Jerry Longarzo, an entertainment attorney and Grammy winner, co-founder and managing partner of Longarzo Vance Klevan LLP, died on January 11 in Los Angeles after a nearly year-long battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 58.
“Jerry was a force,” LVK partner Christian Vance said of Longarzo today.
“He brought energy and enthusiasm into everything he did … both personally and professionally,” the lawyer continued. “He has left an indelible mark on the entertainment industry and this company. The team he’s built here is committed to Jerry’s customer-centric philosophy, ”noted Vance. “The company remains committed to delivering Jerry’s vision and ensuring that his legacy lives on.”
After nine years as an SVP for television business with the Walt Disney Company, Georgetown Longarzo became an EVP at Newscorp in 2006. In this role, he oversaw the business, legal, production and business development departments at Fox Television Studios with a focus on cable content. CEO of publisher and event organizer JLD Media since 2011, Longarzo teamed up with Keith Klevan in 2012 to create their boutique company. Vance joined the duo in 2014.
In addition to representing the legal interests of his customers, Longarzo also took on production tasks. Most notably as one of the executive producers of the 2017 HBO limited series The Defiant Ones, starring Dr. Dre and James Iovine. The Allen Hughes-directed project took home the 2018 Grammy for Best Musical Film, with Longarzo performing on stage at Madison Square Garden with fellow EP fellows Hughes, Gene Kirkwood, and others to receive the award – like you can see here.
More recently, Longarzo helped negotiate Di Novi Pictures’ first look pact with Amazon Studio in September 2021. Longarzo also worked to secure the lead roles of Meaghan Rath and Jack Cutmore-Scott on the comedy series “Don’t Get It Beautiful,” CBS, Deadline revealed last month.
Longarzo leaves behind his 23-year-old wife Diana; his three sons; and his parents, sisters, nieces, nephews and great-nephews and nieces.
A celebration of life for Longarzo is scheduled for January 28th. The family has told Deadline that instead of flowers, donations can be made to the Cedars-Sinai Cancer Center called Pancreatic Cancer or the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.