Michael I. Levy Dies: Longtime Talent Rep & Producer, Former CBS Theatrical Exec Was 84

Michael I. Levy, a veteran talent representative involved in the careers of such major stars and players as Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, Robert Duval, Bruce Lee, Marlon Brando and William Peter Blattey, died January 11 of complications from Covid pneumonia. He was 84.

His death was announced today by his family.

At the start of his career, Levy represented blacklisted film and TV writers including Waldo Salt, Ring Lardner Jr., and Dalton Trumbo. He would later participate in the careers of Milos Foreman, Michael Mann, Ingmar Bergman, John Huston, John Landis, Mario Puzo and Stan Lee of Marvel Comics as well as Marvel Comics itself.

Through his Michael I. Levy Enterprises, Levy packaged more than 100 films, TV series, and TV movies for major producing clients. In 1981, he became President and CEO of CBS Theatrical Film Group, contributing to the FOX-CBS video deal and the formation of Tri-Star Motion Pictures.

Throughout his career, Levy served as producer on such notable projects as Gotcha (1985), starring a young Anthony Edwards; Francis Ford Coppola’s Gardens of Stone (1987), and Prelude to a Kiss (1992).

In 1994, Levy transitioned into technology consulting. He co-chaired an International Peace conference in Austria in 2013 and was actively involved in Wuxiwood, a partnership with the Chinese Government.

Levy also worked extensively with Chambers Bros. Ent. LLC for Social Media clients and with Creative Management Partners LLC (CMP) Beverly Hills on Licensing of various projects.

He taught for nine years at USC.

Levy is survived by his children Ari and Evan.