One of the good guys has gone...
I was really shocked and saddened to learn today of the death of Robert Garlock, longtime publicist with the formidable PMK and, more recently, 42 West. Robert and I had not been in touch since before Premiere went web-only, but I had always assumed, up until hearing of his death, that we would work together again; his illness was kept pretty quiet by those closest to him, as is their right.
Robert had a reputation as one of the big guns, and not for nothing—he personally repped the likes of Uma Thurman, Clive Owen, Hilary Swank, and Kate Winslet, to name but a few. I did not get the opportunity to work directly with Robert—as far as I know, nobody ever called him "Bob"—until a few years into my tenure at the magazine, and when that time came, I felt like I was graduating something.
He was always a joy. Yeah, he could be pretty tough sometimes—he was fiercely loyal to his clients, and fought unrelentingly to get them what they wanted and he believed they deserved. That was his job, after all. He was also incredibly attentive to detail, which often frustrated our colleagues on the international editions, as he could track coverage like a bloodhound. But he was also a genuine enthusiast—not just about movies, a topic on which he was deeply knowledgable and passionate, but about theater, music, all the arts. And he had a real respect for what Premiere tried to do, and for the people who worked there. He was also a wicked wit and a blast to be around. I'll miss him, as will a hell of a lot of other people.
No comments:
Post a Comment