August 8, 2008

Bernie Brillstein, 1931-2008.

From the AP:

Bernie Brillstein, a Hollywood talent agent, manager, producer and studio head who over half a century guided the careers of "Saturday Night Live" comedians and helped package a slew of TV and movie hits, has died. He was 77.

Brillstein died of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Thursday night at a Los Angeles hospital, according to information provided Friday by Brillstein Entertainment Partners.

Starting in the mailroom of the William Morris talent agency in 1956, Brillstein moved up to become a Hollywood power broker famous for putting together TV and movie deals, often starring talent he represented and with himself as executive producer.

Among his many fine TV credits, Brillstein was executive producer of Mr. Show, The Dana Carvey Show and It's Garry Shandling's Show (why aren't either of those on DVD?) , and he also executive produced several of the better movies featuring SNL actors -- including Ghostbusters and The Blues Brothers -- as well as the documentary The Celluloid Closet.



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Posted by cphillips at August 8, 2008 4:04 PM
Comments

Who cares.

Posted by: Chris at August 8, 2008 5:05 PM

What a crass comment, Chris. You're probably very young in either years or experience. Or maybe depth. Yes, agents are perhaps not the creative souls behind the movies we love, but in my limited experience, they are important. And when they leave us, they are missed. (I had a wonderful, supportive agent when I was a playwright a couple of decades back, and it was thanks mostly to him -- Earl Graham -- that my work was seen at all.) Mr. Brillstein' career encompassed a lot more than agenting. The fact that he executive-produced The Celluloid Closet makes him important to many of us.

Posted by: James van Maanen at August 12, 2008 10:42 AM