Studio chief and Hollywood agent Guy McElwaine has died following a brief battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 71.

The showman, who was involved in blockbusters from All the President's Men to The Karate Kid, died on Wednesday (02Apr08) at his Bel-Air home.

In the 1960s, McElwaine owned a management and public relations company whose clients included Frank Sinatra, Warren Beatty and The Mamas and The Papas.

The former brother-in-law of actress Dey Young joined Creative Management Associates, an agency that was the forerunner for the powerful International Creative Management and there, he is reported to be the first agent to sign filmmaker Steven Spielberg.

He enjoyed a brief stint at Warner Brothers as a senior executive in charge of worldwide motion picture production - putting together movies such as All the President's Men, Dog Day Afternoon and Oh God.

McElwine was also resident of Columbia Pictures, later becoming the studio's chairman and chief executive officer - helping produce blockbusters such as Ghostbusters and Gandhi. (CAM/WNWCYA/JC)

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