LOS ANGELES — Bernie Brillstein, a Hollywood manager and producer who helped mold television with his contributions to series such as "Saturday Night Live" and "The Muppet Show," died Thursday night in Los Angeles. He was 77. The cause was chronic pulmonary disease, said Nicole Caruso, a publicist for Brillstein Entertainment Partners.
In a 52-year career, Mr. Brillstein represented entertainers who ranged from stand-up comedian Norm Crosby and singer Frankie Laine to a later generation of comic rebels that included John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Gilda Radner, Lorne Michaels, Martin Short and others.
Mr. Brillstein launched his career in the mail room of the William Morris Agency in New York in 1956 and rose through the ranks to become a talent agent.
After founding the Brillstein Company in 1969 — the first of three management and production companies to bear his name — he helped launch "Hee Haw," the long-running country music-comedy show.
He also helped launch "The Muppet Show" and was instrumental in bringing "Saturday Night Live" to NBC in 1975.
As a manager, Mr. Brillstein represented the long-running comedy show's creator-executive producer, Michaels, as well as Belushi, Radner and Aykroyd.
"He was unwavering in his belief in me," Michaels said Friday, adding that he couldn't have done "Saturday Night Live" without him.
Mr. Brillstein helped produce the films "The Blues Brothers," "Ghostbusters," "Dragnet," "Happy Gilmore" and "The Cable Guy."
For television, he helped produce the series "ALF," "Buffalo Bill," "It's Garry Shandling's Show," "The Dana Carvey Show" and "The Martin Short Show."
In a 52-year career, Mr. Brillstein represented entertainers who ranged from stand-up comedian Norm Crosby and singer Frankie Laine to a later generation of comic rebels that included John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Gilda Radner, Lorne Michaels, Martin Short and others.
Mr. Brillstein launched his career in the mail room of the William Morris Agency in New York in 1956 and rose through the ranks to become a talent agent.
After founding the Brillstein Company in 1969 — the first of three management and production companies to bear his name — he helped launch "Hee Haw," the long-running country music-comedy show.
He also helped launch "The Muppet Show" and was instrumental in bringing "Saturday Night Live" to NBC in 1975.
As a manager, Mr. Brillstein represented the long-running comedy show's creator-executive producer, Michaels, as well as Belushi, Radner and Aykroyd.
"He was unwavering in his belief in me," Michaels said Friday, adding that he couldn't have done "Saturday Night Live" without him.
Mr. Brillstein helped produce the films "The Blues Brothers," "Ghostbusters," "Dragnet," "Happy Gilmore" and "The Cable Guy."
For television, he helped produce the series "ALF," "Buffalo Bill," "It's Garry Shandling's Show," "The Dana Carvey Show" and "The Martin Short Show."
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