Editing Sonny Bono (section)

== Career ==
=== Entertainment career ===
{{See also|Sonny & Cher}}
[[File:SonnyCher1966.jpg|thumb|upright|left|[[Sonny & Cher]], 1966]]

Bono began his music career as a songwriter at [[Specialty Records]], where his song "Things You Do to Me" was recorded by [[Sam Cooke]], and went on to work for record producer [[Phil Spector]] in the early 1960s as a promotion man, percussionist and "[[gofer]]". One of his earliest songwriting efforts, "[[Needles and Pins (song)|Needles and Pins]]" was co-written with [[Jack Nitzsche]], another member of Spector's production team. In 1965, he achieved commercial success with his wife [[Cher]] in the singing duo [[Sonny & Cher]]. Bono wrote, arranged and produced a number of hit records including the singles "[[I Got You Babe]]" and "[[The Beat Goes On (Sonny & Cher song)|The Beat Goes On]]", although Cher received more attention as a performer.<ref name=pc44 /> He played a major part in Cher's early solo recording career, writing and producing singles including "[[Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)|Bang Bang]]" and "[[You Better Sit Down Kids]]".

Under a pseudonym, Bono co-wrote "She Said Yeah",<ref>{{cite web |url=https://repertoire.bmi.com/Search/Search?Main_Search_Text=she%20said%20yeah&Main_Search=Title&Sub_Search=Please%20Select&Search_Type=all&View_Count=0&Page_Number=0 |title=BMI &#124; Songview Search}}</ref> covered by [[the Rolling Stones]] on their 1965 LP ''[[Out of Our Heads]]''. His lone hit single as a solo artist, "[[Laugh at Me]]", was released in 1965 and peaked at No. 10 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. In live concerts, Bono introduced the song by saying "I'd like to sing a medley of my hit". His only other single as a solo artist, "The Revolution Kind", reached No. 70 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 later that year. His solo album, ''[[Inner Views]]'', was released in 1967.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.rhinohandmade.com/product/inner-views |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150210234725/http://www.rhinohandmade.com/product/inner-views |archive-date=February 10, 2015| title=Sonny Bono – Inner Views| publisher=[[Rhino Entertainment|Rhino Handmade]] |access-date=June 1, 2024}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

[[File:Sonny-Bono.jpg|thumb|left|Sonny Bono in 1966 during a performance]]

Bono continued to work with Cher through the early and mid-1970s, starring in a popular television variety show, ''[[The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour]]'', which ran on [[CBS]] from 1971 to 1974. Around the time that ''The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour'' was in development, Bono grew his now famous mustache, which he would continue to wear for the rest of his life. In 1974, his solo variety show, ''[[The Sonny Comedy Revue]]'', ran on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] for one season. From 1976 to 1977, the duo, since divorced, returned to perform together on ''[[The Sonny and Cher Show]]''. Their last appearance together was on ''[[Late Night with David Letterman]]'' on November 13, 1987, on which they sang "[[I Got You Babe]]".<ref>"Sonny & Cher Boost Ratings". ''The New Mexican''. Santa Fe, New Mexico. November 29, 1987, p. 35, accessed through [[NewspaperARCHIVE.com]] on March 13, 2009.</ref><ref>"Sonny and Cher Reunited on David Letterman Show." ''Aiken Standard''. Aiken, South Carolina. November 15, 1987. p. 3. accessed through NewspaperARCHIVE.com on March 13, 2009.</ref>

{{quote box | quote="What we call a [[hook (music)|hook]] hits you, ... then you're almost not writing, lyrics come to you, a sort of magic takes over, and it's not like work at all."|source=-Sonny Bono on songwriting, 1967 ''[[Pop Chronicles]]'' interview.<ref name=pc44>{{Gilliland |url=https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc19808/m1/#track/1 |show=44 |track=1 |title=Show 44 – Revolt of the Fat Angel: Some samples of the Los Angeles sound. [Part 4]}}</ref> |width=50%}}In 2011, Sonny Bono was inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.michiganrockandrolllegends.com/mrrl-hall-of-fame/191-sonny-bono|title=Michigan Rock and Roll Legends – Sonny Bono|first=Gary|last=Johnson|publisher=www.michiganrockandrolllegends.com}}</ref>

==== Film and television ====
Bono's acting career included bit parts as a guest performer in such television series as ''[[The Man From U.N.C.L.E.]]'' (appearing with Cher in "The Hot Number Affair"), ''[[Fantasy Island]]'', ''[[Charlie's Angels]]'', ''[[The Love Boat]]'', ''[[The Six Million Dollar Man]]'' and ''[[CHiPs]]''. In the 1975 TV movie ''[[Murder on Flight 502]]'', he played the role of rock star Jack Marshall. He appeared in the 1980 miniseries ''Top of the Hill''. He played the role of mad bomber Joe Selucci in ''[[Airplane II: The Sequel]]'' (1982) and appeared in the horror film ''[[Troll (1986 film)|Troll]]'' (1986). He portrayed racist entrepreneur Franklin Von Tussle in the [[John Waters]] film ''[[Hairspray (1988 film)|Hairspray]]'' (1988). He appeared as the Mayor of Palm Springs (which he was at the time) in several episodes of ''[[P.S. I Luv U]]'' during the 1991–92 TV season, and on ''[[Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman]]'' (in season 1, episode 9 "The Man of Steel Bars", which aired November 21, 1993), he played Mayor Frank Berkowitz. He made a minor appearance as himself in the comedy film ''[[First Kid]]'' (1996). A portrait of Bono appeared in the ''[[VeggieTales]]'' episode "Dave and the Giant Pickle", in the Silly Songs with Larry segment ''I Love My Lips'' (original version).

