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Leonard Morpurgo, Veteran Film Publicist, Dies at 93

Known for shaping international festival publicity, his career left a reputation for mentorship and deep ties to industry institutions that colleagues are now honoring.

Overview

  • Leonard Morpurgo died of cancer on Aug. 12 in Los Angeles, his firm Weissman/Markovitz Communications confirmed.
  • His work spanned more than 50 years and included senior publicity roles at Rogers & Cowan, Universal, Columbia, CBS Theatrical Films and Lorimar.
  • He served on the Academy’s International Feature Film Committee and was a member of BAFTA Los Angeles, reflecting a career that bridged European and U.S. markets.
  • Morpurgo published a 2009 memoir, was nominated for the International Cinematographers Guild’s Les Mason Award in 2022, and in his final months saw his needlepoint art shown in a virtual‑reality gallery.
  • Colleagues remember him as a raconteur and generous mentor whose death removes a long‑standing source of institutional memory; a celebration of life will be announced.