John Houston was a theatrical manager and the father of Whitney. Before her stardom, Houston helped manage Cissy's career and eventually had a hand in Whitney's career. Their relationship was rocky at points and hit a rough patch when his company sued Whitney in 2002 for $100 million for "helping to get a marijuana charge against her dismissed and for getting her a new record contract," according to The LA Times. Whitney later revealed in an interview with Oprah Winfrey that she forgave her father and that she loved him until his death in 2003.