Dean Reed
Encyclopedia
Dean Cyril Reed was an American
actor, singer and songwriter who lived a great part of his adult life in South America
and then in communist East Germany.
, and moved with his family many times, living in various cities in California
and Utah
, and later returning to Colorado
. He graduated from Wheat Ridge High School
in 1956, where he was a star athlete on the track team. After a couple of years at the University of Colorado
, Reed moved to California after realizing he had some talent as a musician, and recorded "Once Again" for Imperial Records
as a one-off single to see if reaction to it would justify a full contract. No contract was offered by Imperial, but Reed subsequently signed a long-term recording contract
with Capitol Records
in 1958. Capitol groomed him to be a teen idol
and he produced some modestly popular singles, including Annabelle, The Search, No Wonder, A Pair of Scissors, I Kissed a Queen, and Our Summer Romance. He also made guest appearances on family television programs such as Bachelor Father.
that he stayed on in Argentina
following a South American tour. His fame, and record sales there (as well as in Chile
and Peru
, where he also appeared on the major TV network) were noteworthy.
While living in South America, Reed made numerous albums, movies, toured extensively, and even appeared on his own television program in Buenos Aires
. In Chile, he developed a left-wing
political philosophy, and began to speak out against oppression and poverty. He protested against nuclear weapons and US foreign policy, and performed shows for free in poor neighborhoods
and in prisons. Back in Buenos Aires, his politics eventually ran afoul of Argentine government policies after the 1966 Argentine Revolution and he was deported
.
He lived in Rome
for a time, acting in TV commercials and spaghetti western
movies such as Adios Sabata
, and touring Central
and Eastern Europe
, including the Soviet Union
, where he was immensely popular.
, where he continued to write, direct, and perform in films. Over the years he played in 20 films, produced 13 records, and gave concerts in 32 countries. Majority of his songs during this period were uncertified covers of successful hits of Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, The Beatles and others.
While committed to the politics of his adopted socialist home, he did not join the ruling Socialist Unity Party
(SED) and preferred to define himself as a Marxist
rather than a communist
. Despite his opposition to many US policies, he professed his love of America until the end of his life, and his songs often reflected his fondness for his homeland. He never renounced his US citizenship and continued to file tax returns for the Internal Revenue Service
.
However, in a 1986 television interview on CBS
's 60 Minutes
, he defended the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the building of the Berlin Wall
(saying it was for "self-defense"), and compared Ronald Reagan
to Joseph Stalin
, which angered many in the U.S., including Reed's family and friends. Following the interview, Reed received hate mail
from the U.S. accusing him of being a traitor.
near his home in East Berlin
. Though it was officially ruled an accidental drowning, his friends in Germany suspected that his death was a suicide and his family in the U.S. claimed that he had been murdered.
For the biography, Rock 'n' Roll Radical: The Life & Mysterious Death of Dean Reed, author Chuck Laszewski gained access to Reed's Stasi file, which contained a suicide note and an apparent apology written on the back of a movie script to the East German leader, SED General Secretary
Erich Honecker
. This was covered up by the GDR authorities, who feared that the discovery of his suicide would disparage their state.
In 2004, the Russian Federation "Rossiya" television channel aired a documentary on Dean Reed, "Кто Вы, Мистер Рид?" ("Who Are You, Mister Reed?"), speculating on the possibilities of Reed having been a CIA, KGB or Stasi agent, but failing to present any concrete evidence to support any such theories. It is known, however, that he did work for the international department of the East German intelligence service (Stasi) during the period 1976–1978.
Rumors arose around Reeds sexual orientation and alleged affairs with Czechoslovak singer and actor Václav Neckář, his frequent collaborator.
sponsors the Dean Reed Peace Prize, an annual essay contest held in Reed's memory.
