Legendary Marketing Exec Behind ‘Alien,’ ‘This Is Spinal Tap,’ and the Original ‘Star Wars’ Dead at 86

David Weitzner, the Hollywood marketing powerhouse who crafted campaigns for some of the most iconic films in history, including Star Wars, E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, Alien, and This Is Spinal Tap, has died at the age of 86, it has been confirmed today. Weitzner passed away on September 1 at his home in Calabasas, according to the USC School of Cinematic Arts, where he spent decades teaching the popular Business of Entertainment class as an adjunct professor.

Raised in New York City, Weitzner got his start in advertising at Grey in Manhattan, where he worked his way up to vice president and general manager of its entertainment division. There, he handled Warner Bros. and ABC Pictures accounts before being recruited to head worldwide marketing at ABC and Palomar Pictures International. His fingerprints were on campaigns for They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? (1969), Sleuth (1972), The Heartbreak Kid (1972), and The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974).