Dale Olson

Dale C. Olson (February 20, 1934 – August 9, 2012) was an American writer and publicist who represented prominent actors and films directors during his career.[1][2]

He served on the public relations coordinating and executive committee for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for twenty years, including three years as the committee's chairman.[2] He also spearheaded and launched the film publicity campaigns beginning in the 1970s.[1][2] [3]

Olson was born on Fargo, North Dakota, and lived in Portland, Oregon.[3] He worked as a newspaper reporter as a teenager. One of his earliest interviews was with actress Mae West.[3] Olson moved to Los Angeles in 1951 and became the first national secretary for the Mattachine Society.[3]

He worked as a reporter and writer for The Hollywood Reporter and Variety Magazine during his early career.[1] Olson co-founded the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle as a staff member at Variety.[1] In the 1960s, Olson joined the staff of Rogers & Cowan, a Los Angeles public relations firm, where he remained for eighteen years.[1] He eventually became the head of Rogers & Cowan's film division. Olson left the company in 1985 to open his own publicity company.[1] He became the spokesperson for Rock Hudson in 1985 during the actor's public battle with AIDS.[1] Olson persuaded Hudson to publicly admit his diagnosis with the disease.[3]

In addition to representing actors and other figures, Olson also worked on the campaigns for major Hollywood films. He launched the publicity campaigns for several Hollywood film franchises during the 1970s, including Rambo, Halloween, Rocky, and Superman.[1] He also headed the Academy Award campaigns for many films, notably Terms of Endearment in 1983, American Beauty in 1999, and Gladiator in 2000.[1]

The Actors Fund of America named the lobby of its Los Angeles headquarters in honor of Olson and his partner, Eugene Harbin, in November 2004.[2] Actress Shirley MacLaine presented Olson with the Actors Fund Medal of Honor, the organization's highest honor, on July 12, 2012.[2]

Dan Olson, a resident of the Hollywood Hills, died from cancer at a nursing home in Burbank, California, on August 9, 2012, at the age of 78.[3] He was survived by his partner of thirty years, publicist Eugene Harbin.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Dale Olson, Hollywood publicist, dies". BBC News. 2012-08-10. Retrieved 2012-09-08.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Dale Olson, Veteran Hollywood Publicist, Dies at 78". The Hollywood Reporter. 2012-08-09. Retrieved 2012-09-08.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Dale Olson dies at 78; publicity agent for Rock Hudson, other stars". Los Angeles Times. 2012-08-10. Retrieved 2012-09-08.
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