He was born on November 26, 1926 in Chicago. Billed as the “hippie millionaire,” his private life was a feast for gossip columnists. Weather Hair Butler shocked audiences with his portrayal of gay and trans characters, Butler had legendary adventures with actresses like Linda Christian and Audrey Hepburn and actors like Tyrone Power and John Phillip Law.
As a young man, the imposing and strikingly handsome Butler was a major social presence in Chicago. The Butler dynasty was built around two huge private companies, Butler Aviation and Butler Paper. In his early 30s, Butler opted for show business over his family’s corporate business, hence his investment in Hair, then a struggling show at the Public Theater. With additional funding and a new creative team, the show became a huge success, its nude scenes and brilliant music helping to fill theaters.
At age 40, Butler divided his time between big houses in Santa Barbara and Hollywood.
Outside of his showbiz career, Butler held civic roles in local and national politics, serving as a special adviser to the then-Senator. John F. Kennedy on the Middle East and being appointed by Robert F. Kennedy to manage Illinois Governor Otto Kerner’s 1964 re-election campaign.
RFK and other high-ranking Democrats of the time endorsed Butler for a U.S. Senate bid in 1967, but Butler, though the favorite in the polls, chose to produce Hair for Broadway after seeing the Off Broadway production.
