Hollywood publicist Gene Schwam dies at 96 after brief illness

Left · 2Gene Schwam, a veteran Hollywood publicist, died Friday in Los Angeles after a brief illness. He was 96. 1 2 Left · 2His clients included Elvis Presley, Blake Edwards, Julie Andrews, Barbara Eden and Lenny Bruce; The Hollywood Reporter also lists Judy Garland, Cyd Charisse and Gene Barry. 1 2 Left · 2Schwam was earning $35 a week working for publicist Stanley Cowan when he left to start his own business, and in 1955 he co-founded Hanson & Schwam Public Relations with Adeline Hanson. 1 2

Left · 2Variety says the firm's first client was Smith Bros. Fish Shanty restaurant and that Schwam wanted his name first until Hanson replied "Ladies first." The Hollywood Reporter says the firm began with restaurants and musicians before expanding into the wider entertainment industry. 1 2 Left · 2The agency also represented Nancy Wilson and Lou Rawls and handled publicity for the Cocoanut Grove nightclub (spelled "Coconut Grove" by Variety). 1 2 Left · 2Schwam was a close friend of director Edwards, and the publicist character in Edwards' film S.O.B. was based on, or inspired by, Schwam. 1 2

Left · 1Variety quotes UPI entertainment correspondent Vernon Scott calling him "The best idea man in Hollywood," and notes Variety's coverage of his 1957 work for Presley when Baz Luhrmann's "Elvis" was released in 2022. 1 Left · 1In a April 2021 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Schwam said Hollywood success "isn't about who you know — it's about who knows you." 2 Left · 2Later in life he created Humanity 101, an initiative of Arizona State University's Project Humanities promoting compassion, empathy, forgiveness, integrity, kindness, respect and self-reflection. 1 2

Left · 2He is survived by his wife Myrna, his daughter Stephanie, stepchildren Adam, Greg and Linda London, and four grandchildren. 1 2