Marvin Levy, the trailblazing publicist who spent more than five decades shaping the public image of filmmaker Steven Spielberg and his films, died on April 7 at the age of 96.

Levy was the first and only publicist to ever receive an Honorary Academy Award, a testament to his unparalleled influence in film marketing. Over his prolific career, he worked on landmark campaigns for ‘E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial’, ‘Jurassic Park’, ‘Schindler’s List’, ‘Lincoln’, and many more.

Spielberg paid tribute, calling Levy’s death “a huge loss for me and our industry writ large.”

“There are many talented PR executives, but Marvin was one of a kind,” Spielberg said in a statement. “For over 50 years, he was a deeply loyal and exceptional collaborator... When it came to handling the press, he had no peer... Marvin was the face of Amblin. He loved his work and was endlessly enthusiastic about our business. As a result, he was the first and only publicist to receive an Academy Award.”

Levy began his career in the late 1940s, initially working in radio and early television. He later joined MGM’s publicity team and went on to serve as VP of advertising and promotion at Columbia Pictures, where he first collaborated with Spielberg on ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’. He later moved to Amblin Entertainment and DreamWorks Studios, working exclusively with Spielberg.

Beyond Spielberg’s projects, Levy’s portfolio included campaigns for ‘Back to the Future’, ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’, ‘Ben-Hur’, ‘Taxi Driver’, ‘Shrek’, ‘Gladiator’, and ‘Kramer vs. Kramer’.

Levy retired in 2024 after a nearly 75-year career. He is survived by his wife, Carol, their sons Don and Doug, and two grandsons.