July 16, 1962 - Jerry Wald, the film producer, was eulogized in Glendale, Calif., today as one of the great American showmen and a man who had risen to the top of his profession. Four hundred of Hollywood’s elite overflowed the tiny Church of the Recessional at Forest Lawn for the Jewish service. The 49-year-old producer died of a heart attack Friday night. Actor Raymond Massey (left) delivered a eulogy by playwright Clifford Odets (center): “Jerry was one of the great American showmen. Make no mistake; he knew all the tricks and rules of this game — the telephone, the telegram, and the press release were part of his métier. But a man personally more modest than Jerry never walked in shoe leather. A man more free from conceit and arrogance has seldom driven through a studio gate.”
top of page
bottom of page
Comments