Bono guest-starred as himself on ''[[The Golden Girls]]'' episode "Mrs. George Devereaux" (originally broadcast November 17, 1990), in which he vied with [[Lyle Waggoner]] for Dorothy's ([[Bea Arthur]]) affection in a dream sequence. In Blanche's ([[Rue McClanahan]]) dream, her husband is still alive, and Bono uses his power as Mayor of Palm Springs to have Waggoner falsely arrested so he can have Dorothy to himself. Sophia ([[Estelle Getty]]) had been hoping for Sonny and Dorothy to get together and actively supported Sonny.

=== Political career ===
{{See also|Copyright Term Extension Act}}
[[File:President Ronald Reagan and Nancy Reagan shaking hands with Sonny Bono and Mary Bono.jpg|thumb|President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan are greeted by Sonny Bono and Mary Bono on their arrival via [[Air Force One]] in Palm Springs, California, December 29, 1988.|left|185x185px]]
Bono entered politics after experiencing frustration with local government bureaucracy while trying to open a restaurant in [[Palm Springs, California]]. He made a successful bid for mayor, and served from 1988 to 1992.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=B000622| title=Bono, Sonny – Biographical Information| publisher=Bioguide.congress.gov| access-date=October 8, 2009}}</ref> As mayor, Bono spearheaded the creation of the [[Palm Springs International Film Festival]], which is held each year in his memory.

Bono ran for the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] nomination for [[United States Senate]] in 1992, but lost to the more conservative [[Bruce Herschensohn]], who lost the general election to Democrat [[Barbara Boxer]]. Bono and Herschensohn became close friends after the campaign. In 1994, Bono planned to run for lieutenant governor, but decided to run for Congress when Republican [[Al McCandless]] announced his retirement. Bono won the Republican nomination and the general election to represent [[California's 44th congressional district]]. He was reelected in 1996, and served from January 1995 until his death.

[[File:Sonny Bono.jpg|thumb|Bono's official portrait, 1995]]

In the House, Bono was one of 12 co-sponsors of a House bill extending [[copyright]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d105:HR02589: |title=Bill Summary & Status – 105th Congress (1997–1998) – H.R.2589 – THOMAS (Library of Congress) |publisher=Thomas.loc.gov |date=March 26, 1998 |access-date=April 25, 2012 |archive-date=November 27, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081127023519/http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d105:HR02589: |url-status=dead }}</ref> Although that bill was never voted on in the Senate, a similar Senate bill was passed after his death and named the [[Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act]] in his memory. It is also known (derisively) as the [[Mickey Mouse]] Protection Act.<ref>Lawrence Lessig, ''Copyright's First Amendment'', 48 UCLA L. Rev. 1057, 1065 (2001)</ref>

He championed the restoration of the [[Salton Sea]],<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.cnn.com/EARTH/9801/16/salton.sea/index.html| title=Salton Sea rescue to be named for Sonny Bono| publisher=[[CNN]]| date=January 16, 1998}}</ref> bringing the giant lake's plight to national attention. In 1998, then [[Speaker of the United States House of Representatives|Speaker of the House]] [[Newt Gingrich]] made a public appearance and speech at the shore of the lake on Bono's behalf.

In their book ''Tell Newt to Shut Up'', [[David Maraniss]] and [[Michael Weisskopf]] credit Bono with being the first person to recognize Gingrich's public relations problems in 1995. Drawing on his long experience as a celebrity and entertainment producer, Bono (according to Maraniss and Weisskopf) recognized that Gingrich's status had changed from politician to celebrity and that he was not making allowances for that change:

{{blockquote|You're a celebrity now... The rules are different for celebrities. I know it. I've been there. I've been a celebrity. I used to be a bigger celebrity. But let me tell you, you're not being handled right. This is not political news coverage. This is celebrity status. You need handlers. You need to understand what you're doing. You need to understand the attitude of the media toward celebrities.}}

Bono remains the only member of Congress to have scored a number-one pop single on the US [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] chart.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Rewinding the Charts: Fifty Years Ago, Sonny & Cher 'Got' to No. 1| url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/6221458/rewinding-the-charts-fifty-years-ago-sonny-cher-got-to-no-1| magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]| access-date=December 2, 2017}}</ref>