Dave Dave (1976 – July 15, 2018), born David Charles Rothenberg and later known as David Jordan Robinson, was an American conceptual artist whose father was found guilty of attempting to kill him by burning in 1983, when he was six years old.
David Rothenberg was six years old and living with his mother, Marie Rothenberg, in the Carroll Gardens neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York,[1] when his father, Charles Rothenberg, took him to California. The parents were divorced[2] and in conflict over custody of David; after the two argued on the telephone, on the evening of March 3, 1983, at a motel in Buena Park, Charles gave his son a sleeping pill and after he fell asleep, poured kerosene on the bed and set fire to it. He left the room and watched from a telephone booth across the street while other guests rescued David.[3][4][5][6]
David had third-degree burns over 90% of his body; he required finger and toe amputations[7] and received a total of more than a hundred skin grafts.[8] He was badly disfigured and during one grafting operation experienced brain swelling that led to seizures and other complications.[9] Charles Rothenberg, who stated that he had originally intended to kill himself as well as his son, was sentenced in July 1983 to 13 years in prison, the maximum permitted at the time for his offenses;[9] guidelines were changed as a result of the case.[6] He was released in 1990 on three years' supervised parole after serving seven years.[8][10] After two years he fled, but turned himself in to authorities.[11] In 1996 he was tried for a shooting in Oakland,[12] at which time Dave, then 19, visited him in prison;[3][5][13] he read a statement to him in which he stated that Charles Rothenberg was "not a father but an imposter".[6] In 1998 Charles Rothenberg changed his name to Charley Charles, and in 2007, after also being convicted of various offenses in two other states,[6] under California's three strikes law he was sentenced to 25 years to life for weapons offenses in San Francisco.[3][13]
David Rothenberg made television appearances, met celebrities including Michael Jordan,[7] and became a friend and protégé of Michael Jackson.[3][4][6] Marie Rothenberg married Richard Hafdahl, a police officer who had supervised the fire investigation, and moved to Orange County, California with David.[5][10] In 1985 she published a book titled David,[2] which was adapted into the 1988 TV movie of the same name.[14] Marie Rothenberg and Mel White published an expanded version of the book in 2019 as David's Story: Burned by His Father's Rage, Healed by His Mother's Love.
Later life and careerEdit
Rothenberg legally changed his name by 1992 to David Jordan Robinson.[11] He attended ArtCenter College of Design.[4] By 1996 he was using only his first name;[6] he then legally changed his name to Dave Dave, to "free myself of [Charles Rothenberg's] name and his legacy", as he said then.[5][6] He became a house music DJ, music producer and rap musician;[1] in 1996 he directed a music video for Kelli Lidell.[6] He later focused on conceptual art in Las Vegas.[3][4] His work included a project titled Lifted that he said grew out of "a conscious desire to inspire others to be greater than themselves"[5] and collaborations with artists including Sheridee Hopper.[4]
^ ab"Artist bio: Dave Dave". ReverbNation. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
^ abMarie Rothenberg; Mel White (January 6, 1985). "The Searing Tale Of A Father's Deadly Crime". Chicago Tribune. Excerpted from David.
^ abcdef. San Francisco Chronicle. AP. August 16, 2018. Archived from the original on August 17, 2018. Also at Sean Emery (August 17, 2018) [August 16, 2018]. "Dave Dave, the former David Rothenberg who was set afire by his dad in Buena Park 35 years ago, dies at 42". The Mercury News. AP.
^ abcdeF. Andrew Taylor (August 4, 2016). "Through life, Las Vegas artist Dave Dave finds inspiration for his work after childhood tragedy". Las Vegas Review-Journal.
^ abcdeCorina Knoll (August 16, 2018). "Dave Dave, an artist disfigured after his father set him on fire, dies at 42". Los Angeles Times.
^ abcdefghSean Emery (August 16, 2018) [August 15, 2018]. "Dave Dave, the former David Rothenberg who was set afire by his dad in Buena Park 35 years ago, dies at 42". Orange County Register.
^ ab"'Air' Michael Does His Stuff For 13-year-old Burn Victim". Orlando Sentinel. January 30, 1990.
^ abAnnette Haddad (January 24, 1990). "Burn victim says wounds will heal when father's dead". UPI.
^ ab. Los Angeles Times. AP, UPI. July 30, 1983. p. 8. Archived from the original on June 12, 2022. Retrieved November 12, 2020 – via Milwaukee Journal.
^ ab"Man Who Burned His Son in 1983 Is to Be Freed From California Jail". The New York Times. AP. January 23, 1990. p. 21.
^ abBill Billiter; Nancy Wride (March 6, 1992). "Rothenberg Flees, Then Surrenders". Los Angeles Times.
^Kevin Fagan (January 26, 1996). "Dad Who Set Son Afire Rages in Court / He denies shooting at Oakland hotel". San Francisco Chronicle.
^ abMarisa Lagos (April 4, 2007). "Rothenberg sentenced 25 years to life under three-strike law". San Francisco Chronicle.
^Nancy Mills (October 24, 1988). "Bernadette Peters Becomes the Logical Choice for TV's 'David'". Los Angeles Times.
^. San Francisco Chronicle. AP. October 23, 2018. Archived from the original on October 23, 2018. Also at "Dave Dave, set afire as a boy in California and a friend of Michael Jackson, died of natural causes". The Mercury News. AP. October 23, 2018.
