Mickey Cottrell, a publicist in the indie film business who had also worked as an actor, passed away on Monday at the Motion Picture Hospital in Woodland Hills.
His sister, Suzy Cottrell, confirmed he died at the age of 79 after battling Parkinson’s disease in a Facebook post, per Variety.
‘My adorable, fun, critical, foodie, particular, brilliant, loving brother passed on to the next life early on New Year’s Day,’ she wrote. ‘He was smiling when he died. Mickey Cottrell will be missed by many.”
As a PR specialist, Cottrell worked on such hits as 1989’s Dead Calm with Nicole Kidman and 2011’s Weekend with Tom Cullen.
He took on various small roles as an actor throughout the years, appearing in films such as Gus Van Sant’s My Own Private Idaho as Daddy Carroll, one of River Phoenix’s clients, and in Drugstore Cowboy, Ed Wood and Volcano.
Mickey Cottrell, a publicist in the indie film business who had also worked as an actor, passed away on Monday at the Motion Picture Hospital in Woodland Hills; seen in 2012
He also appeared in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Voyager.
Born on November 4, 1944, in Springfield, IL, Cottrell lived part of his early life in Monroe, LA, per Deadline.
At the age of 8, he relocated with his family to Little Rock, AR, where he attended the University of Arkansas.
Cottrell began his Hollywood career handling publicity for Landmark Theaters before joining Josh Baran Associates, according to the Variety.
In 1989, he co-founded Cottrell and Lindeman Associates. Subsequently, in 2002, he initiated Mickey Cottrell Film Publicity and later established Inclusive PR.
‘In my thirty years in the film and public relations industries, I have had the great joy of representing many important film artists,’ he wrote on his Linkedin bio.
‘The films and filmmakers I have represented have been honored with eight Sundance Jury Prizes, three Academy Awards, and numerous other nominations and awards.
‘Some of my successes have given new life to films that might not otherwise have had the chance, ranging in scale from big budget to minute.’
One of Cotrell’s biggest hits came when he served as publicist on Phillip Noyce’s 1989 thriller Dead Calm starring Nicole Kidman, Sam Neill and Billy Zane
He took on various small roles as an actor throughout the years, appearing in films such as 1991’s My Own Private Idaho starring River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves
Cottrell (L) and actor Dennis Hopper attend the filmmaker reception held at Ghostbar at the Palms Casino Resort on June 11, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada
One of his biggest hits came when he served as publicist on Phillip Noyce’s thriller Dead Calm starring Kidman, Sam Neill and Billy Zane.
‘He did a lot for Philip,’ Suzie told Deadline. ‘When Philip first came to Hollywood, he didn’t know anybody. Mickey was instrumental about getting his films recognized.’
He is survived by two sisters Gigi and Suzy Cottrell, nephew Jeremy Allen and great-nephew Gregory Allen, per Variety.