Our beloved Lois Smith– and I mean it — will get east coast and west coast toasts on Tuesday. In New York, call 42 West for info. In Hollywood, call Mara Buxbaum’s office if you want details. Mara, who started as Lois’s assistant (and before that, receptionist at PMK), and is now a driving force at ID-PR, sent me this memory of Lois:
“I’ve often said beginning the first decade of my career in publicity under Lois Smith was like being born with a silver spoon in my mouth. Every day I carry Lois’ lessons in my heart, and aspire to meet the high bar she set in this industry. Lois understood the privilege and responsibility that comes with representing true talent. She knew how to protect her clients, nurture them, and give them wings to fly. She understood the value of keeping mystery alive. Most importantly, Lois brought humor, heart, and a deeply personal touch to everything she did— making everyone around her feel like family. She leaves a legacy like none other, and all of us working in this business owe a great debt to the standards she set. Some people are fortunate enough to live in the time they were meant to live in. Lois Smith lived wonderfully in her time. I’m forever grateful to my wise, loving mentor and dear friend.”
This year we’ve lost a lot of famous people we knew like Nora Ephron and Marvin Hamlish, some less famous but just loved like Charla Krupp. But Lois’s sudden passing is really the ultimate blow. We all know great people who deserve beautiful exits. Lois was at the top of that list. Everyone’s going to have stories about how much fun they had with her, how great she was even when the going was rough. I was thinking today of how we went to meet Paul Tsongas when he was gearing up to run for President, before he got very sick. Lois and I had a ball that night, meeting and mixing with Wall Streeters down at Harry’s Bar. It seems like a blink ago in time–twenty years came and went fast…
