Entertainment Publicist and Book Marketing Expert Milton Kahn Gets Results

Milton Kahn has worked with literary, sports and entertainment superstars, but few know he also represented composer, Academy Award winner and conductor Bill Conti. The famed musical genius hired Milton on the suggestion of Conti’s personal manager Bobby Roberts, who understood the full reach and power of savvy entertainment publicity.

Conti had started as an unknown piano player from Juilliard and Louisiana State University by way of Miami, getting his first big break as the composer for producer Irwin Winkler’s small United Artists picture Rocky. Bill Conti’s music accompanied the now famous film’s training montage, culminating in the explosive “Gonna Fly Now,” also a Conti tune.

As a shrewd entertainment PR genius, Milton saw the opportunity in publicizing Conti’s equally compelling underdog story, and flooded the media with the saga of Conti’s long battle for recognition before he was discovered. Newspapers and media channels picked up on the story of the composer, and Conti shot to fame, going on to be nominated for an Academy Award with Rocky’s “Gonna Fly Now” and to finally win the Oscar for his work on The Right Stuff.

Milton Kahn’s canny understanding of the marketplace and what it takes to differentiate an artist from the pack is both his signature and the reason he has gone on to become the leading independent book publicist in the country today. Channeling his talents into promoting the authors he so carefully markets for success, Milton is regarded as a genius in his own right, the  book publicity expert who can truly set the stage for writers to “take flight” onto the national scene today.

 

Book Publicists Come and Go…But Milton Kahn Remains

Superstar entertainment PR agent turned book publicist Milton Kahn has had enough experiences in Hollywood to fill a blockbuster autobiography, but for now, his fans must be content with the occasional recollection and amusing anecdote. One of the publicity impresario’s greatest capers was for Hollywood star and Milton Kahn client Glenn Ford.

Co-star to Rita Hayworth in the classic of cinema noir Gilda, Ford went on to star in films with Bette Davis, Gene Tierney, Lee Remick and others. Especially famous for his roles in timeless westerns like The Fastest Gun Alive and 3:10 to Yuma, Ford also enjoyed numerous starring roles on television in the 1980s and early 1990s until health problems forced his retirement in 1992.

Remembering a lunch date with Mr. Ford, Milton recalls their conversation, where Mr. Ford confessed his greatest idol was the Marine Corps General Chesty Puller. As a World War II hero himself within the Marine Corps, Ford had experience as well as a Navy location scout in Vietnam.

His admiration for the general came as no surprise to Milton, who was familiar with the numerous military commendations Ford had received for his service overseas. Considering his declaration, Milton decided that Glenn should produce and star in a movie based on Puller’s life-and so in keeping with his reputation as the nation’s premier entertainment publicist, he managed to plant the story with every major entertainment newspaper column in America.

While the film never got off the ground, the publicity garnered from the announcement led to Milton Kahn PR getting Glenn Ford a television advertising gig with Valley Forge Veterans Life Insurance Company as their television pitchman. It was a lucrative position, securing Mr. Ford a hefty and enduring payday.

As a friend to Mr. Kahn, Ford also introduced him to such luminaries as Rita Hayworth, Judy Garland, and William Holden. Milton went on to represent many of cinema’s all time greats, including Gregory Peck, Michael Landon and Roger Corman. His greatest regret? Passing on Warren Beatty as a client. But that’s a story for another day!

Milton Kahn: Publishing Consultant, and Marketing Expert

Ask any of the major players in Los Angeles entertainment PR firms who Milton Kahn is, and you will get the same answer: the publishing consultant, and marketing expert who changed the game in Hollywood, winning more Oscar and EMMY nominations for his clients than any other entertainment publicity expert before or since. As the entertainment PR agent to stars like Gregory Peck and Michael Landon, composers Herb Alpert, Bill Conti, Jimmy Haskell, Fred Karlin and Bruce Broughton, Milton became a living legend among those who make their business the world of entertainment. With Roger Corman’s lifetime achievement Academy Award, Milton was also able to see his longtime friend and client receive the recognition he earned with over 400 films over the length of his career. Indeed, Milton has left a significant mark, bringing fame and fortune to his friends and clients in the spotlight.

Today, as the leading book marketer in the United States today, Milton has represented such luminaries as J.A. Jance, Jeffrey Belle, James Halperin, Stanley Alpert and countless other bestselling names and titles,  including a World Almanac Book of Records. Indeed, the New York Times bestseller list frequently reads like a personal contacts directory belonging to Mr. Kahn, with his storied career and many entertainment and publishing contacts.

As a sports book marketer, Milton has also parlayed his interest in basketball, football, hockey and more into extreme success for his celebrity clients. Over the years, he has represented George Brett, Tony Dorsett, Bart Starr, Eric Dickerson, Gordie Howe and many others in lucrative book marketing projects that led to bestsellers and lasting success for all.

Most recently, Milton turned down a 5 year, 10 million dollar offer from a national corporation interested in expanding his services, so as to remain a book publicist in Santa Barbara. Despite his exposure to powerful celebrities, Milton above all values his quaint small town, Santa Barbara lifestyle and the important personalized service he is able to provide his stable of successful authors. Call him today for a free consultation on your unique project! Large or small, you’ll get a sense of what both needs to be done-and how Milton Kahn can provide the  marketing skills necessary to make it happen. Affordable and effective, you’ll understand why Milton has earned his reputation as the nation’s premier book publicity expert.