Bernie Brillstein helped launch "SNL," "The Muppet Show"

LOS ANGELES — Bernie Brillstein, a Hollywood manager and producer who helped mold television with his contributions to series such as "Saturday Night Live" and "The Muppet Show," died Thursday night in Los Angeles. He was 77. The cause was chronic pulmonary disease, said Nicole Caruso, a publicist for Brillstein Entertainment Partners.

In a 52-year career, Mr. Brillstein represented entertainers who ranged from stand-up comedian Norm Crosby and singer Frankie Laine to a later generation of comic rebels that included John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Gilda Radner, Lorne Michaels, Martin Short and others.

Mr. Brillstein launched his career in the mail room of the William Morris Agency in New York in 1956 and rose through the ranks to become a talent agent.

After founding the Brillstein Company in 1969 — the first of three management and production companies to bear his name — he helped launch "Hee Haw," the long-running country music-comedy show.

He also helped launch "The Muppet Show" and was instrumental in bringing "Saturday Night Live" to NBC in 1975.

As a manager, Mr. Brillstein represented the long-running comedy show's creator-executive producer, Michaels, as well as Belushi, Radner and Aykroyd.

"He was unwavering in his belief in me," Michaels said Friday, adding that he couldn't have done "Saturday Night Live" without him.

Mr. Brillstein helped produce the films "The Blues Brothers," "Ghostbusters," "Dragnet," "Happy Gilmore" and "The Cable Guy."

For television, he helped produce the series "ALF," "Buffalo Bill," "It's Garry Shandling's Show," "The Dana Carvey Show" and "The Martin Short Show."

After Lorimar-Telepictures purchased his management company in 1986, Mr. Brillstein was installed as head of Lorimar's movie division.

As he wrote in his 1999 memoir "Where Did I Go Right?: You're No One in Hollywood Unless Someone Wants You Dead," he put about 20 films in development in two years "and ended up making six lousy movies, two good movies and one great movie," the latter being the Oscar-winning "Dangerous Liaisons."

In 1991, he partnered with Brad Grey to found Brillstein-Grey Entertainment, the high-profile personal management and production company whose clients included Short, Jon Lovitz, Brad Pitt and Nicolas Cage.

When Mr. Brillstein initially hired him at the Brillstein Co. in the '80s, Grey said, "Bernie was an icon and one of the most successful talent managers in the business."

Added Grey, who is now chairman of Paramount Motion Picture Group: "He was a father to me, and he was my mentor and my partner and the godfather of my eldest son, and I'm going to miss him every day for the rest of my life."

Although Mr. Brillstein sold his interest in Brillstein-Grey in 1996, Grey said, "he worked with me every day until I left to become chairman of Paramount in 2005."

Mr. Brillstein continued to work at the company, which was renamed Brillstein Entertainment Partners, and where, Grey said, he remained "a force" until he fell ill this year.

He was born in New York City on April 26, 1931, and grew up in a swank hotel, where his family lived with Mr. Brillstein's uncle, comedian Jack Pearl. He graduated from New York University with a degree in advertising.

Mr. Brillstein, who was married several times, is survived by his wife of 10 years, Carrie; three sons, two daughters and a grandson.