According to the Los Angeles Times, police arrived at Cornelius’ Sherman Oaks home around 4 a.m. and found him dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
A radio news announcer by trade, Cornelius began moonlighting at WCIU-TV, and wanted to create an African American version of American Bandstand, Dick Clark's influential music show, with live dancing five days a week. On August 17, 1970, the first episode of Soul Train premiered on the station, and by the next year, it was being syndicated in other markets. The show became one of the longest-running shows of its kind, airing from 1971 through 2006. Cornelius held down the hosting duties for most of that run, before stepping down in 1993. Cornelius remained as its executive producer and expanded the brand into an annual awards show.
