Charles Joffe, 78; talent manager
LOS ANGELES - Charles H. Joffe, a legendary manager of comic talent who helped guide the careers of Dick Cavett, Robin Williams, Billy Crystal, and Woody Allen and coproduced nearly all of Allen's films, died July 9 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles after a long illness. He was 78.
Mr. Joffe and his business partner, Jack Rollins, were considered the deans of comedy management and nurtured many young comics through their small New York City agency. According to Allen biographer Eric Lax, Rollins and Mr. Joffe were the first to bring Lenny Bruce to New York and helped develop the team of Mike Nichols and Elaine May.
They signed Allen when he was writing comedy sketches for others and nudged him into the spotlight to perform his own material, helping him find success as a stand-up comic before he broke into films.
It was Mr. Joffe who brokered Allen's first movie deal, to write and play a part in the 1965 box-office hit "What's New, Pussycat?" He began producing Allen's films in 1969 with "Take the Money and Run," the first movie Allen wrote and directed.
Mr. Joffe's prowess as a negotiator helped Allen gain total artistic control over his movies.
According to Lax, Williams called Mr. Joffe "the Beast," a nickname that paid tribute to Mr. Joffe's "ability to stand up to studio and network moneymen and make almost unbelievably lucrative deals for his clients."
"He was a fabulous deal maker. That was his real strength," said his wife, Carol.
In addition to his wife, he leaves two daughters, Suzanne and Nicole Holofcener; a son, Cory; his stepmother, Esther; and three grandchildren, all of Los Angeles. 