Hollywood’s First and Only Publicist to Win an Oscar Dies at 96

Hollywood lost one of its most unique talents on Monday, April 7 when publicist Marvin Levy passed away at the age of 96.

Levy was lovingly referred to as the “Spielberg Whisperer” because of his close relationship with Steven Spielberg that transcended the typical job of a publicist. The two worked together for approximately half-a-century, trusting each other implicitly with each one becoming one of the other’s most trusted advisors.

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Levy and Spielberg first met when they were both relative newcomers to Hollywood: Spielberg was just coming off the record-breaking success of Jaws and Levy was working on the campaigns for Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver (1976), Peter Yates’ The Deep (1977), and Robert Benton’s Kramer vs. Kramer (1979), which scooped up five Academy Awards in 1980—including Best Picture.

But Spielberg valued Levy’s insights so much that he wanted him all to himself. So he offered him a job in publicity with his company, Amblin Entertainment, and the two spent the next 50 years collaborating on dozens of major projects. On Tuesday, per The Hollywood Reporter, Spielberg issued a statement that reads as follows:

“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. For over 50 years, he was a deeply loyal and exceptional collaborator who was respected and appreciated by all those who were lucky enough to learn from his counsel. When it came to handling the press, he had no peer. To the media and the world of exhibition, Marvin was the face of Amblin."

“We were opposite ends of the moviemaking process,” Spielberg’s statement continued. “Every time I reached the end of production on a film, Marvin’s work had only begun. Through countless films, TV series, Amblin events, awards campaigns and our public relations strategy—this is where Marvin came alive. He loved his work, and was endlessly enthusiastic about our business. He was creative, innovative and respected for his knowledge and honesty. He was excited to figure [out] new and better ways to present films to audiences. As a result, he was the first and only publicist to receive an Academy Award.”

That very distinct honor came in 2018, when Levy was given an Honorary Oscar. His reaction to the news was typically understated: He likened it to a sports agent winning an MVP award.

“It was way out of left field for me,” Levy later said. “I couldn’t have imagined it. It’s not like I could say ‘Gee, I’d love to get that one day.’ It was not on my to-do list.”

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Levy is survived by his wife, Carol; their sons, Don and Doug; and two grandsons, Brian and Daniel.