Born in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, to a Jewish mother and Puerto Rican father, Brandt served in the U.S. Army and afterwards first worked as a messenger in the mailroom at the William Morris Agency.
While working at William Morris, he discovered Chubby Checker, booked acts like The Beach Boys and Sonny & Cher, and brought The Rolling Stones to the USA.
In 1970 he left the Electric Circus and moved to Los Angeles where he opened the Paradise Ballroom with legendary financier Bernie Cornfeld.
[5] Brandt returned to New York where he subsequently produced the legendary flop Broadway musical Got Tu Go Disco, which closed in 1979 after nine previews and eight performances.
[6] In 1992, Brandt, along with Ron Delsener, Robin Leach, and Bob Krasnow, opened the Italian restaurant "Italica"[7] at 220 East 46th St. which introduced "pizza by the meter."