Henri Bollinger, renowned award-winning entertainment industry publicist, died on August 27 from complications of surgery. He was 89 and a resident of the Motion Picture and Television Fund campus in Woodland Hills.
Bollinger was a publicist for 60 years and received the Bob Yeager Award as well as the Les Mason Award, the highest award bestowed upon a publicist by his peers. He served for over 55 years on the Publicists Awards Committee, which organizes the prestigious ICG Publicists Awards Luncheon held annually at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. He was chairman of the committee for 37 years, retiring from that position earlier this year, though remaining a committee member.
Steven Poster, ASC, president of the International Cinematographers Guild (IATSE Local 600), of which publicists are members, said, "Henri was beloved by everyone he came into contact with. He was a loyal and true member to our union. Henri helped everybody just by being Henri. I know many of us will feel we lost not just a friend but a gentleman we considered family."
Tim Menke, who succeeded Bollinger as chair of the Publicists Awards Committee, said, "Nothing but respect, admiration and thanks to Henri and for the dedication he devoted to our profession. He was a mensch among publicists. I will miss my friend and mentor."
Henri Bollinger ran his own eponymous public relations agency for 50 years that created public image concepts for a wide spectrum of entertainment and corporate clients.
He was recognized for his creative and effective publicity and promotion campaigns for motion picture and television production companies, feature films, television shows, distributors, producers, directors, actors, authors, post-production companies and public service agencies.
Henri held key positions with various entertainment industry, community and service organizations. He served five terms as President of the Publicists Guild of America; President and founding member of the Entertainment Publicists Professional Society (EPPS); served on the Foreign Film Committee of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences; chaired the Communications Committee of the Hollywood Entertainment Museum; served on the Public Relations Committee of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences; chairman of the Publications and Publicity Committee of the International Cinematographers Guild and a member of its National Executive Board; and President of the Los Angeles Chapter of the American Cancer Society.
Henri conducted campaigns for such motion pictures as The People Under the Stairs, Nightmare on Elm Street, Shocker, The Serpent and the Rainbow, Friday the 13th and such popular television shows as Major Dad, The Price Is Right, Deception: A Mother's Secret, The Secret Files of J. Edgar Hoover, The Ann Jillian Story, The Kennedy Center Honors, Simon & Simon, The Ernie Kovacs Show, and The Julie Andrews Hour.
The long list of clients he also represented included Bob Barker, Gerald MacRaney, Shirley Jones, Marty Ingels, Jack Jones, The Entertainment Industries Council, Inc., the PRISM Awards; the Cinema Audio Society Awards; Wes Craven Films, DLT Entertainment, Smith/Hemion Productions, Shochiku Films of Japan, Fries Entertainment, Finnegan/Pinchuk Productions, Spanish Trail Productions, Perseverance Productions, Cannon Films, Loganworks Productions, Complete Post, Affinity Network, Inc., George Schlatter Productions, Translor Films, Inc., Dell Books (Danielle Steel's books), Trusthouse Forte Hotels, The Golden Nugget Hotel/Las Vegas, Binion's Hotel and Casino/Las Vegas, including 13 years of Publicity for The World Series of Poker, The Bicycle Club Casino, Coast Fed Properties.
He is survived by his wife Sandy and their three children, Jennifer (David) Goosenberg, Jeffrey Bollinger (Nik Orlando), Jeremy (Michele) Bollinger and 4 grandchildren, Jerry & Shawn Goosenberg, Emma & Isabel Bollinger.
The memorial service and interment will be Thursday, August 30 at 1:00 PM at Groman Eden Memorial Park, 11500 Sepulveda Blvd., Mission Hills, CA 91345.
Charitable contributions can be made to Valley Beth Shalom Synagogue, 15739 Ventura Blvd, Encino CA 91436 and The Motion Picture Television Fund, 23388 Mulholland Drive, Woodland Hills, CA 91364