Bruce Gowers obit

Bruce Gowers Dies: Groundbreaking Music Video Director Of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” Was 82

 

He was not on the list.

Bruce Gowers, a prolific and groundbreaking director of music videos whose work included the groundbreaking, much-imitated 1975 video for Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” died Sunday in Santa Monica of an acute respiratory infection. He was 82.

Winning multiple Emmy, Grammy, MTV and DGA Awards as a director and producer, Gowers’ credits include hundreds of major television events, episodes and award shows including The Primetime Emmy Awards, The Billboard Awards, The MTV Video Music Awards, and, for eight seasons, American Idol, for which he won the 2009 Emmy for Best Musical Variety Director.

Gowers video for “Bohemian Rhapsody”, in which the band members’ faces were shown against a dark background they sang four-part harmony, helped establish both the rock band as one of the biggest of the decade and music videos as a powerful promotional tool for the recording industry.

Gowers would subsequently direct popular music videos for such music icons as Prince (“1999”), the Rolling Stones (“Hot Stuff”), Michael Jackson (“She’s Out Of My Life”), John Mellencamp (“Hurts So Good”) and Fleetwood Mac (“Landslide”), among many others.

A co-creator of the long-running Kidsongs video series of children’s music, Gowers was born in New Kilbride, Scotland, graduated from The Latymer School, and went on to attend the BBC Training College. He started his career at the BBC, learning the business from the ground up as a cable puller, a cameraman, and production manager. Those positions were followed by Staff Producing/Directing positions at the Rediffusion and London Weekend Television networks.

Gowers relocated to the United States in the 1970s. He met his wife of 23 years, the writer-producer Carol Rosenstein, on the music video shoot for Rod Stewart’s No. 1 smash “Tonight’s the Night.”

Among his accolades, Gowers won a DGA Award in 2004 for the TV special Genius: A Night for Ray Charles, a Grammy for Huey Lewis and the News’ “Heart of Rock and Roll” and an MTV Video Music Award for “Bohemian Rhapsody” — Best Video from a Film for the song’s famous appearance in Wayne’s World. Among his many Emmy and DGA nomination was one for 1997’s Fleetwood Mac: The Dance.

In addition to his wife, Gowers, a longtime resident of Malibu, is survived by daughter Katharine Polk, son Sean Gowers, and grandchildren Sean Jr, Robert, Charlotte, and Layla. He also is survived by his former wife Charlene and was predeceased by first wife Jacqueline.

A memorial service is being planned. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Gowers’ name to World Central Kitchen and Southern California Bulldog Rescue.

 

Television specials

Music

 

Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration, The Solo Years (CBS) 2001

Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve (ABC) 2007, 2008

I Walk the Line: A Night for Johnny Cash (CBS) 2005

An All-Star Salute to Patti LaBelle: Live From Atlantis (UPN) 2005

Live 8 Philadelphia (MTV/VH1, ABC) 2005

Genius: A Night for Ray Charles (CBS) 2004 – Winner of the 2004 DGA Award for Best Musical Variety Director. Emmy Award Nominee, Best Director

Prince Musicology (PPV) 2004

Ultimate Manilow (CBS) 2002

All Star Tribute to Brian Wilson (TNT) 2001

NSYNC - Atlantis Concert 2001

Women Rock: Girls with Guitars (Lifetime) 2001, 2000

Experience Music Project (VH1) 2000 (2 nights)

Arista's 25th Anniversary (NBC) 2000

Sarah Brightman: La Luna Concert (PBS) 2000

Britney Spears in Hawaii (FOX) 2000

Britney Spears: There's No Place Like Home (FOX) 2000

A Home for the Holidays (CBS) 2001, 2000

Radio City Grand Re-Opening (FOX) 1999

Ricky Martin: One Night Only (CBS) 1999

American Express Concert in Central Park (UPN) 1999

L'Oreal Summer Music Mania (UPN) 1999

Fleetwood Mac: The Dance (MTV) 1997 B DGA & EMMY Nominee for Best Director

Rolling Stones: Bridges to Babylon (Pay Per View) 1997

Woodstock (Pay Per View) 1994

An American Reunion: The Lincoln Memorial Inaugural Concert (HBO) 1993

MTV'S Inaugural Gala Ball (MTV) 1993

Up-close: Paul McCartney (MTV & ABC) 1993

Rod Stewart Valentine Vagabond (Live Pay Per View Concert) 1992

Dwight Yokum (Live Pay Per View Concert) 1991

MTV Unplugged With Paul McCartney (MTV) 1991—Ace Award Nominee

Arista's 15th Anniversary "That's What Friends Are For" (CBS) 1990

Huey Lewis and the News (Showtime) 1985—Grammy Award winner for Best Director

Men at Work "Live in San Francisco" (HBO) 1984—Monitor Award winner

Soul Session: James Brown & Friends (Cinemax) – 1987 Ace Award for Best Director

Harry Belafonte: Don't Stop the Carnival (HBO) 1985

The Doobie Brothers Farewell Concert (Showtime) 1985

Rod Stewart, Tonight He's Yours (Syndication) 1981

Legends of Rock 'N Roll (Cinemax) 1989

Comedy

 

