Bill Cunningham, the original voice of Barbie’s boyfriend, Ken, and a singer once backed by Fred Astaire who 60 years ago launched the company now known as the Cesd Talent Agency, has died. He was 96.
Cunningham died July 15 at his home in West Hollywood, the agency announced.
The founder was “among the great innovators and gentlemen of the talent representation business,” Cesd partners Ken Slevin and Paul Doherty said in a statement. “Bill set the template for client and customer service, particularly in commercial, voice-over and print. He was a warm, gregarious, classy man who made a positive impact on all those he represented and employed. It was our honor to know him and to learn from him.”
With the encouragement of friend and singer Peggy Taylor, Cunningham in 1963 invested his life savings into starting the Pacific Artists Agency, one of the first commercial and voice-over agencies in Los Angeles.
Cunningham died July 15 at his home in West Hollywood, the agency announced.
The founder was “among the great innovators and gentlemen of the talent representation business,” Cesd partners Ken Slevin and Paul Doherty said in a statement. “Bill set the template for client and customer service, particularly in commercial, voice-over and print. He was a warm, gregarious, classy man who made a positive impact on all those he represented and employed. It was our honor to know him and to learn from him.”
With the encouragement of friend and singer Peggy Taylor, Cunningham in 1963 invested his life savings into starting the Pacific Artists Agency, one of the first commercial and voice-over agencies in Los Angeles.
- 7/27/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
William “Bill” Cunningham, who more than 50 years ago founded the company that became Cesd Talent Agency, has died at 96. The agency said he died July 15 at his West Hollywood home but gave no other details.
Starting out as Cunningham & Associations in the early 1970s, Cesd now is led by partners Ken Slevin and Paul Doherty. Specializing in commercial, voice-over, print, digital influencer, theatrical/TV-film and young performer talent, it has 32 agents spread over two offices in Los Angeles and New York.
Born on January 2, 1927, in San Francisco, Cunningham was enamored with the movies at an early age and eventually found his way to Hollywood. But his country called, and Cunningham enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served aboard the PGM11 minesweeper craft during World War II. He also was a singer, and joined and toured with Fort Emory Drum and Bugle Corp, playing to audiences throughout the Pacific theater.
After...
Starting out as Cunningham & Associations in the early 1970s, Cesd now is led by partners Ken Slevin and Paul Doherty. Specializing in commercial, voice-over, print, digital influencer, theatrical/TV-film and young performer talent, it has 32 agents spread over two offices in Los Angeles and New York.
Born on January 2, 1927, in San Francisco, Cunningham was enamored with the movies at an early age and eventually found his way to Hollywood. But his country called, and Cunningham enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served aboard the PGM11 minesweeper craft during World War II. He also was a singer, and joined and toured with Fort Emory Drum and Bugle Corp, playing to audiences throughout the Pacific theater.
After...
- 7/27/2023
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
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