Ronnie Haran

Ronnie Haran (born August 9, 1939), is an American actress, photographer, publicist, and booking manager, particularly noted for her role in discovering and managing musical talent in the latter half of the 1960s.

Haran began entertainment in 1959 as an actress, playing roles in episodic television. In the mid-1960s, Ronnie transitioned from acting to behind-the-scenes roles, first as a publicist and then as a booking manager for the venue, The Whisky a Go Go. Ronnie also supported the careers of The Doors, Love, and Van Morrison during the latter half of the 1960's.[1][2]

Haran photographed various artists throughout California, such as (Stuart Whitman, Tuesday Weld, Dudley Moore), musicians (Donovan, Moby Grape, The Doors, Michelle Phillips, The Byrds, David Bowie, a young Michael Jackson, James Brown), and visual artists (Andy Warhol and Paul Morrissey, Alfred Hitchcock, Roman Polanski).[3]

Early life

Haran was born on August 9, 1939, the daughter of Gertrude and Harry Rosenthal. When she was ten years old, a cousin's death prompted Ronnie to raise money for the March of Dimes by selling her own baked goods door to door, raising $180. After receiving Ronnie's donation, the March of Dimes shared her contribution, resulting in newspaper coverage and requests for interviews.[4]

Acting career

In the mid 1950s, Haran was signed by the William Schuller Agency and began acting roles on episodic television, traveling frequently between New York and Los Angeles for work. Ronnie was first represented by Bill Kelley of MCA and later by Bob Shapiro of the William Morris Agency. During this time, she appeared in television series of the 1960s, including Ben Casey, Cheyenne, and The Fugitive. She also appeared in the film Come September alongside Rock Hudson, Gina Lollobrigida, Bobby Darin, and Sandra Dee.[5]

Haran made her Broadway debut in 1962, when she replaced Joey Heatherton as Little Margaret in Step on a Crack.[6]

Club booker and band manager (1966-69)

In 1966, Elmer Valentine offered Haran a position assisting his publicist at his new club, the Whisky a Go Go, for $50 a week. She was 26 years old. Ronnie then suggested that the Whisky began serving food, which would permit the club to lower its age requirement from 21 to 18.[7] Within three weeks, her guidance earned her a raise to $75 a week, after she presented it to the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce to support the change. Haran then became the Whisky's house booker. At this time, the venue began the transition from a discotheque into a club.[8]

Love

When Andy Warhol and Paul Morrissey's Exploding Plastic Inevitable (EPI) made its way to Los Angeles in 1966, stopping at the nightclub The Trip, Ronnie was able to photograph Warhol, Morrissey, and others within this artist circle.[9][10]

While attending the Exploding Plastic Inevitable, Haran was introduced to Herb Cohen, who at the time was managing the band Love. Cohen had recently told Elmer Valentine that he needed someone to run Love's fan club, which led to Haran being introduced to the group during one of their shows at Bido Lito's.[11] During her first phone call with lead singer Arthur Lee, he surprised her by asking her to fire Cohen. Arthur then appointed Haran as Love's manager.[12][13]

Haran's photograph of the band was chosen for the back cover of Love's 1967 album Forever Changes and also submitted many images to Crawdaddy magazine for publishing.[14][15]

The Doors

In 1966, Haran visited London Fog with her friend, Peter Asher, to listen to a group called The Doors.[16][17] The band was fired that night, and was about to dismember, when Haran offered them a job to be the house band at the Whisky.[18][19] Haran soon formed a relationship with Jim Morrison. The two cohabitated for a 2 month period in Los Angeles.[20][21] Haran booked the Doors as the house band from May 23 to August 21, 1966. The Doors regularly opened for the headliners and often played two sets every night. At their final night at the Whisky, the Doors opened for Them, resulting in both Morrisons (Van and Jim) playing "Gloria".[22] In his book, John Densmore discusses the direction that Ronnie had for the Doors during their house band residency at the Whisky.[23][24]

Haran is also accredited for writing the liner notes for the 1966 London Fog album.[25] Haran introduced Jim to Elektra Records, with producer Paul Rothchild and Bruce Botnick.[26]

Haran was involved in contributing her photographs to local underground publications, including World Countdown. World Countdown was a biweekly underground music newspaper published in California by founding editor and compiler, Charles Royal, from August 1966 to July 1969.[27][28]

Photography

By the early 1970s, she continued photography as her professional career interest, working on sets for both television and film. She contributed to album photography for music labels such as Epic, Elektra, and Columbia, and contributed as a West Coast editor for Show Magazine.[29]

Haran continued her photography and became a location scout and producer in Santa Barbara, leading her own company for three decades.[30] She married Chase Mellen on February 14, 1970.[31] She currently resides in Montecito, California, where she lives with her dog companions.

