Leonard Shannon, Veteran Film Publicist for Disney, MGM, Fox and RKO, Dead at Age 88 BURBANK, Calif., Oct. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Leonard Shannon, one of Hollywood's top motion picture publicists for over 35 years and a 14-year veteran of Disney's publicity department, passed away due to heart failure at his home in Goleta, California on Thursday October 16th. He was 88 years old. Shannon worked with such top stars as Cary Grant, Fess Parker, Burt Lancaster, Helen Hayes, Bette Davis, Sidney Poitier, Jodie Foster, and Steve McQueen during his illustrious career and served as the unit publicist on such major films as "The Birdman of Alcatraz," "In the Heat of the Night," "The Thomas Crown Affair," "The Scalphunters," "This Property is Condemned," and such popular Disney fare as "Old Yeller," "Bedknobs and Broomsticks," "Herbie Rides Again" and "Candleshoe," among others. During his early days with Disney, Shannon also helped to publicize the enormously popular "Davy Crockett" films for the landmark "Disneyland" television series. A native of Minneapolis, Minnesota and a graduate of Los Angeles City College, Shannon launched his industry career in 1941 when he began a one-year stint working for Hollywood columnist Harrison Carroll at the Los Angeles bureau of the Hearst-owned International News Service. One year later, he joined the publicity department at MGM Studios and served under legendary publicity chief Howard Strickling. In 1947, Shannon moved over to RKO and worked on several Cary Grant films under the guidance of public relations head Perry Leiber. Shannon began his first tour of duty with Disney in 1954, just as Walt Disney was branching out into the areas of live-action filmmaking and TV production. He helped to publicize many of Disney's innovative television offerings and was instrumental in the campaigns for the five hugely successful "Davy Crockett" one-hour films created for the "Disneyland" program. In the area of feature films, Shannon served as the unit publicist on such Disney favorites from the 1950s as "Old Yeller," "Ten Who Dared," and "The Third Man on the Mountain." Fess Parker, who played the title role in the "Crockett" shows observes, "For me, Leonard was one of four lifetime friendships forged in Cherokee, North Carolina on location for 'Davy Crockett' in 1954. The location was hard work, it was very hot and it was the kind of place where people with a sense of humor were naturally drawn together by the circumstance. He was always feisty and direct to the point, so much so, that it contained its own inherent humor; you just had to laugh. Leonard was a straight shooter. He became a go to person for my whole film career and a very dear friend. I will miss him." In January 1961, Shannon left Disney for a nine-year stint as an independent publicist. He returned to the Studio in 1970 and spent the next seven years as a unit publicist on such films as "Bedknobs and Broomsticks," "Escape to Witch Mountain," "Return to Witch Mountain," "Scandalous John," "Candleshoe," etc. Although he officially retired from Disney in 1977, he continued to maintain a close association with the Studio and served as a freelance writer, editor and consultant on The Disney Channel Magazine, The Disney News, The Disneylander, and other company publications. In 1993, he wrote a book chronicling the history of Disneyland that was entitled Disneyland: Dreams, Traditions and Transitions. Shannon is survived by his wife of 53 years, Netta; his daughter, Fay Shannon; and his sister, Marian Davis. Funeral arrangements are private. The family suggests that, in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Motion Picture and Television Fund, 22212 Ventura Blvd, Suite 300, Woodland Hills, 91364 For further information please contact: Howard E. Green, Vice President, Studio Communications, Buena Vista Pictures Marketing, +1-818-560-1944 DATASOURCE: Buena Vista Pictures Marketing CONTACT: Howard E. Green, Vice President, Studio Communications, Buena Vista Pictures Marketing, +1-818-560-1944

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