Veteran Publicist Julian Myers Dies at Age 95

Celebrity publicist Julian F. Myers, who worked with giants such as Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley, has died. He was 95.

Myers died Saturday of heart failure in Marina del Rey, his son Eric told The Hollywood Reporter. A memorial is being planned for early next year.

Myers worked at 20th Century Fox 1948-62, representing big names from John Wayne to Bette Davis; ran his own PR firm for the next six years, then started a short-lived UHF television station in Ventura County, KKOG.

The avid runner -- he ran about 25 major marathons -- later worked for American-International Pictures for the next dozen years, along with stints at Hanson and Schwam Public Relations, before once again hanging out his own shingle, representing Dennis Weaver, among others, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Among his memorable creative coups were importing live jackals for the premiere "The Snows of Kilimanjaro" and persuading the management of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel to black out its neon sign except for the "Eve" in Roosevelt for the opening of "All About Eve" across the street at the Chinese Theater.

His wife, attorney Patsy Nanna Myers, died from complications of a stroke on Oct. 12 at age 89.

The Detroit native was one of the first graduates of USC's Film School, first landing a job with Technicolor and later with the story department at Columbia Pictures.

One of Myers' granddaughters, Krishni Arra of Thousand Oaks, told Patch that Myers strived to bring people together in everything he did. "My grandfather was always looking for ways to bring people together no matter their politics, theology, race or demographic," Arra said. "He wanted people to stop seeking ways to divide, but come together for the good of humankind. I think that was at the heart of many of his efforts over the years."

Myers is survived by a sister, Helen Gilbert; a brother, Rod Myers; three children, Eric, Jon and Fredrica; 10 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

City News Service contributed to this report.