Clifford Bell, the cabaret impresario, director and producer affectionately known as “Lawrence of Cabarabia,” died Sunday of natural causes at CHA Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center, publicist Steve Moyer announced. He was 68.
“Clifford Bell was a force of nature!” Moyer said in a statement. “He lived and breathed music every day of his life to the very end.”
A 40-year show business veteran, Bell wrote and directed variety performances featuring the likes of Walter Cronkite, Colin Powell and Michael Eisner at the Honda Center in Anaheim and toured with Katey Sagal and her band.
As a cabaret director, he helmed shows for singers Gregg Marx, Todd Murray, Lois Bourgon, Carol Whitener, Joanne Tatham, Bonnie Gilgallon, Lauren White, Quinn Johnson, Chase Masterson, Lee Lessack, Bobbie Norman and Katrina Aguilar.
He produced albums for singers Betsyann Faiella, Eileen Barnett and Judy Butterfield and directed one-person shows starring Beth Lapides, Joan Hotchkis, Juliette Marshall, Craig Laforest, Deborah Pearl and Paul Jacek.
With frequent collaborator and Tony-nominated actress Lara Teeter (On Your Toes), Bell co-created the touring show Direct From Broadway, which starred Tony winners Debbie Gravitte (Jerome Robbins’ Broadway) and Michael Maguire (Les Misérables).
He handled variety evenings and showcase presentations, often for charitable causes like Our Name Is Barbra, an annual celebration of Barbra Streisand’s birthday that has raised funds and awareness for Bell’s beloved charity, Project Angel Food, for 26 years.
His final Our Name Is Barbra concert was presented April 24 at Catalina Jazz Club in Hollywood with a lineup of celebrated performers. It also was presented May 6 for the first time in Palm Springs to benefit the Revolution Stage Company.
Bell also worked with Shannon Penrod of Autism Care Today and singer Dana Meller to establish Broadway for Autism and with Aguilar to bring awareness to autism organizations.
Bell was born in New Jersey on Sept. 17, 1956. His father was a symphony conductor and his mother a concert cellist.
He wrote for Cabaret Scenes magazine; was featured alongside Chita Rivera, Bruce Vilanch and Sam Harris in Marc Saltarelli’s 2023 documentary Studio One Forever; hosted a podcast about cabaret; and taught cabaret at the Woman’s Club of Hollywood.
Survivors include his brother, Bryan Bell, a technologist, audio engineer and former senior vp at the Broadway-oriented label Fynsworth Alley; stepfather Andrew; sister-in-law Margarita; nephew Lindsay; and nieces Christina and Andrea.
Donations in his memory can be made to Project Angel Food and/or Cabaret Scenes.
