Daniel Gachman

Daniel J. Gachman passed away on Monday October 1, 2012. Dan was born on September 2, 1917 in Texarkana, Texas to Jacob & Edith Gachman. Dan is survived by his wife Carole; son's Randy (Rhonda) & Dean (Cindy); sister Diane(Bart); nephew Arnie(Harriett); step-sons, Scott(Joani), Gregg(Micky), & Milton; grandchildren Jill (Michael), Dina, Amy(Mike), Kathryn(Ben) and Jackie; great-grandchildren Sophia, Jack, Colin, & Natalie; step grand-children Kristen, Katie, Adam, & Michael. Preceding him in death were Dan's parents, wife Muriel and brother Leon.

Dan grew up in Fort Worth, Texas, attending Central High School and later majored in Business Administration at the University of Texas in Austin, TX. Dan played saxophone, clarinet, and base violin in the high school band and became Central High School's youngest student conductor. During this period he also organized a dance band at the age of 16 years old, playing school dances, fraternities and various civic clubs. His band group became very popular, graduating to big band status, playing at hotels and night clubs throughout Texas and the Midwest. This was in the middle of the Great Depression and Dan brought great big band music to large crowds during this period. Dan enlisted in the Texas National Guard and was called into action when Governor Ross Sterling declared martial law in the East Texas oil fields.

Dan then became interested in acting and enrolled in the original Pasadena Community Playhouse in Pasadena, California. During the two years of training, he was cast in several plays and worked with the top talents of the industry. He left California for Texas where he was contracted to the producer of " The Original Casa Manana Theater" in Fort Worth and became stage manager under Carleton Winkler, who produced over 400 Broadway shows. Dan was always on the move in show business and in the early days of television created the "Happy House Theater" on WBAP-TV in the Dallas/Ft Worth market. It was highly acclaimed, featuring 15 dancers and singers and was on television every Saturday evening at 9:30 p.m; Dan wrote, directed and starred in all of the shows. Dan was involved in the family steel business in Texas and later in California where he became involved in the movie and television business and had roles in several television productions including Robert Taylor Detectives and Rawhide starring Clint Eastwood. Dan was thrilled to receive a personal letter from Clint Eastwood to honor his 90th birthday. In addition to Clint Eastwood, Dan worked with some of the biggest names in show business such as Edward G. Robertson, Eddie Cantor, Benny Goodman, Sammy Cahn and Mary Tyler Moore. Dan always managed a front row seat at the legendary Copa Room at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas to watch Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr.

After retiring from the steel business, Dan continued to stay active well into his 90's, writing three novels and four screenplays as well as producing three movies.

Dan was a 50 year member of B'nai B'rith, a 32nd degree Mason, and a member of the Association of Steel Distributors and the American Iron & Steel Institute. A survivor of cancer, Dan was a supporter of cancer and other research and wanted to break the record for the longest living person in the world. A member of Congregation Beth Israel, Dan was an avid golfer, playing in numerous celebrity tournaments throughout the country. Dan's love of family kept him going for all these years and he was happiest with family & friends around him. On the day before he passed away, with family gathering around, his last words were, "who are we entertaining today"? Dan will always be cherished in the hearts of all his family and friends.