Dick Guttman, the veteran Hollywood publicist who over the course of his career represented stars such as Barbra Streisand, Clint Eastwood, Paul Newman, Gary Cooper and dozens of legendary names in the entertainment industry, died on Saturday, September 19, in Los Altos, California. He was 93.
The news was confirmed by Guttman Associates Public Relations, the firm he himself founded. No cause of death has been disclosed.
For decades, Guttman was one of the most influential figures in Hollywood public relations, first at the Rogers & Cowan agency and later at the helm of his own company, Guttman Associates.
A Career Spanning More Than Six Decades Representing Hollywood’s Biggest Stars
Guttman's client roster over the years included Barbra Streisand, Clint Eastwood, Paul Newman, Gary Cooper, Audrey Hepburn, Tony Curtis, Milton Berle, Greer Garson, Simone Signoret, Carroll Baker, Candice Bergen, Peter Ustinov, Tony Randall, Dick Powell, Natalie Wood, William Holden, William Shatner, James Mason and Rex Harrison.
In addition to representing top-tier performers, Guttman worked on the promotion of some of the most celebrated films in cinema history, including Unforgiven, Dirty Harry, Bonnie and Clyde, The Conversation, Kramer Vs. Kramer, All That Jazz, The Year of Living Dangerously, The Man Who Would Be King, The King's Speech, The Artist, Shakespeare in Love and The English Patient.
From Los Angeles to European Studios
Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Guttman moved to Los Angeles with his family after the end of World War II. He ran track at Fairfax High School and covered school sports for the Los Angeles Examiner before studying film and psychology at UCLA, while working part-time at the influential Rogers & Cowan agency.
After graduating, he began his career as a unit publicist in Europe, working on films such as Paris Holiday and The Key. It was precisely in Paris, while serving as publicist on Billy Wilder's Love in the Afternoon, that he met Gisela, the woman he would marry and share 70 years of marriage with.
The Birth of Guttman Associates
Back in Los Angeles, Guttman returned to Rogers & Cowan, where he stayed for more than a decade. In 1971 he partnered with publicist Jerry Pam, and for more than twenty years the firm Guttman & Pam became one of Hollywood's most prestigious public relations agencies.
In the early 1990s, he founded his own company, Guttman Associates, from whose Beverly Hills office he continued representing films, television series and individual talent for more than 35 years.
An Awards Client Roster: From Gene Hackman to Elizabeth Taylor
A longtime member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Guttman represented numerous Oscar, Emmy, Golden Globe, Tony, Cable ACE Award and Grammy winners and nominees.
His clients also included Gene Hackman, Warren Beatty, Elizabeth Taylor, Jay Leno, Janet Jackson, Christopher Reeve, Rip Torn, Cindy Williams, Martin Landau, Maximilian Schell, Tom Skerritt, Jane Seymour, Kathy Ireland, Marilu Henner, Stacy Keach, Steve Guttenberg, David Janssen, Jacqueline Bisset, James Woods, Robert Urich, Bo Derek, Ernest Borgnine, Donny Osmond and Mickey Rooney.
Beyond Hollywood: Astronauts, Writers and Global Brands
Guttman's client base extended beyond film and television. He worked with astronaut Buzz Aldrin, author Sidney Sheldon and companies such as Lucasfilm and Industrial Light & Magic. He was also behind Sanrio's launch of Hello Kitty, Kathy Ireland Worldwide, Jane Seymour's Open Hearts jewelry line with Kay Jewelers, and Elizabeth Taylor's fragrance and jewelry businesses with House of Taylor, in addition to collaborating with the firm Harry Winston.
He also designed campaigns for books such as Dear Cary, Dyan Cannon's memoir about her life with Cary Grant, as well as for works by Patricia Hearst and Wayne Rogers.
His company oversaw the launch of Movietime, which would later become E! Entertainment, and Baseline, one of the first encyclopedic websites dedicated to data on entertainment figures.
Guttman Associates continues to represent Hollywood talent thanks to its founder's longtime collaborators, Susan Madore and Rona Menashe.
Screenwriter, Author and Malibu Fire Survivor
In addition to his career as a publicist, Guttman was a screenwriter on seven films, including Back Door to Hell (1963), starring Jack Nicholson, as well as television films made in collaboration with director Joseph Sargent, such as Passion Flower and Ivory Hunters.
In 2015, he published his autobiography, Starflacker, in which he recounted numerous anecdotes from his decades in the entertainment industry.
Guttman and his wife lived in Malibu for more than 50 years, even after losing their home in a wildfire in 1993. Last year, after the Palisades Fire swept through much of the community, the couple moved to Los Altos to be closer to other family members.
Family and Tributes
In addition to his wife Gisela, Guttman is survived by his daughters Monika Guttman Robertson and Danielle Guttman Klein, his granddaughters Alyssa Brucculeri and Claire Robertson, his great-granddaughter Aria Brucculeri, and his sister Joan Ostrow.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Dick Guttman Memorial Fund, administered by the Entertainment Industries Foundation, an organization that supports members of the creative community through various philanthropic initiatives, including assistance to wildfire victims.
Frequently Asked Questions About Dick Guttman
When and where did Dick Guttman die?
Dick Guttman died on Saturday, September 19, 2026, in Los Altos, California, at age 93. The cause of his death has not been disclosed.
Which Hollywood stars did Dick Guttman represent?
His most notable clients included Barbra Streisand, Clint Eastwood, Paul Newman, Gary Cooper, Audrey Hepburn, Natalie Wood, William Holden, Elizabeth Taylor and Gene Hackman, among many others.
Which public relations agencies did Dick Guttman found or lead?
He first worked at Rogers & Cowan, then co-founded the agency Guttman & Pam with Jerry Pam in 1971, and in the early 1990s created his own firm, Guttman Associates, in Beverly Hills.
Which films did Dick Guttman help promote?
Among the productions he represented are Unforgiven, Dirty Harry, Bonnie and Clyde, The Conversation, Kramer Vs. Kramer, The King's Speech, The Artist, Shakespeare in Love and The English Patient.
Did Dick Guttman write any book about his career?
Yes, in 2015 he published his autobiography titled Starflacker, in which he related numerous stories from his decades working in the entertainment industry.
Who survives Dick Guttman?
He is survived by his wife Gisela, to whom he was married for 70 years, his daughters Monika Guttman Robertson and Danielle Guttman Klein, his granddaughters Alyssa Brucculeri and Claire Robertson, his great-granddaughter Aria Brucculeri and his sister Joan Ostrow.
