Legendary Talent Agent Sam Cohn Dies at 79

Sam Cohn, the legendary talent agent who joined ICM at its inception, died Wednesday following a brief illness in New York, five days shy of his 80th birthday.

Cohn was with ICM from 1975 until February. A tried and true New Yorker, he chose to remain on the East Coast during his career, heading the agency's Big Apple office for almost 25 years.

Family friend David Richenthal informed news services that Mr. Cohn died Wednesday at New York Presbyterian Hospital after a brief illness.

Cohn's clients at International Creative Management were a who's who of show business. Over the years they included Paul Newman, Meryl Streep, Woody Allen, Lily Tomlin, Kathleen Turner, Vanessa Redgrave, Arthur Miller, Mike Nichols, Robert Altman, Nora Ephron, Bob Fosse, Sigourney Weaver, E.L. Doctorow and Jackie Gleason.

Cohn was often referred to as "the most difficult man in the business to get on the phone."

During the several of the early-'80s Broadway seasons, Cohn was involved in the productions of "Nine," Noises Off, The Real Thing, Sunday in the Park with George and A Moon for the Misbegotten, among many others.

Cohn was born May 11, 1929 in Altoona, Pa. He graduated from Princeton University and Yale Law School, then began his career in the business affairs department of CBS. He later became partner at the law firm Marshall, Bratter, Greene, Allison & Tucker.

When he co-founded ICM, Cohn, chose to remain on the east coast and headed the agency's New York office for almost 25 years.

He is survived by his wife, Jane Gelfman, son Peter Cohn, daughter Marya Cohn and four grandchildren.

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