Woody Allen, Paul Newman, Meryl Streep, Jackie Gleason, Mike Nichols, Nora Ephron, Arthur Penn, and Lily Tomlin were among Sam Cohn’s clients.

He was an original founder of ICM, his previous company launched All in the Family and The Sting. He brokered a ten movie deal for Woody Allen without studio interference. At one point, 10 movies and 9 Broadway or off-Broadway shows opened with Sam Cohn clients as writers, directors, or stars. “It wasn’t just a money thing for him,” said E.L. Doctorow, “it was about the quality of the project and its potential.”

According to the NTY obit, “He conformed to none of the agent stereotypes: not the oily, luv-ya-baby baloney meister; not the meek and solicitous Danny Rose-like sycophant; not the sleekly groomed, power-hungry packager.” And I wonder why, after ten years of agenting, I still cringe when people ask me what I do.

Sam Cohn went against type: he hated LA, he was a shabby dresser, he was known to chew paper. “Exceedingly selective about whose phone calls he would take and even more so about whose he would return.” No doubt there’s a certain amount of power in not returning calls. Of course, it’s also rude.

I once had a meeting set up with Sam Cohn when I was a baby editor at Ballantine when I was pursuing a hot young comic he represented. My publisher pulled the plug on the project, never telling me why, and I was left not only hanging out to dry, but missing my chance to meet the uber agent. It was devastating for me at the time, though I admit I was scared shitless to meet him. Agh.

And of course, the quote that kills me in the final line of the obit is Nora Ephron’s: “When he got behind you, it was like an army of thousands.”

I think when I get behind my clients it’s more often like a handful of Jewish mothers (not to be underestimated).

My respects.

Filed under: Agent |