External linksEdit
Official website
October 20, 2023
dave, dave, 1976, july, 2018, born, david, charles, rothenberg, later, known, david, jordan, robinson, american, conceptual, artist, whose, father, found, guilty, attempting, kill, burning, 1983, when, years, contents, attempted, murder, later, life, career, r. Dave Dave 1976 July 15 2018 born David Charles Rothenberg and later known as David Jordan Robinson was an American conceptual artist whose father was found guilty of attempting to kill him by burning in 1983 when he was six years old Contents 1 Attempted murder 2 Later life and career 3 References 4 External linksAttempted murder EditDavid Rothenberg was six years old and living with his mother Marie Rothenberg in the Carroll Gardens neighborhood of Brooklyn New York 1 when his father Charles Rothenberg took him to California The parents were divorced 2 and in conflict over custody of David after the two argued on the telephone on the evening of March 3 1983 at a motel in Buena Park Charles gave his son a sleeping pill and after he fell asleep poured kerosene on the bed and set fire to it He left the room and watched from a telephone booth across the street while other guests rescued David 3 4 5 6 David had third degree burns over 90 of his body he required finger and toe amputations 7 and received a total of more than a hundred skin grafts 8 He was badly disfigured and during one grafting operation experienced brain swelling that led to seizures and other complications 9 Charles Rothenberg who stated that he had originally intended to kill himself as well as his son was sentenced in July 1983 to 13 years in prison the maximum permitted at the time for his offenses 9 guidelines were changed as a result of the case 6 He was released in 1990 on three years supervised parole after serving seven years 8 10 After two years he fled but turned himself in to authorities 11 In 1996 he was tried for a shooting in Oakland 12 at which time Dave then 19 visited him in prison 3 5 13 he read a statement to him in which he stated that Charles Rothenberg was not a father but an imposter 6 In 1998 Charles Rothenberg changed his name to Charley Charles and in 2007 after also being convicted of various offenses in two other states 6 under California s three strikes law he was sentenced to 25 years to life for weapons offenses in San Francisco 3 13 David Rothenberg made television appearances met celebrities including Michael Jordan 7 and became a friend and protege of Michael Jackson 3 4 6 Marie Rothenberg married Richard Hafdahl a police officer who had supervised the fire investigation and moved to Orange County California with David 5 10 In 1985 she published a book titled David 2 which was adapted into the 1988 TV movie of the same name 14 Marie Rothenberg and Mel White published an expanded version of the book in 2019 as David s Story Burned by His Father s Rage Healed by His Mother s Love Later life and career EditRothenberg legally changed his name by 1992 to David Jordan Robinson 11 He attended ArtCenter College of Design 4 By 1996 he was using only his first name 6 he then legally changed his name to Dave Dave to free myself of Charles Rothenberg s name and his legacy as he said then 5 6 He became a house music DJ music producer and rap musician 1 in 1996 he directed a music video for Kelli Lidell 6 He later focused on conceptual art in Las Vegas 3 4 His work included a project titled Lifted that he said grew out of a conscious desire to inspire others to be greater than themselves 5 and collaborations with artists including Sheridee Hopper 4 Dave died at the age of 42 on July 15 2018 at Sunrise Hospital in Las Vegas from complications of pneumonia 3 15 References Edit a b Artist bio Dave Dave ReverbNation Retrieved August 19 2018 a b Marie Rothenberg Mel White January 6 1985 The Searing Tale Of A Father s Deadly Crime Chicago Tribune Excerpted from David a b c d e f Dave Dave whose father set him on fire in 1983 dies at 42 San Francisco Chronicle AP August 16 2018 Archived from the original on August 17 2018 Also at Sean Emery August 17 2018 August 16 2018 Dave Dave the former David Rothenberg who was set afire by his dad in Buena Park 35 years ago dies at 42 The Mercury News AP a b c d e F Andrew Taylor August 4 2016 Through life Las Vegas artist Dave Dave finds inspiration for his work after childhood tragedy Las Vegas Review Journal a b c d e Corina Knoll August 16 2018 Dave Dave an artist disfigured after his father set him on fire dies at 42 Los Angeles Times a b c d e f g h Sean Emery August 16 2018 August 15 2018 Dave Dave the former David Rothenberg who was set afire by his dad in Buena Park 35 years ago dies at 42 Orange County Register a b Air Michael Does His Stuff For 13 year old Burn Victim Orlando Sentinel January 30 1990 a b Annette Haddad January 24 1990 Burn victim says wounds will heal when father s dead UPI a b Man gets term for burning son Los Angeles Times AP UPI July 30 1983 p 8 Archived from the original on June 12 2022 Retrieved November 12 2020 via Milwaukee Journal a b Man Who Burned His Son in 1983 Is to Be Freed From California Jail The New York Times AP January 23 1990 p 21 a b Bill Billiter Nancy Wride March 6 1992 Rothenberg Flees Then Surrenders Los Angeles Times Kevin Fagan January 26 1996 Dad Who Set Son Afire Rages in Court He denies shooting at Oakland hotel San Francisco Chronicle a b Marisa Lagos April 4 2007 Rothenberg sentenced 25 years to life under three strike law San Francisco Chronicle Nancy Mills October 24 1988 Bernadette Peters Becomes the Logical Choice for TV s David Los Angeles Times Dave Dave who was set afire as boy died of natural causes San Francisco Chronicle AP October 23 2018 Archived from the original on October 23 2018 Also at Dave Dave set afire as a boy in California and a friend of Michael Jackson died of natural causes The Mercury News AP October 23 2018 External links EditOfficial website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Dave Dave amp oldid 1179834847, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
