The seasoned news and entertainment publicist Andrew Freedman passed away. Among his clients were Gayle King, Barbara Walters, Joan Collins, Margo Martindale, Christopher McDonald, and Harry Shearer. He was 67.
According to his son Chris, Freedman passed away on February 8 at Mount Sinai West hospital in New York. In August, he received a liver cancer diagnosis.
From 1984 until 1991, Freedman managed media relations for NBC Nightly News, Meet the Press, and the Today show. After that, he spent a year as vice president of corporate communications for Special Olympics International.
These positions were held concurrently with the establishment of Andrew E. Freedman Public Relations in New York in 1990.
Actress Patty Dworkin, his wife of 30 years and business partner, passed away from breast cancer in February 2017 at the age of 64. She shared the stage with Jackie Gleason, made appearances on The Love Boat and Eight Is Enough, as well as in the movies Mr. Mom and Airplane II.
Tom Brokaw, Connie Chung, and Maria Shriver all used Freedman as their spokespersons. Over the years, his company has also worked with Eartha Kitt, Gretchen Carlson, Joey King, Arianna Huffington, Yara Shahidi, Pauley Perrette, Stephen Schwartz, and Billy Stritch.
Freedman, an only child, was born in New London, Connecticut, on March 26, 1955. David and Mickey Elfenbein, his grandparents, were mostly responsible for raising him.
Freedman went to Boston University, where his interest in politics helped him obtain a position working for Sen. Ted Kennedy. He also attended Harbor Elementary School, The Pine Point School, The Taft School, and Boston University.
He worked on campaigns for Reps. Jim Howard and Andy Maguire in New Jersey as well as Sen. George McGovern in South Dakota as a communications expert for Kennedy’s 1980 presidential campaign.
In addition, Freedman handled NBC’s press operations for the 1988 Seoul Olympics, the Reykjavik and Geneva meetings between the United States and Russia, and the network’s coverage of the presidential election.
His kids Al and Chris are still alive. On Friday at 2 p.m., a service will be held in the Plaza Community Jewish Chapel on Amsterdam Avenue in New York.
According to a statement from his sons, Freedman “had an exciting, ambitious, and fulfilling life.” He was endowed with more charm, humour, and charisma than he knew what to do with. He also demonstrated a spirit of love and generosity that is all too rare in today’s world.
