Swifty Lazar

Irving Paul "Swifty" Lazar (March 28, 1907 ? December 30, 1993) was a legendary agent for Hollywood movie stars and authors.

Related Topics:
March 28 - 1907 - December 30 - 1993 - Agent - Hollywood - Movie stars - Authors

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Born in Brooklyn, New York, he graduated from the Brooklyn Law School of St. Lawrence University in 1931 and then practiced bankruptcy law for a few years. As a lawyer he negotiated a business deal for a vaudeville performer after which he realized the income potential for acting as an agent.

Related Topics:
Brooklyn, New York - St. Lawrence University - Bankruptcy law - Vaudeville

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Lazar moved to Hollywood in 1936 but kept a presence in New York until after World War II when he moved to Los Angeles permanently. He had been dubbed Swifty by Humphrey Bogart after putting together three major deals for Bogart all in one day. The moniker stuck, but was a name he actually disliked.

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Swifty Lazar became the super agent for the biggest celebrities including Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Cary Grant, Walter Matthau, Gregory Peck, Gene Kelly, Cher, Sharon Stone, Jessica Lange, Cole Porter, Madonna, Joan Collins, Noel Coward, Ernest Hemingway, Truman Capote, Irwin Shaw and Tennessee Williams to name a few. Lazar's power became such that he could negotiate a deal for someone who was not even his client then collect a fee from that person's agent.

Related Topics:
Humphrey Bogart - Lauren Bacall - Cary Grant - Walter Matthau - Gregory Peck - Gene Kelly - Cher - Sharon Stone - Jessica Lange - Cole Porter - Madonna - Joan Collins - Noel Coward - Ernest Hemingway - Truman Capote - Irwin Shaw - Tennessee Williams

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Lazar was renowned for his annual post-Academy Award parties that started at the famous Romanoff's, then to the Bistro Garden and finally to Wolfgang Puck's restaurant, "Spago." His was the most important Oscar celebration and you were considered "in" if you received an invitation.

Related Topics:
Academy Award - Romanoff's - Bistro Garden - Wolfgang Puck's - Spago

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He also produced the 1983 television miniseries The Thorn Birds and was an associate producer of 1985's "Robert Kennedy & His Times."

Related Topics:
Miniseries - The Thorn Birds

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Swift Lazar died of cancer in 1993 and was interred in the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles.

Related Topics:
Cancer - Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery - Los Angeles

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In 1993, Michael Korda published Lazar's story in a book titled "The King of the Deal."

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The internet is ripe with conspiracy theories on how a dearth of photographs for such a successful and well-known man exists. A google image search only results in a picture of his tombstone.

Related Topics:
Internet - Conspiracy theories - Google - Tombstone

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