-winning writer and comedian Lewis Black
and composer Rusty Magee
to create "The Czar of Rock and Roll", a musical which chronicles Reed-like character Eugene Reeves rise from a Nebraska musician to a Soviet superstar. The book was penned by Black with music and lyrics by Magee. It was first produced in New York City at the West Bank Café Downstairs Theater Bar in 1989 and then at the Alley Theater
in Houston in 1990. A concert version of the musical, directed by Evan Cabnet, was produced at Joe’s Pub in New York City in April 2009. The song 'Salome for Dean Reed' features on the 2001 'Blossom Freak' album by English singer/songwriter Steve Bush.
Tom Hanks
has optioned a biography by Reggie Nadelson
, titled Comrade Rockstar (1991), finally published in the U.S. by Walker & Company in 2006. Nadelson had been inspired to write her book after seeing the 60 Minutes broadcast. Hanks is planning to produce a movie on Reed's life, which is also the subject of the documentaries American Rebel: The Dean Reed Story (1985), Dean Reed – Glamour und Protest (1993) and Der Rote Elvis (The Red Elvis) (2007). A musical entitled "Comrade Rockstar", with music by Richard John and libretto by Julian Woolford is currently in development, using none of Reed's songs. One song from this musical, Smallville Colorado was sung by Carl Au when he won the Sondheim Student Singer of the Year at the Venue in London's Leicester Square. One hour's material from the show was presented in workshop by students from London's Arts Educational School in November 2007.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor, singer and songwriter who lived a great part of his adult life in South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
and then in communist East Germany.
Life and career
Dean Reed was born in Denver, ColoradoDenver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
, and moved with his family many times, living in various cities in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, and later returning to Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. He graduated from Wheat Ridge High School
Wheat Ridge High School
Wheat Ridge High School is a public secondary school operated by the Jefferson County School District R-1 in Wheat Ridge, Colorado, United States.-History:From the :...
in 1956, where he was a star athlete on the track team. After a couple of years at the University of Colorado
University of Colorado System
The University of Colorado system is a system of public universities in Colorado consisting of three universities in four campuses: University of Colorado Boulder, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, and University of Colorado Denver in downtown Denver and at the Anschutz Medical Campus in...
, Reed moved to California after realizing he had some talent as a musician, and recorded "Once Again" for Imperial Records
Imperial Records
Imperial Records is a United States based label started in 1947 by Lew Chudd and reactivated in 2006 by label owner EMI.- The independent and Liberty Records years :...
as a one-off single to see if reaction to it would justify a full contract. No contract was offered by Imperial, but Reed subsequently signed a long-term recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
with Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
in 1958. Capitol groomed him to be a teen idol
Teen idol
A teen idol is a celebrity who is widely idolized by teenagers; he or she is often young but not necessarily teenaged. Often teen idols are actors or pop singers, but some sports figures have an appeal to teenagers. Some teen idols began their careers as child actors...
and he produced some modestly popular singles, including Annabelle, The Search, No Wonder, A Pair of Scissors, I Kissed a Queen, and Our Summer Romance. He also made guest appearances on family television programs such as Bachelor Father.
International fame
While Reed never achieved musical success in the U.S., Our Summer Romance proved to be so popular in South AmericaSouth America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
that he stayed on in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
following a South American tour. His fame, and record sales there (as well as in Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
and Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, where he also appeared on the major TV network) were noteworthy.
While living in South America, Reed made numerous albums, movies, toured extensively, and even appeared on his own television program in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
. In Chile, he developed a left-wing
Left-wing politics
In politics, Left, left-wing and leftist generally refer to support for social change to create a more egalitarian society...
political philosophy, and began to speak out against oppression and poverty. He protested against nuclear weapons and US foreign policy, and performed shows for free in poor neighborhoods
Barrio
Barrio is a Spanish word meaning district or neighborhood.-Usage:In its formal usage in English, barrios are generally considered cohesive places, sharing, for example, a church and traditions such as feast days...
and in prisons. Back in Buenos Aires, his politics eventually ran afoul of Argentine government policies after the 1966 Argentine Revolution and he was deported
Deportation
Deportation means the expulsion of a person or group of people from a place or country. Today it often refers to the expulsion of foreign nationals whereas the expulsion of nationals is called banishment, exile, or penal transportation...
