Old-style publicist represented Monroe, was avid runner

[December 27, 2013]  By Laila Kearney

(Reuters) — One of Hollywood's last old-style publicists, whose job included making sure Marilyn Monroe got out of bed for promotional events for the movie, "All About Eve," died Saturday at his home in the oceanside community of Marina del Rey, his son said.

Julian Myers, who died of congestive heart failure at the age of 95, was also an avid runner, competing well into his final year of life, according to an obituary written by his son, Eric. In 2013, Myers set a record for his age category in the 800-meter dash at the Huntsman Senior Games in St. George, Utah.

He also loved marathons, for years competing in Los Angeles, New York, Boston and Greece.

"He looked at the positive side of just about everything, even in some of the terrible situations — that's the way he lived his life," longtime friend and fellow entertainment publicist Henri Bollinger told Reuters.

Myers was routinely honored for his work in an industry where "respect or praise" was difficult to attract, Bollinger said.

A Detroit native, Myers moved to Los Angeles in 1937 to become one of the first students at the University of Southern California's then-Cinematography School, the obituary said.

In 1949, Myers began working as an entertainment publicist for Twentieth Century Fox, where part of his job included organizing the elaborate stunts that were routinely used to promote the movies of the day.

For the 1950 premiere of the film "All About Eve," which co-starred Monroe, Myers persuaded the famed Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel to black out all of its neon sign except for the letters "EVE."

Myers was sometimes tasked with pulling a fatigued Monroe out of her bed on the days she had scheduled media appearances for the film.

Two years later, Myers arranged for two jackals to be flown in from Africa to promote the film The Snows of Kilimanjaro, the obituary said. He also represented James Dean and Elvis Presley, among others.

Myers started his own firm, Julian F. Myers Public Relations, in 1962, representing such clients as Cloris Leachman and George Kennedy.

He also taught entertainment publicity at Loyola Marymount University and the University of California, Los Angeles school of extended learning.

Myers, who lived in the unincorporated Los Angeles community of Marina Del Rey, is survived by three adult children and two siblings. His wife of 43 years, attorney Patsy Nanna Myers, died in October.

(Reporting by Laila Kearney; writing by Sharon Bernstein; editing by Bob Burgdorfer)

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