JOIN OUR WHATSAPP CHANNEL
Who Was Marvin Levy? Life and Legacy of Oscar-Winning Publicist Behind Steven Spielberg's Blockbusters Amid his Death at 96
Marvin Levy, the legendary publicist, has passed away at 96. Known for his work on countless marketing campaigns, the honorary Oscar winner was a long-time associate of Steven Spielberg.
Trigger warning: This article contains mention of death.
Steven Spielberg's longtime publicist Marvin Levy passed away at 96 on Monday, April 7. The renowned marketing and communications executive received an honorary Oscar in 2018. The Jurassic Park director mourned the loss of his beloved companion in a statement shared with The Hollywood Reporter.
“Marvin’s passing is a huge loss for me and our industry writ large. There are many talented PR executives, but Marvin was one of a kind,” Spielberg said. The acclaimed director remembered Levy as a loyal and exceptional collaborator for over 50 years.
The late publicist was respected and appreciated by everyone who knew him. “When it came to handling the press, he had no peer,” he added. He further credited Levy for the success of his films. Levy led successful promotional and awards campaigns for many of Spielberg’s movies.
Some of them include E.T., Jurassic Park, Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan, Munich, The Color Purple, Lincoln, and Bridge of Spies. Levy has also worked on Back to the Future and its sequels, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Taxi Driver, Kramer vs. Kramer, Sophie’s Choice, Men in Black, Deep Impact, Shrek, and Gladiator.
Spielberg revealed that they worked on opposite sides of the movie-making process and equally contributed to the success of countless projects. Levy’s work on several movies, TV series, Amblin events, awards campaigns, and public relations strategy made him a legendary figure.
He, who was the only publicist to receive an Academy Award, was excited to figure out new and better ways to present films to audiences. On his passing, former AMPAS president Sid Ganis released a statement to Deadline, mourning his loss.
“There was nobody…nobody, past or present, better at the complicated business of movie marketing than Marvin,” he said. Besides being “best” at his job, he was also the most generous and engaging person to be around.
Levy is survived by his wife of 73 years, Carol; their two sons, Don and Doug; and his two grandsons, Brian and Daniel.
Latest Articles
