green-lighted “Woodstock.” From there he went on to produce movies like George C. Scott vehicle “Rage” and Bruce Lee’s “Enter The Dragon.” His TV credits include “Kung Fu” and “The Dukes of Hazzard.”