Veteran entertainment publicist Andrew Freedman died Feb. 8 in New York after being diagnosed with liver cancer in August. He was 67.
Freedman worked with clients includingGayle King, Barbara Walters,Joan Collins,Margo Martindale, Christopher McDonald and Harry Shearer. Prior to his career as a publicist, Freedman served as communications specialist to Sen. Ted Kennedy during his 1980 presidential campaign, which was followed by his campaign work for Sen. George McGovern in South Dakota and Reps. Jim Howard and Andy Maguire in New Jersey.
Following his campaigning involvement, from 1984-1991 Freedman worked at NBC and served as a spokesman for the network’s programming. Freedman oversaw the network’s press operation for the U.S.-Russian Reykjavík and Geneva summits, the 1988 Seoul Olympics, the network’s presidential election coverage and managed media relations for NBC Nightly News, “Meet the Press” and the “Today” show.
By 1990, Freedman launched Andrew E. Freedman Public Relations, which also represented Eartha Kitt, Gretchen Carlson, Joey King, Arianna Huffington, Yara Shahidi, Pauley Perrette, Stephen Schwartz and Billy Stritch.
Freedman worked alongside his wife 30 years and business partner, actorPatty Dworkin, who died of breast cancer in 2017.
Born on March 26, 1955, Freedman was raised in New London, Ct., and attended Boston University.
Freedman’s son Alexander released a statement honoring his father. “Andrew Freedman was kind, curious, empathetic, thoughtful, goofy, and all the other good adjectives in the dictionary. He made sure to take care of others before taking care of himself. He never forgot where he came from and he was damn sure that others didn’t either.”
“He was fiercely devoted to his family and his friends, never making a distinction between the two. He loved building relationships with his children’s friends. He was a consummate professional who would do anything for his clients. He was Dave and Mickey’s boy. He was Chris and Al’s dad. He was Patty’s man,” continued Alexander.
He is survived by his two children, Chris and Alexander.
A memorial service will take place at 2 p.m. Friday at Plaza Community Jewish Chapel on Amsterdam Avenue in New York.
