Gene Schwam, the Hollywood publicist who represented Elvis Presley, Julie Andrews and other major entertainment names across a decades-long career, died Friday in Los Angeles after a brief illness, according to Variety. He was 96.
Schwam’s client list also included director Blake Edwards, actress Barbara Eden and comedian Lenny Bruce, Variety reported. His work promoting Presley in 1957 drew renewed attention in 2022, when Variety revisited the campaign around the release of Baz Luhrmann’s film “Elvis.”
Career Launch And Hanson & Schwam
Before building his own agency, Schwam worked for publicist Stanley Cowan earning $35 a week, according to Variety. In 1955, he co-founded Hanson & Schwam Public Relations with Adeline Hanson.
The naming of the firm came down to a brief exchange between the two founders. When Schwam expressed his preference for how the names should be ordered, Hanson told him, “Ladies first,” settling the matter in her favor, Variety reported. The agency’s first client was the Smith Bros. Fish Shanty restaurant, far removed from the Hollywood stars who would later fill its roster.
What Gene Schwam’s Death Means For His Legacy
Schwam’s reputation in the industry extended beyond any single client relationship. Vernon Scott, the longtime United Press International entertainment correspondent, once called him “the best idea man in Hollywood,” according to Variety.
His bond with Blake Edwards ran deeper than a typical publicist-client arrangement. Edwards based the high-strung publicist character in his 1981 film “S.O.B.” on Schwam, drawing from their long personal and professional relationship, Variety reported.
Later in his career, Schwam shifted some of his focus toward public service work. He created Humanity 101, an initiative under Arizona State University’s Project Humanities, built around promoting compassion, empathy, forgiveness, integrity, kindness, respect and self-reflection.
Background And Survivors
Schwam spent roughly seven decades in and around Hollywood publicity, starting as a low-paid assistant and eventually representing some of the entertainment industry’s biggest names of the mid-20th century. His firm with Hanson became a fixture in the business before he branched into advocacy work in his later years.
He is survived by his wife, Myrna; his daughter, Stephanie Schwam; stepchildren Adam, Greg and Linda London; and four grandchildren, according to Variety.
What’s Next
No public memorial details had been announced as of Variety’s report. The publication’s 2022 coverage of Schwam’s Presley campaign remains the most detailed public account of his early career work.
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