3 Cats From Miami (HBO) 1998

Rodney Dangerfield's 75th Birthday Toast (HBO) 1997

Paula Poundstone Goes to Harvard (HBO) 1995

TV's All Time Classic Comedy (Fox) 1994

Dame Edna's Hollywood I, II & III (NBC) (Three 1 Hour Specials) 1992, 1991

Paul Rodriguez Special (Fox) 1992

The 14th Annual Young Comedians Show (HBO) 1991 with Richard Lewis

Paula Poundstone: Cats, Cops and Stuff (HBO) 1990 – Ace Award nominee 1991

Richard Lewis "I'm Doomed" (HBO) 1990 – Ace Award nominee 1990

Harry Anderson's Sideshow (NBC) 1987

This Is Your Life, 30th Anniversary Special (NBC) 1987

Richard Lewis: "I'm Exhausted" (HBO) 1988

George Carlin's "What Am I Doing in New Jersey?" (HBO) 1988

The 11th Annual Young Comedian's Special (HBO) 1988

Robin Williams, an Evening at The Met (HBO) – 1988 Monitor Award nominee and 1987 Ace Award nominee, both for Best Director

Harry Anderson "Hello Sucker" (Showtime) 1986

Jerry Seinfeld Special (HBO) 1987

Greater Tuna (HBO) 1984—Monitor Award Winner for Best Cable Program, Ace Award Nominee for Best Director

Billy Crystal - A Comic's Line (HBO) 1984

Richard Belzer Caught in the Act (Cinemax) 1984

Eddie Murphy Delirious (HBO) 1983

Miscellaneous specials

 

Explosion! (ABC) 1997

City Kids All-star Celebration (ABC) 1995

World of Entertainment (Syndication) 1982

All-Star Salute to Mother's Day (NBC) 1981

The II, III, IV & V International Guinness Book of World Records (ABC)

David Frost with The Shah of Iran (ABC) 1980

Videos

Selected music videos directed by Bruce Gowers:

 

Year     Song            Artist            Notes

1973    "Keep Yourself Alive"            Queen 

"Liar"   

1975            "Bohemian Rhapsody" 

"I'm Not in Love"   10cc    

"In Dulce Jubilo"  Mike Oldfield           

1976    "You're My Best Friend" Queen 

"Somebody to Love"  

"Robbery, Assault, and Battery"            Genesis           

"Ripples..."      

"A Trick of the Tail"    

"I'm Mandy Fly Me"      10cc    

"Rockaria!"            Electric Light Orchestra

"Hot Stuff"            The Rolling Stones  

"Hey Negrita"  

"Fool to Cry"   

"The Killing of Georgie"            Rod Stewart           

"Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)"     

1977    "The First Cut Is the Deepest"         

"Tie Your Mother Down"            Queen 

"How Much Love"   Leo Sayer  

"Stayin' Alive"            The Bee Gees        

"How Deep is Your Love"     

"You're Insane"            Rod Stewart           

"You're in My Heart (The Final Acclaim)"

1978    "I Was Only Joking"    

"Hot Legs"       

"Baby Come Back"   Player            [9]

"Emotion"            Samantha Sang           

"Dust in the Wind"   Kansas

"Lights" Journey           

"Life Beyond L.A."            Ambrosia        [10]

"How Much I Feel"    [11]

"I'm Every Woman"            Chaka Khan    [12]

"How You Gonna See Me Now"   Alice Cooper           

"Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)"            Styx    

"Sing for the Day"    

"I'm OK"         

"I Love the Nightlife"            Alicia Bridges

"Love Don't Live Here Anymore"            Rose Royce 

"Reunited"            Peaches & Herb         

"Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?"            Rod Stewart           

1979    "Ain't Love a Bitch"   

"Blondes (Have More Fun)"     

"Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'"            Journey           

"Lovin' You is Easy"   

"Just the Same Way"   

"Turn Me On"            The Tubes  

"TV is King"    

"Prime Time"   

"The Logical Song"            Supertramp     

"Goodbye Stranger"         

"Breakfast in America"         

"La dolce Vita"            Sparks

"The Number One Song in Heaven"          

"Dancing Jones"            Nicolette Larson          

"Small Paradise"            John Cougar

"I Need a Lover" 

"Miami"           

"99"      Toto    

"Rock With You"    Michael Jackson           

1980    "She's Out of My Life"           

"Hydra"            Toto    

"St. George and the Dragon"           

"All Us Boys"  

"Ride Like the Wind"            Christopher Cross      

"This Time"            John Cougar

1981    "Ain't Even Done with the Night"        

"Tom Sawyer"            Rush    

"Vital Signs"     

"Limelight"       

"Controversy"            Prince  

"Sexuality"       

"Nightwalker"            Gino Vannelli           

"Winning"            Santana           

"Searchin'"       

"I Love You Too Much"      

"E Papa Re"    

"Changes"        

"Over and Over"  

"A World Without Heroes"            KISS  

1982    "I"       

"Keep the Fire Burnin'"            REO Speedwagon   

"Sweet Time"   

"Girl With the Heart of Gold" 

"I'll Follow You"   

"The Key"       

"Back in My Heart Again"    

"Stillness of the Night"  

"Good Trouble"           

"1999"  Prince  

"Jack and Diane"  John Cougar

"Hurts So Good" 

1983            "Waiting for Your Love"   Toto    

1984    "The Heart of Rock & Roll" Huey Lewis and the News  

"I Don't Want to Talk About It"         Rod Stewart           

1987    "In My Dreams"            REO Speedwagon   

1993    "People Everyday"            Arrested Development

1996    "Why Does It Hurt So Bad"            Whitney Houston        

2005    "(Is This the Way to) Amarillo"            Tony Christie and Peter Kay        

Filmography

Documentaries

Hello Dalí (1973)

Finnan Games (1975)

Television pilots

George Lopez Talk Show (WAD Productions) 2008

Glam Me Up (CW Network) 2008

Roundhouse (Nickelodeon) 1992

America's Funniest People (ABC) 1990

The Kidsongs TV Show (Syndication) 1988

Dancin' to The Hits (Syndication) 1986

Footlight Follies 1988

Double Takes 1987