Bernard Jules Brillstein (April 26, 1931 – August 7, 2008) was an American film and television producer, executive producer, and

talent agent A talent agent, or booking agent, is a person who finds work for actors, authors, broadcast journalists, film directors, musicians, models, professional athletes, screenwriters, writers, dancers, and other professionals in various entertainm ...

. He began his career in the 1950s at the

William Morris Agency The William Morris Agency (WMA) was a Hollywood-based talent agency. It represented some of the best-known 20th-century entertainers in film, television, and music. During its 109-year tenure it came to be regarded as the "first great talent ...

before founding his own company in 1969 and later joining forces with Brad Grey to helm Brillstein-Grey Entertainment (now Brillstein Entertainment Partners), one of the most important and influential Hollywood talent management and production companies. He is remembered for producing successful TV programs like '' Hee Haw'', '' The Muppet Show'', and ''

The Sopranos ''The Sopranos'' is an American Crime film#Crime drama, crime drama television series created by David Chase. The series follows Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), a New Jersey American Mafia, Mafia boss who suffers from panic attacks. He reluct ...

'', and hit films including '' The Blues Brothers'', '' Ghostbusters'' and '' Happy Gilmore''.

Early life

Bernie Brillstein was born to a

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

family in

Manhattan Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...

, to Moe Brillstein and Matilda "Tillie" Brillstein (née Perlman), who all shared the Manhattan home of his uncle, the

vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment which began in France in the middle of the 19th century. A ''vaudeville'' was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a drama ...

and radio performer Jack Pearl. Brillstein's father, a milliner, was the guiding force behind the building of the Millinery Center Synagogue, a synagogue located in the Garment District in Manhattan.

Career

Brillstein earned his way into show business in the mailroom at the

(WMA) in New York. He worked his way up to talent agent and by the 1960s, he was a manager-producer of television programming for the company. Still associated with WMA, he joined Management III in 1964 to continue talent management. In the 1960s, he also co-founded the vocal group The Doodletown Pipers.

The Brillstein Company

By now living in Los Angeles, Brillstein formed The Brillstein Company in 1969. There, he continued to manage stars and develop television programming. He produced such popular television hits as '' Hee Haw'', '' The Muppet Show'' and ''

Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL'') is an American Late night television in the United States, late-night live television, live sketch comedy variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Michaels and Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC. The ...

.'' Brillstein later became manager of ''SNL'' alumni

Dan Aykroyd Daniel Edward Aykroyd ( ; born July 1, 1952) is a Canadian actor, comedian, screenwriter, and producer. Aykroyd was a writer and an original member of the "Not Ready for Prime Time Players" cast on the NBC sketch comedy series ''Saturday Nigh ...

, Gilda Radner, John Belushi,

Martin Short Martin Hayter Short (born March 26, 1950) is a Canadian and American comedian, actor, and writer. Short is known as an energetic comedian who gained prominence for his roles in sketch comedy. He has also acted in numerous films and television ...

, and executive producer Lorne Michaels, as well as Jim Henson (of Muppets fame) and Paul Fusco (voice and operator of '' ALF''). He produced such other television shows as '' ALF: The Animated Series'', and ''

Normal Life ''Normal Life'' is a 1996 American Crime film, crime drama film based on the real lives of husband-and-wife bank robbers, Jeffrey and Jill Erickson. The film stars Ashley Judd and Luke Perry and was directed by John McNaughton. The original scr ...

''. He was also exclusive producer to the animation sequel '' The Real Ghostbusters'' (based on the hit movie).

Brillstein-Grey Entertainment

In the 1980s, he met Brad Grey at a television convention in San Francisco. In 1991, the two formed a production company, Brillstein-Grey Entertainment, which packages programming and manages talent. They were responsible for such shows as ''

NewsRadio ''NewsRadio'' is an American television sitcom that aired on NBC from March 21, 1995, to May 4, 1999, focusing on the work lives of the staff of a New York City AM news radio station. It had an ensemble cast featuring Dave Foley, Stephen R ...

'', '' Just Shoot Me!'', ''

The Larry Sanders Show ''The Larry Sanders Show'' is an American television sitcom set in the office and studio of a fictional late-night talk show. Created by Garry Shandling and Dennis Klein, the show ran for six seasons and List of The Larry Sanders Show episodes, ...

'' and ''

''. As executive producer, Brillstein was responsible for such successes as '' The Blues Brothers'', '' Ghostbusters'', '' Dragnet'', ''

Ghostbusters II ''GhostbustersII'' is a 1989 American Supernatural fiction, supernatural comedy film directed by Ivan Reitman and written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. The film stars Bill Murray, Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Ramis, Rick Moranis, Ernie Hudson ...

'', '' Happy Gilmore'' and '' The Cable Guy''. Brillstein sold his shares in the company to Grey, his one time protégé, in 1996. Grey sold his interest in the company in 2005. He also represented Nick Swardson for six years prior to his death. Brillstein's 1999 memoir, ''Where Did I Go Right?: You're No One in Hollywood Unless Someone Wants You Dead'', was co-written with David Rensin. Two years later, he received the honor as recipient of a star on Hollywood Walk of Fame, on April 18, 2001. His second book ''The Little Stuff Matters Most'', a humorous advice collection, was published in 2004.

Personal life

In 1967, Brillstein married Laura Smith. In 1975, he married Deborah Ellen Koskoff. In 1998, Brillstein married Carrie Winston Brillstein, a marriage that lasted until his 2008 death. Brillstein died of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at a Los Angeles hospital on August 7, 2008, at the age of 77.Cieply, Michael (August 8, 2008)
Bernie Brillstein, Film Producer, Dies.
''The New York Times''

Filmography

He was a producer in all films unless otherwise noted.

Film

;Thanks

Television

;Miscellaneous crew ;As an actor ;Thanks

Publications

* Bernie Brillstein with David Rensin (1999). ''Where Did I Go Right?: You're No One in Hollywood Unless Someone Wants You Dead!''. Little Brown Inc.

* ''The Little Stuff Matters Most'' (2004). Bernie Brillstein with David Rensin

References

External links

* *
Obituary and memories – Nikki Finke

The Man Who Loved Show Business by David Rensin.
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Brillstein, Bernie 1931 births 2008 deaths 20th-century American Jews 20th-century American businesspeople 21st-century American Jews 21st-century American businesspeople Burials at Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery Deaths from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Film producers from New York (state) New York University alumni Stuyvesant High School alumni Television producers from New York City Jewish American film people American television producers American talent agents