Jay Bernstein
{{Short description|American television and film producer}}
{{for|the American philosopher|Jay Bernstein (professor)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2013}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Jay Bernstein
| image = Jay Bernstein.jpg
| imagesize =
| caption = Bernstein in 1971
| birthname =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1937|6|7|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2006|4|30|1937|6|7|mf=y}}
| death_place = Los Angeles, California
| occupation = Television and Film Producer, Publicist
| partner = Cabrina Finn (1993-1995),{{cite web|url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/15091%7C0/Jay-Bernstein/|title=Jay Bernstein Biography|date=November 15, 2017|publisher=TCM|access-date=May 5, 2006}} Emrie Brooke Foster (1998), Simona Fusco (1998-2006)
}}
Jay Bernstein (June 7, 1937 – April 30, 2006) was an American producer and manager to actors, such as Sammy Davis Jr. and Michael Landon, and to actresses, such as Farrah Fawcett and Suzanne Somers.{{cite news |last1=Cahalan |first1=Susannah |title=Dish upon a star |url=https://nypost.com/2011/10/09/dish-upon-a-star/ |access-date=8 May 2021 |work=New York Post |date=9 October 2011}}{{cite news |title=Eccentric publicist Bernstein, 69, dies |url=https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2006/05/02/eccentric-publicist-bernstein-69-dies/ |access-date=8 May 2021 |work=East Bay Times |date=2 May 2006}}
Career
Born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Bernstein moved to California after graduating from Pomona College. He worked in the mail room of the William Morris Agency before working for
Rogers & Cowan, the industry's largest PR company, founded by Henry C. Rogers and Warren Cowan. Bernstein founded his own agency in 1962 and later produced the television series Bring 'Em Back Alive, Mike Hammer, and Houston Knights. He also produced several television movies and the film Nothing Personal (1980) starring Suzanne Somers. In 2005, Bernstein had obtained the rights from the City of Los Angeles to produce a brand new prime time TV series entitled Public Defender, based on the true criminal cases from the Los Angeles Public Defender's office from years past.
Personal life
Bernstein married model Sabrina Finn in 1993, and they divorced within two years. He also discovered the
21-year-old European model-turned-actress and entrepreneur Simona Fusco.{{cite web|url=https://mariagruber.org/board-of-director/|title=Award-Winning Entrepreneur, Producer, Actress..|publisher=Maria Gruber Foundation|accessdate=November 14, 2017}} They became engaged in 1998, when she was 22, and he was 61. She gave birth to his only child, daughter Amber Bernstein, the following year, and they broke up soon thereafter.{{cite web |title=Jay Bernstein |url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/15091%7C0/Jay-Bernstein#biography |website=Turner Classic Movies |access-date=31 December 2024 |language=en}} Also available as {{cite web |title=Jay Bernstein Movies and Shows - Apple TV |url=https://tv.apple.com/us/person/jay-bernstein/umc.cpc.4wa09708b4izli4yxgccsq834 |website=Apple TV|access-date=31 December 2024}}
Death
On Sunday, April 30, 2006, Bernstein died at age 68 after suffering a stroke.{{cite web|url=https://www.variety.com/article/VR1117942352.html?categoryId=25&cs=1|title=Veteran PR man dies|last=Sapperstein|first=Pat|date=May 1, 2006|publisher=variety.com|accessdate=May 10, 2009}}{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-may-03-me-bernstein3-story.html|title=Jay Bernstein, 68; 'Star Maker' for Farrah Fawcett and Suzanne Somers|last=McLellan|first=Dennis|date=May 3, 2006|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=November 15, 2017}} He was survived by his only child, Amber Bernstein.{{cite web|url=http://beverlyhillsmagazine.com/business-leaders/beauty-business-and-blonde-simona-fusco/#.Wgq93IZrzow|title=Beauty, Business, and Blonde: Simona Fusco|last=Maddison|first=Jacqueline |date=June 4, 2016|publisher=BeverlyHillsMagazine.com|accessdate=November 14, 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://www.maxim.com/women/what-amber-bernstein-wants-2017-10|title=What a Beautiful Girl Wants: Amber Bernstein |date=October 13, 2017|work=Maxim|accessdate=November 14, 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.zimbio.com/photos/Simona+Fusco/Jay+Bernstein|title=Simona Fusco and Jay Bernstein Photos |date=December 10, 2005|publisher=Zimbio|accessdate=November 14, 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.gettyimages.fr/photographies/simona-fusco-760900#jay-bernstein-and-simona-fuscostratten-during-2006-us-weekly-hot-picture-id111256146|title=Jay Bernstein and Simona Fusco during 2006 US Weekly Hot Hollywood Awards - Arrivals at Republic Restaurant & Lounge in Los Angeles, California, United States. |date=April 27, 2006|publisher=Getty Images|accessdate=November 14, 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HcERQWaeUpk/V9CSvBHY_YI/AAAAAAAAFTw/lS8jCfCFuUgEwsy8cz9Gyt58MwJu3qCLgCLcB/s1600/ICON-64%2Bcopy.jpg|title=Amber is not a novice to the entertainment business. Her dad was the late producer, Jay Bernstein... |date=September 2016|publisher=Icon Magazine|accessdate=November 14, 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/gossip/custody-issue-perelman-divorce-article-1.807279|title=BLONDED AND BONDED |date=October 20, 1998|work=New York Daily News|accessdate=November 14, 2017}}
Additional information
- "Jay Bernstein, Starmaker", of E! True Hollywood Story 2000 TV Episode
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.jaybernstein.com/index.html Official site]
- {{IMDb name|0077070}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bernstein, Jay}}
Category:American entertainment industry businesspeople
Category:Film producers from California
Category:American public relations people
Category:Television producers from California
Category:Businesspeople from Oklahoma City
Category:Pomona College alumni
Category:Film producers from Oklahoma
Category:20th-century American businesspeople
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