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Gene Schwam, Veteran Publicist to Elvis Presley and Judy Garland, Passes Away at 96
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News18•18-10-2026, 15:45
Gene Schwam, Veteran Publicist to Elvis Presley and Judy Garland, Passes Away at 96
- •Gene Schwam was a veteran Hollywood publicist who worked with legendary stars like Elvis Presley, Judy Garland, and Julie Andrews during a decades-long career.
- •He co-founded the public relations agency Hanson and Schwam in 1955, which initially represented restaurants and musicians before expanding into the entertainment industry.
- •Schwam inspired the publicist character in filmmaker Blake Edwards' 1981 satirical comedy film S.O.B.
- •Outside of his successful PR career, he created Humanity 101, an initiative promoting compassion, empathy, and respect under Arizona State University’s Project Humanities.
- •Schwam passed away in Los Angeles at the age of 96 following a brief illness and is survived by his wife, children, stepchildren, and grandchildren.
Key Questions Answered
Gene Schwam was a veteran Hollywood publicist who spent decades working with major stars in film, music, and television, including Elvis Presley, Judy Garland, Julie Andrews, Nancy Wilson, and Lou Rawls.
After starting his PR career in 1954 working for $35 a week, Schwam partnered with Adeline Hanson to launch their own agency, Hanson & Schwam Public Relations, in 1955.
Humanity 101 is an initiative created by Schwam under Arizona State University’s Project Humanities that promotes compassion, empathy, forgiveness, integrity, respect, and self-reflection.
