The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Norman Brokaw, agent to Hollywood stars
Norman R Brokaw, a trailblazing talent agent who represented Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Clint Eastwood and other top Hollywood stars, has died at the age of 89.
Brokaw’s son, David, said his father died after a long illness on Saturday in Beverly Hills, California.
Brokaw ascended from the mailroom of the William Morris Agency to become its chief executive in 1989.
Along the way he helped steer actors to work in the fledgling television industry in the 1950s and later signed politicians such as Gerald Ford and Alexander Haig so they could chart careers after they left public service.
His television plan involved teaming up under-utilised film stars with directors who were skilled at delivering low budget movies within a few days, his family said in a news release. The formula led to the creation of early television series such as Racket Squad and Public Defender.
He later represented the producers behind hit shows such as The Andy Griffith Show, Gomer Pyle, and The Dick Van Dyke Show.
He also served as Bill Cosby’s agent, helping get him cast on I Spy and crafting deals that led to the creation of The Cosby Show.
In 2010 the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences bestowed its Governor’s Award on Brokaw, the only agent to receive the honour.
Part of Brokaw’s work with Monroe involved driving the actress to auditions and appearances, his family said.
After one appearance, Brokaw and Monroe stopped at the Brown Derby restaurant in Los Angeles for dinner where the actress would first meet her future husband, Joe DiMaggio.
He is survived by his wife, Marguerite Longley, three sons and three daughters.
“My father was a legend in his beloved profession but his greatness rings true by the generous spirit and enormous heart he displayed every day of his life,” his son Joel Brokaw wrote in a statement.