.
He lived in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
for a time, acting in TV commercials and spaghetti western
Spaghetti Western
Spaghetti Western, also known as Italo-Western, is a nickname for a broad sub-genre of Western films that emerged in the mid-1960s in the wake of Sergio Leone's unique and much copied film-making style and international box-office success, so named by American critics because most were produced and...
movies such as Adios Sabata
The Sabata Trilogy
The Sabata Trilogy is a series of Spaghetti Western films released in 1969 and 1971, directed by Gianfranco Parolini, and starring Lee Van Cleef in the first, Sabata, Yul Brynner in the second, Adiós, Sabata, and Van Cleef returning for the third, Return of Sabata.-Sabata:Lee Van Cleef stars as a...
, and touring Central
Central Europe
Central Europe or alternatively Middle Europe is a region of the European continent lying between the variously defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe...
and Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
, including the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, where he was immensely popular.
Life in the Soviet bloc
In 1973, Reed chose to settle permanently in East GermanyGerman Democratic Republic
The German Democratic Republic , informally called East Germany by West Germany and other countries, was a socialist state established in 1949 in the Soviet zone of occupied Germany, including East Berlin of the Allied-occupied capital city...
, where he continued to write, direct, and perform in films. Over the years he played in 20 films, produced 13 records, and gave concerts in 32 countries. Majority of his songs during this period were uncertified covers of successful hits of Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, The Beatles and others.
While committed to the politics of his adopted socialist home, he did not join the ruling Socialist Unity Party
Socialist Unity Party of Germany
The Socialist Unity Party of Germany was the governing party of the German Democratic Republic from its formation on 7 October 1949 until the elections of March 1990. The SED was a communist political party with a Marxist-Leninist ideology...
(SED) and preferred to define himself as a Marxist
Marxism
Marxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
rather than a communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
. Despite his opposition to many US policies, he professed his love of America until the end of his life, and his songs often reflected his fondness for his homeland. He never renounced his US citizenship and continued to file tax returns for the Internal Revenue Service
Internal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue...
.
However, in a 1986 television interview on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
's 60 Minutes
60 Minutes
60 Minutes is an American television news magazine, which has run on CBS since 1968. The program was created by producer Don Hewitt who set it apart by using a unique style of reporter-centered investigation....
, he defended the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the building of the Berlin Wall
Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was a barrier constructed by the German Democratic Republic starting on 13 August 1961, that completely cut off West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin...
(saying it was for "self-defense"), and compared Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
to Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
, which angered many in the U.S., including Reed's family and friends. Following the interview, Reed received hate mail
Hate mail
Hate mail is a form of harassment, usually consisting of invective and potentially intimidating or threatening comments towards the recipient...
from the U.S. accusing him of being a traitor.
Death
Six weeks after his appearance on 60 Minutes, Reed was found dead in Zeuthener LakeZeuthener See
The Zeuthener See is a lake situated to the south-east of Berlin, the capital city of Germany, in the states of Berlin and Brandenburg. At an elevation of , its surface area is .-Overview:...
near his home in East Berlin
East Berlin
East Berlin was the name given to the eastern part of Berlin between 1949 and 1990. It consisted of the Soviet sector of Berlin that was established in 1945. The American, British and French sectors became West Berlin, a part strongly associated with West Germany but a free city...
. Though it was officially ruled an accidental drowning, his friends in Germany suspected that his death was a suicide and his family in the U.S. claimed that he had been murdered.
For the biography, Rock 'n' Roll Radical: The Life & Mysterious Death of Dean Reed, author Chuck Laszewski gained access to Reed's Stasi file, which contained a suicide note and an apparent apology written on the back of a movie script to the East German leader, SED General Secretary
General Secretary
The office of general secretary is staffed by the chief officer of:*The General Secretariat for Macedonia and Thrace, a government agency for the Greek regions of Macedonia and Thrace...
