- Born
- Died
- Birth nameSalvatore Phillip Bono
- Nickname
- Sonny
- Height1.65 m
- Sonny Bono was born on February 16, 1935 in Detroit, Michigan, USA. He was an actor and composer, known for The Sonny and Cher Show (1976), Kill Bill: Volume I (2003) and Hairspray (1988). He was married to Mary Bono, Susie Coelho, Cher and Donna Rankin. He died on January 5, 1998 in Stateline, Nevada, USA.
- SpousesMary Bono(March 1, 1986 - January 5, 1998) (his death, 2 children)Susie Coelho(December 31, 1981 - November 21, 1984) (divorced)Cher(October 27, 1964 - June 26, 1975) (divorced, 1 child)Donna Rankin(November 3, 1954 - October 1, 1962) (divorced, 1 child)
- ChildrenChesare Elan BonoChianna Maria BonoChristy BonoChaz Bono
- ParentsJean BonoSanto Bono
- Distinctive nasal voice
- When Fox-TV announced plans to produce an autobiographical movie about Sonny & Cher in 1992, Sonny suggested Kevin Costner to play him and Roseanne Barr as Cher.
- Had a reputation for being self-deprecating. Even during his political career, he prided himself on not taking himself -- or being taken -- too seriously.
- According to his widow (fourth wife Mary Bono), Sonny Bono was addicted to painkillers at the time of his skiing accident death, and was taking up to 20 pills a day.
- While struggling as a songwriter, he also made deliveries for a local butcher shop. A few music industry people remembered him as the kid who would come in to plug new songs, still wearing a bloodstained butcher's apron, then run out to get back to his route.
- Decided he had had enough of show business the day he was on the set of L'île fantastique (1977), shooting a scene with Hervé Villechaize as Tattoo, and misremembered Tattoo's name. Villechaize flew into a rage, sputtering at Bono, and Bono (as he related later) literally asked himself what the hell was he doing there.
- You're just borrowing (fame). It's like money. You're going to die, and somebody else is going to get it.
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