- Warren Cowan
Warren Cowan (
March 13 ,1921 -May 14 2008 ) was a prominent American film industrypublicist . He was born inNew York City and attendedTownsend Harris High School , a school for boys on the educational fast track. A fellow classmate was "Variety" columnistArmy Archerd . [ [http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=variety100&content=jump&jump=armylegend&articleID=VR1117928397&category=2060 Variety] ] The son of songwriter Rubey Cowan and Grace Cowan, Warren had one older brother, Stanley.Early career
While attending the
University of California, Los Angeles , Cowan majored in journalism and represented actressLinda Darnell . At the age of 17, carrying a full load of studies, Cowan was moonlighting as publicist for one of20th Century Fox 's biggest stars.Rogers & Cowan
Cowan has been universally recognized as one of the most innovative and creative publicists in the history of the profession. He joined the firm established by his mentor, Henry C. Rogers, in 1946, following three years' service with the
United States Army Air Forces duringWorld War II . In 1950, he became a partner in the pioneering entertainment industry public relations firm, which then changed its name to Rogers & Cowan. He was named president in 1964.Rogers & Cowan became the biggest entertainment PR firm in the world. [ [http://annenberg.usc.edu/AboutUs/PublicAffairs/AbergNews/release20060412.aspx Annenberg fund] ] With a list of clients that reads like the entertainment industry's "Who's Who," Cowan represented just about every major star of the late 20th century, from
Paul Newman toElizabeth Taylor , fromDanny Kaye toKirk Douglas , fromFrank Sinatra toTony Curtis , fromShirley MacLaine toElton John . [ [http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-9257363.html Encyclopedia.com] ] Whenever he was asked to name his favorite client, Cowan's constant answer was always "the next one." [ [http://www.healthyhearing.com/library/interview_content.asp?interview_id=205 Interview with Warren Cowan] ]During his career, Cowan represented every kind and size of client, and not just movie stars. He created publicity campaigns for giant automotive concerns, saloon singers, fashion and cosmetic companies, hotels, and resorts, airlines, motion pictures, books, and even nations. The list is endless. Just as endless is the list of individual publicists and PR leaders - and even studio and television network heads- who began their careers working for Warren Cowan.
From the beginning, Cowan was a creative innovator. He started the first celebrity charity-fundraisers, such as the first pro-celebrity sports event. It was a golf tournament, staged in 1950, on behalf of motion picture director
Frank Borzage . He also created and promoted events for such humanitarian organizations as the John Wayne Cancer Institute, theMake-A-Wish Foundation , and the Society of Singers.Rogers began Hollywood's
Academy Awards campaigns, starting withJoan Crawford 's performance in 1945's "Mildred Pierce " the year before Cowan arrived at the company. The buzz he generated helped win her the Best Actress Oscar. With Cowan's arrival, the company created a formula that has lasted to this day. In 1997, for example, Cowan personally introduced the little-known Italian actorRoberto Benigni to his already famous American peers, all of them Cowan clients and Academy voters, on behalf ofMiramax . Benigni and his picture, "Life Is Beautiful ", won three Oscars that year.In 1988, Rogers & Cowan company was sold to Shandwick Plc., an English conglomorate. "It was the right move to make in some respects, but I found that I was doing too much that was administrative and too little that was creative," Cowan said. In 1994, after a two-year non-competitive period, he launched a new company, Warren Cowan & Associates, where he remained the creative center of his business.
Philanthropy
During a special ceremony at the
Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., PresidentGerald Ford presented Cowan with the United Way's prestigious Alexis de Tocqueville Award for his 17 years of outstanding volunteer efforts and called him "the most important United Way volunteer in the entertainment industry."The ceremony focused new light on the spectrum of Cowan's contribution outside the public relations industry. For years, he has contributed his unique talent to support the activities of such civic and philanthropic organizations as
UNICEF , the Scott Newman Foundation, The Los Angeles County High School for the Arts Foundation, the National Foundation for Ileitis and Colitis, the Young Musicians Foundation, and the United Way, where he was national committee communications chairman. He succeeded First LadyNancy Reagan in the position in 1982.In 1990, Cowan was honored by the Scott Newman Center at a benefit gala hosted by Paul Newman and
Joanne Woodward in celebration of the Center's 10th anniversary of promoting drug education programs. Cowan has been associated with the Center since its inception, and serves on the board of directors. Newman, in presenting the award to Cowan, said, "In the arena of public caring, he's several dimensions higher. Others may appear to occupy the limelight, but no one works with greater diligence to better effect. He adds dignity to all of us, through his effort and we become beneficiaries by honoring him."On
March 21 2002 , Cowan was honored as Mentor of the Year by the Volunteers of America at a gala event at the Beverly Hills Hilton Hotel, at the time owned and operated by his good friend -and client-Merv Griffin .Personal life
Cowan was married for more than a decade to Barbara Gilbert-Cowan, the mother of actresses
Melissa Gilbert andSara Gilbert and actorJonathan Gilbert . Cowan had two daughters from previous marriages: Fox News Channel reporterClaudia Cowan (his daughter with actressBarbara Rush ), and Bonnie Fleming. He had four grandchildren. Warren Cowan diedMay 14 2008 with his family by his side.External links
* [http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-9257363.html Rogers & Cowan retains No. 1 ranking on list of largest PR agencies in L.A. County]
* [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article4045036.ece The Times - Obituary]References
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