Marvin Levy, a longtime film publicist closely associated with director Steven Spielberg, died on April 7 at the age of 96. Known for his decades of work in motion picture promotion, Levy was the first publicist to receive an honorary Oscar, awarded by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2018.
Levy worked on a wide range of films over his career, many of them landmark titles in American cinema. His credits include E.T., Jurassic Park, Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan, Munich, The Color Purple, Lincoln, and Bridge of Spies. He also led publicity efforts for Back to the Future, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Taxi Driver, Men in Black, Sophie’s Choice, Gladiator, and Shrek. Five of the films he supported went on to win Best Picture.
Spielberg, who collaborated with Levy for more than five decades, described him as “a deeply loyal and exceptional collaborator.” In a statement, Spielberg said, “To the media and the world of exhibition, Marvin was the face of Amblin. Every time I reached the end of production on a film, Marvin’s work had only begun. He loved his work—he was creative, enthusiastic, and respected for his knowledge and honesty.”
Levy was born in New York City in 1928. He served in the U.S. Air Force, where he began working in advertising and public relations at Selfridge Air Force Base in Michigan. After his service, he entered the television world as a writer and producer and later moved into film publicity.
He began his film career at MGM’s New York publicity office, promoting major titles including Gigi and Ben-Hur. He later worked at the PR firm Blowitz Thomas and Canton, then at Cinema Releasing. His move to Columbia Pictures in the 1970s placed him in a key position during the marketing of Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
Levy soon left Columbia to work exclusively with Spielberg at Amblin Entertainment and later DreamWorks. Their relationship extended beyond work, with Spielberg at times referring to Levy as a father figure.
In 1994, Levy received the Les Mason Award, the highest honor from the Publicists Guild. His service to the Academy included 23 years on its Board of Governors, where he spent significant time as Chairman of the Public Relations Branch.
Former Academy president Sid Ganis said, “There was nobody—nobody, past or present—better at the complicated business of movie marketing than Marvin. He was the very best at it, and he was the sweetest, most generous and engaging guy on the job.”
Outside of the industry, Levy supported several foundations, including the Shoah Foundation, Righteous Persons Foundation, and the Starlight Children’s Foundation.
Levy retired in 2024 at the age of 95. He is survived by his wife of 73 years, Carol, their sons Don and Doug, and two grandsons, Brian and Daniel. The funeral will take place Friday, April 11, at 10 a.m. at Mount Sinai cemetery in Los Angeles.