References

  1. ^ Lewis, Randy (28 January 2009). "At Whisky A Go-Go, applause for co-founder Elmer Valentine". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
  2. ^ Wing, Jeff (October 1, 2021). "Ronnie and Them". Montecito Journal. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
  3. ^ Wilson, Staci Layne (14 January 2025). "Ronnie Haran's Wild Rock n' Roll Ride". CultureSonar. Retrieved 25 November 2025.
  4. ^ "Girl, 10, Sells Toys, Cookies and Cakes For Polio Fund--And Wins City's Cheers". The New York Times. Retrieved 29 November 2025.
  5. ^ Crowther, Bosley (September 8, 1961). "The Screen: Comedy-Romance in Italy:'Come September' Is at the Music Hall". The New York Times. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
  6. ^ "Theater: 'Step on a Crack,' Play by Evslin, Opens at the Ethel Barrymore". The New York Times. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
  7. ^ "Ronnie Haran's Wild Rock n' Roll Ride". Culture Sonar. 14 January 2025. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
  8. ^ Martino, Alison (14 January 2014). "Vintage Los Angeles: How Go-Go Dancing Took Off at The Whisky". Los Angeles Magazine. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
  9. ^ Lue, Karen (7 August 2014). "My Mind Was Blown: Experiencing the Warhol's EPI Gallery". the warhol. Retrieved 3 December 2025.
  10. ^ "Velvet Underground & Nico / Andy Warhol – Original 1966 'The Trip' Concert Poster". RecordMecca. 24 January 2024. Retrieved 3 December 2025.
  11. ^ Einarson, John (2010). Forever Changes: Arthur Lee & The Book of Love. Jawbone Press. p. 336. ISBN 978-1906002312.
  12. ^ Hickey, Andrew (13 January 2023). "Episode 161: "Alone Again Or" by Love". A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
  13. ^ "Love - My Little Red Book (1966)". Bohemia Visual Music. 30 May 2024. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
  14. ^ Mostrom, Tony (30 September 2019). "THE FOREVER CHANGES OF ARTHUR LEE & LOVE". Please Kill Me, This is What's Cool. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
  15. ^ "Arthur Lee He Sees Everything Like This: Forever Changes At 50". Critics At Large. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
  16. ^ Krieger, Robby (12 October 2021). Set the Night on Fire: Living, Dying, and Playing Guitar With the Doors. Little, Brown and Company. p. 320. ISBN 978-0-31624-334-6. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
  17. ^ "Los Angeles Rock, Part One (1955–1975)". Ned Rock. Retrieved 25 November 2025.
  18. ^ Manzarek, Ray (29 June 1998). Light My Fire: My Life with the Doors (first ed.). Putnam. p. 368. ISBN 9780399143991. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
  19. ^ Grow, Kory (16 December 2016). "The Doors Reflect on Earliest Concerts; Jim Morrison's Genius". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
  20. ^ Wall, Mick (2014). Love Becomes a Funeral Pyre. Orion Publishing Group. p. 502. ISBN 9781409151234. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
  21. ^ "The Strip" (PDF). Hollywood Hangover. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
  22. ^ "Whisky A Go Go 45 Years Ago". New Doors Talk Proboards. Retrieved 3 December 2025.
  23. ^ Densmore, John (1991). Riders on the Storm: My Life with Jim Morrison and the Doors. Delacorte Press. p. 368. ISBN 978-0385304474. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
  24. ^ "Famous Quotes – The Whisky a Go Go". Whisky a Go Go. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
  25. ^ "Now Available: The Doors, LONDON FOG 1966". Rhino. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
  26. ^ "Love Interview - Johnny Echols". Its Psychedelic Baby Magazine. 29 December 2017. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
  27. ^ Unterberger, Richie (12 October 2025). "Interview with Richard Morton Jack, Editor/Compiler of World Countdown August 1966-July 1967". Richie Unterberger. Retrieved October 12, 2025.
  28. ^ Jack, Richard Morton (2025). World Countdown: August 1966- July 1969. Lansdowne Books. p. 384. ISBN 9781068369308. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
  29. ^ "Record Talent Directory - 1967 International" (PDF). Billboard. Billboard. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
  30. ^ "Theatrical Agencies - Santa Barbara Locations". Better Business Bureau (BBB). Retrieved 2 December 2025.
  31. ^ "Ronnie Haran Weds on Coast". The New York Times. February 15, 1970. Retrieved November 7, 2025.
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