Michael Gerety, a former MGM executive and publicist for Julie Andrews, James Garner and others who also served as chairman of Newslink Corp, died on January 13 in Los Angeles. He was 82 years old. A family friend confirmed the news to Deadline.
Gerety joined MGM in 1965 as a regional advertising representative, working in Chicago, Atlanta and Dallas. He briefly left MGM to join Durwood Theaters as area manager as the chain began its national expansion, with Durwood eventually becoming AMC.
Gerety returned to MGM a year later and moved to Culver City studios in 1972, remaining there through the merger with United Artists. When MGM’s theatrical distribution arm dissolved, he joined American International Pictures.
In 1981, Gerety was named president of Newslink Corp, the industry’s first online video text news service, which revolutionized the way entertainment news was collected and disseminated instantly.
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Four years later, he joined the Beverly Hills-based public relations firm Hanson & Schwam, eventually rising to the position of executive vice president. During his tenure there, Gerety worked closely with clients including Andrews, Garner, Chuck Norris, Lionel Chetwynd, Gary Coleman, Dean Hargrove and many others.
He worked independently under his own label MGPR from 1999 to 2004.
Gerety was born on October 30, 1942, in Long Island, New York, and served as a Navy veteran at NATO Headquarters Armed Forces Southern Europe in Naples, Italy.
He is survived by his wife, Barbara. children Patrick and Catherine; grandchildren Westley and Faye; and siblings Sheila and David.
