LOS ANGELES — Sandy Gallin, a Hollywood agent and manager who guided the careers of Dolly Parton and other celebrity icons and helped steer Michael Jackson through scandal and career crisis, has died at the age of 76.
At his peak, Gallin helped manage the careers of dozens of mega-stars, including Cher, Neil Diamond and Barbra Streisand. He also partnered in the production of films such as “Father of the Bride” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.”
After walking away from his career as an agent in the late ’90s, Gallin discovered that real estate was nearly as seductive and rewarding a commodity as celebrity, and he forged a second career as a designer of luxury homes.
His death Friday was announced on Instagram by longtime friend Bruce Bozzi. A cause of death was not released, but he had battled cancer and had quadruple bypass surgery in 1999.
In Parton, Gallin found a talent, a friend and an eventual business partner. She was a country singer when they met in 1973, and her fame grew as Gallin helped transform her into a mainstream star. They formed the film and production company Sandollar Productions.
But Jackson was Gallin’s highest-profile client and – at times – his biggest headache.
In the early ’90s, when Jackson’s career was cooling and his public image had shifted from special and spectacular to peculiar and weird, Gallin urged the musician to harness his shyness and step back into the limelight.
The results, Gallin said, were immediate. He said sales for Jackson’s “Dangerous” album soared.
When Jackson was later accused of molesting a 13-year-old boy, Gallin said his client had been all but crucified by the media.
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