Howard Beldock

Howard N. Beldock, 95, Dies; A Scion of Entertainment Law and Mediation

Howard Norton Beldock, a prominent lawyer who represented lions of the rock and roll and entertainment industry, died surrounded by friends and family at the Brandywine Senior Living Community in Litchfield, Connecticut.

Mr. Beldock, at a time when musicians and artists were receiving neither the royalties nor ownership of rights that they are today, was a vigorous defender of artists' contract rights and intellectual property ownership. He represented, at various times, Gene Pitney, Tommy James, The Temptations, Grand Funk Railroad, Johnny Carson, Joe Cocker, Marvin Gaye, and many more. He wrestled the contract rights of dozens of artists from their restrictive contracts and was forever in their debt and hearts. Mayor Ed Koch appointed him to head the New York Music Task Force when the recording industry was shifting to California. He was also President of The Touchdown Club of America.

A founding partner of the entertainment law firm of Beldock, Kushnick, and Bushkin and later a partner at Javits, Robinson, Brog PLC. Mr. Beldock retired from the practice of law at age 74. Thereafter, Mr. Beldock, as an arbitrator and mediator, participated in 8,000 mediations and arbitrations as the chief arbitrator for Resolute.

In his early life Mr. Beldock was a storied athlete at Brooklyn's Erasmus Hall and, at the age of 17, was admitted to Columbia College destined to be a three-sport athlete. There he developed his passion for law and graduated from Columbia University in only two and a half years at 19. His law studies were interrupted by service in the Korean conflict where Mr Beldock spent 18 months as a Corporal in the United States Army. He subsequently graduated from Columbia Law. However, his heart was always in Brooklyn and with his beloved Brooklyn Dodgers. Mr. Beldock famously once told Prince Phillip, at a cricket event in Jamaica, that in Brooklyn "every mother's son is a Prince".

Mr. Beldock was renowned as a historian, and an expert in modern European history and the Civil War. Once President of The Touchdown Club of America, he maintained a voluminous library of sports, particularly baseball and football books, and art, which will be gifted to their respective Halls of Fame. He was a lover of all music, especially jazz, having traveled throughout Europe with jazz legends like Eddie Harris, Les McCann, and others.

Mr. Beldock was a beloved husband to his "bride" of 44 years, Susan Beldock. He shared a mutual adoration with his children, daughter Brett Beldock and son, Gregg, and their spouses John Simoni and Beth Beldock. His grandchildren, Sydney, Amory, and Geordie referred to their grandfather as "their favorite human". He was more father than stepfather to his stepchildren, John and Lisa.