Father: Oliver C Safir
Mother: Ida Panish
NEW YORK — Leonard Safir, a veteran radio and television producer who was a public relations executive, died Sunday at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan. He was 71 and lived on the Upper East Side. Safir died of lung cancer, said his younger brother, columnist William Safire.
In recent years, Safir had become known as a quotations anthologist, collaborating on four books with Safire. The first book, "Good Advice," was published by Times Books in 1982. The following were published by Simon & Schuster: "Words of Wisdom - More Good Advice" in 1989, "Leadership" in 1990 and "Good Advice for Writers" in November.
A native of New York, Safir began his career as a feature writer and columnist for The Daily Mirror in New York in 1941. After serving as a first lieutenant in the Army in the Philippines during World War II, he became the producer of the "Tex and Jinx" radio program at NBC.
In 1948, he joined Young & Rubicam as editor of "We, the People," the first network radio program to be televised.
In 1952, he became the first associate producer of the early morning "Today" program at NBC-TV, where he originated many of television's first live remote telecasts. He was credited with discovering one of the early strengths of "Today" — chimpanzee, J. Fred Muggs.
Safir also worked on the original planning of the "Tonight" show. He became associate producer for NBC-TV's Creative Projects division, where he developed "1, 2, 3 — Go!" a prime-time adventure program for children, which was nominated for an Emmy award in 1961.
Safir graduated from the University of California at Los Angeles with a bachelor of arts degree.
He is survived by an older brother, Marshall P. Safir, William Safire, and four nephews and a niece.
Published by N.Y. Times News Service
Mother: Ida Panish
NEW YORK — Leonard Safir, a veteran radio and television producer who was a public relations executive, died Sunday at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan. He was 71 and lived on the Upper East Side. Safir died of lung cancer, said his younger brother, columnist William Safire.
In recent years, Safir had become known as a quotations anthologist, collaborating on four books with Safire. The first book, "Good Advice," was published by Times Books in 1982. The following were published by Simon & Schuster: "Words of Wisdom - More Good Advice" in 1989, "Leadership" in 1990 and "Good Advice for Writers" in November.
A native of New York, Safir began his career as a feature writer and columnist for The Daily Mirror in New York in 1941. After serving as a first lieutenant in the Army in the Philippines during World War II, he became the producer of the "Tex and Jinx" radio program at NBC.
In 1948, he joined Young & Rubicam as editor of "We, the People," the first network radio program to be televised.
In 1952, he became the first associate producer of the early morning "Today" program at NBC-TV, where he originated many of television's first live remote telecasts. He was credited with discovering one of the early strengths of "Today" — chimpanzee, J. Fred Muggs.
Safir also worked on the original planning of the "Tonight" show. He became associate producer for NBC-TV's Creative Projects division, where he developed "1, 2, 3 — Go!" a prime-time adventure program for children, which was nominated for an Emmy award in 1961.
Safir graduated from the University of California at Los Angeles with a bachelor of arts degree.
He is survived by an older brother, Marshall P. Safir, William Safire, and four nephews and a niece.
Published by N.Y. Times News Service
Father: Oliver C Safir
Mother: Ida Panish
NEW YORK — Leonard Safir, a veteran radio and television producer who was a public relations executive, died Sunday at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan. He was 71 and lived on the Upper East Side. Safir died of lung cancer, said his younger brother, columnist William Safire.
In recent years, Safir had become known as a quotations anthologist, collaborating on four books with Safire. The first book, "Good Advice," was published by Times Books in 1982. The following were published by Simon & Schuster: "Words of Wisdom - More Good Advice" in 1989, "Leadership" in 1990 and "Good Advice for Writers" in November.
A native of New York, Safir began his career as a feature writer and columnist for The Daily Mirror in New York in 1941. After serving as a first lieutenant in the Army in the Philippines during World War II, he became the producer of the "Tex and Jinx" radio program at NBC.
In 1948, he joined Young & Rubicam as editor of "We, the People," the first network radio program to be televised.
In 1952, he became the first associate producer of the early morning "Today" program at NBC-TV, where he originated many of television's first live remote telecasts. He was credited with discovering one of the early strengths of "Today" — chimpanzee, J. Fred Muggs.
Safir also worked on the original planning of the "Tonight" show. He became associate producer for NBC-TV's Creative Projects division, where he developed "1, 2, 3 — Go!" a prime-time adventure program for children, which was nominated for an Emmy award in 1961.
Safir graduated from the University of California at Los Angeles with a bachelor of arts degree.
He is survived by an older brother, Marshall P. Safir, William Safire, and four nephews and a niece.
Published by N.Y. Times News Service
Mother: Ida Panish
NEW YORK — Leonard Safir, a veteran radio and television producer who was a public relations executive, died Sunday at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan. He was 71 and lived on the Upper East Side. Safir died of lung cancer, said his younger brother, columnist William Safire.
In recent years, Safir had become known as a quotations anthologist, collaborating on four books with Safire. The first book, "Good Advice," was published by Times Books in 1982. The following were published by Simon & Schuster: "Words of Wisdom - More Good Advice" in 1989, "Leadership" in 1990 and "Good Advice for Writers" in November.
A native of New York, Safir began his career as a feature writer and columnist for The Daily Mirror in New York in 1941. After serving as a first lieutenant in the Army in the Philippines during World War II, he became the producer of the "Tex and Jinx" radio program at NBC.
In 1948, he joined Young & Rubicam as editor of "We, the People," the first network radio program to be televised.
In 1952, he became the first associate producer of the early morning "Today" program at NBC-TV, where he originated many of television's first live remote telecasts. He was credited with discovering one of the early strengths of "Today" — chimpanzee, J. Fred Muggs.
Safir also worked on the original planning of the "Tonight" show. He became associate producer for NBC-TV's Creative Projects division, where he developed "1, 2, 3 — Go!" a prime-time adventure program for children, which was nominated for an Emmy award in 1961.
Safir graduated from the University of California at Los Angeles with a bachelor of arts degree.
He is survived by an older brother, Marshall P. Safir, William Safire, and four nephews and a niece.
Published by N.Y. Times News Service
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