Phil Paladino; Publicist for Bob Hope, Dick Clark

Phil Paladino, 63, Hollywood publicist for such stars as Bob Hope, Zsa Zsa and Eva Gabor, Dick Clark and Debbie Reynolds. Born in Kansas City, Mo., Paladino served four years in the Navy before earning a speech and drama degree at the University of Missouri. He broke into the entertainment business in New York promoting early rock ‘n’ roll musicians such as Fabian, Connie Francis and Bobby Rydell. Moving to Los Angeles in 1960, Paladino signed his early roommates, Chad Everett and Burt Reynolds, as his first clients. Financially backed by client James Franciscus in 1962, Paladino opened his own publicity firm, sharing duties and profits for many years with Jerry Hoffman. Other than entertainers, Paladino represented major charities including Jerry Lewis’ Muscular Dystrophy Telethon, McLean Stevenson’s Children’s Burn Foundation and the Foundation for the Junior Blind. On Monday in Sherman Oaks of cancer.