Lou Adler (born December 13, 1933) is an American record producer, manager, and director.
Born in Chicago, Illinois and raised in East Los Angeles, Adler grew up in a mixed Jewish/Mexican family. In 1964, Adler founded and co-owned Dunhill Records. He was President of the label as well as the chief record producer from 1964 to 1967. That summer he sold Dunhill for three million dollars to ABC Records. Later in 1967, he founded Ode Records. In June 1967 Adler helped to produce the Monterey International Pop Festival, as well as the film version, Monterey Pop.
He is the former manager of Jan & Dean, and was the producer of Sam Cooke, The Mamas and the Papas, Johnny Rivers, Barry McGuire, Scott McKenzie, Spirit, Carole King, The Weaver Temptations (which he signed in 1968) and Cheech and Chong. In 1974, he helped to produce the American stage version of The Rocky Horror Show as well as the film version, The Rocky Horror Picture Show. In 1978, Adler directed the movie Up In Smoke, starring Cheech & Chong. The movie remains a cult hit, and in 2000 Adler recorded a commentary track along with Cheech Marin for the DVD release.
He has won two Grammy Awards in 1972 in the Record of the Year category for producing It's Too Late by Carole King and in the Album of the Year category for Tapestry (also by King).
Adler was known as a major playboy in the 1960s and 1970s, having been romantically linked to some of the world's most beautiful women, such as singer Jill Gibson, actress Tina Sinatra, actress Peggy Lipton, singer-actress Michelle Phillips and actress Britt Ekland, by whom he fathered a son Nicholai in 1973. Lou Adler was married to actress and singer Shelley Fabares in 1964 and produced several of her songs. They separated in 1966 but were not formally divorced until 1980.
In 1978 Adler fathered a second son, Cisco Adler, with then-girlfriend Phyllis Somer.
Today Adler is married to Page Hannah, the younger sister of actress Daryl Hannah. The couple have sons named Manny, Pablo, Oscar, and Ike.
Lou Adler is the owner of The Roxy Theatre in West Hollywood, California and on April 6, 2006, he was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Adler is best friends with actor Jack Nicholson and can often be found at his side at LA Lakers Basketball games; the two also share in a house in Aspen, Colorado. Adler is a lifelong friend of record producer Herb Alpert, formerly of the Tijuana Brass and partner of record label A & M Records.