Erich Honecker
Erich Honecker
Erich Honecker was a German communist politician who led the German Democratic Republic as General Secretary of the Socialist Unity Party from 1971 until 1989, serving as Head of State as well from Willi Stoph's relinquishment of that post in 1976....
. This was covered up by the GDR authorities, who feared that the discovery of his suicide would disparage their state.
In 2004, the Russian Federation "Rossiya" television channel aired a documentary on Dean Reed, "Кто Вы, Мистер Рид?" ("Who Are You, Mister Reed?"), speculating on the possibilities of Reed having been a CIA, KGB or Stasi agent, but failing to present any concrete evidence to support any such theories. It is known, however, that he did work for the international department of the East German intelligence service (Stasi) during the period 1976–1978.
Personal life
Reed married three times. His first marriage was circa 1964 to an American woman, with whom he had a daughter, Ramona, born 1968. His wife left him in 1971, returned to the United States with their daughter, and divorced him. Reed married an East German woman in 1973, with whom he had a second daughter, Natasha, born 1975. The couple divorced in 1978, in 1981 he married his third wife, East German actress Renate Blume, with whom he stayed until his death.Rumors arose around Reeds sexual orientation and alleged affairs with Czechoslovak singer and actor Václav Neckář, his frequent collaborator.
Legacy
The University of ColoradoUniversity of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
sponsors the Dean Reed Peace Prize, an annual essay contest held in Reed's memory.
Media depictions
Reed’s life story influenced Grammy AwardGrammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
-winning writer and comedian Lewis Black
Lewis Black
Lewis Niles Black is an American stand-up comedian, author, playwright, social critic and actor. He is known for his comedy style, which often includes simulating a mental breakdown, or an increasingly angry rant, ridiculing history, politics, religion, trends and cultural phenomena...
and composer Rusty Magee
Rusty Magee
Benjamin Rush "Rusty" Magee was an accomplished composer and lyricist for theatre, television, and film and commercials.-Childhood and Education:...
to create "The Czar of Rock and Roll", a musical which chronicles Reed-like character Eugene Reeves rise from a Nebraska musician to a Soviet superstar. The book was penned by Black with music and lyrics by Magee. It was first produced in New York City at the West Bank Café Downstairs Theater Bar in 1989 and then at the Alley Theater
Alley Theater
A traverse stage is a form of theatrical stage in which the audience is predominantly on two sides of the stage, facing towards each other.They can see using "Proscenium arc", named after the mirrors used in Proscenium staging...
in Houston in 1990. A concert version of the musical, directed by Evan Cabnet, was produced at Joe’s Pub in New York City in April 2009. The song 'Salome for Dean Reed' features on the 2001 'Blossom Freak' album by English singer/songwriter Steve Bush.
Tom Hanks
Tom Hanks
Thomas Jeffrey "Tom" Hanks is an American actor, producer, writer, and director. Hanks worked in television and family-friendly comedies, gaining wide notice in 1988's Big, before achieving success as a dramatic actor in several notable roles, including Andrew Beckett in Philadelphia, the title...
has optioned a biography by Reggie Nadelson
Reggie Nadelson
Reggie Nadelson is an American novelist, known for writing mystery novels.She was born and raised in Greenwich Village in Manhattan, New York...
, titled Comrade Rockstar (1991), finally published in the U.S. by Walker & Company in 2006. Nadelson had been inspired to write her book after seeing the 60 Minutes broadcast. Hanks is planning to produce a movie on Reed's life, which is also the subject of the documentaries American Rebel: The Dean Reed Story (1985), Dean Reed – Glamour und Protest (1993) and Der Rote Elvis (The Red Elvis) (2007). A musical entitled "Comrade Rockstar", with music by Richard John and libretto by Julian Woolford is currently in development, using none of Reed's songs. One song from this musical, Smallville Colorado was sung by Carl Au when he won the Sondheim Student Singer of the Year at the Venue in London's Leicester Square. One hour's material from the show was presented in workshop by students from London's Arts Educational School in November 2007.