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Fritz Friedman: A True Class Act

26 Jun, 2014 By: Stephanie Prange

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This month’s news that longtime Sony Pictures publicist Fritz Friedman would be leaving the company at the end of the summer called to mind how many times I have depended on Fritz’s unerring class and expertise in this industry.

One of my first contacts when I joined the magazine 20 years ago, Fritz helped me navigate the changing home entertainment landscape with sage advice, praise, and polite, constructive criticism — always delivered with the utmost poise. While publicists and journalists don’t always see eye to eye, I could always count on Fritz to treat me with respect and kindness, both personally and professionally.

During his 34-year career at the studio (which spans most of this 35-year-old magazine’s existence — and indeed the home entertainment industry’s), Fritz has been a welcome fixture as the business changed. Whenever I attended an industry event, I looked for his familiar presence. He was always dapperly dressed and often had a gleeful smile on his face; it was apparent he loved this industry and the people in it. Whether at the yearly VSDA show (since transformed into the Los Angeles Entertainment Summit), the annual Wine & Wisdom event, the Hall of Fame, San Diego Comic-Con International or any of the many expertly choreographed Sony events, I relished catching up with Fritz and getting his take on the happenings in the industry.

I’ve often referred to the home entertainment industry as a small town in which everyone knows each other very well. Expanding on that metaphor, I would say that Fritz is one of our honorary mayors. The students at the University of Southern California, where he is a lecturer, couldn’t ask for a better guide to publicity and Hollywood. I can attest that he is a great teacher. His instruction has been invaluable in my career as an entertainment journalist.

If the home entertainment industry were to have a town meeting, I’m sure we would bestow upon him some sort of honorarium or medal.  Thank you Fritz. You are a true class act.

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