He graduated from Fairfax High School and enrolled at USC. He dropped out of Stanford Law School in 1958 and decided on a career in journalism.
A story he wrote about Bob Hope for United Press International led to a job offer from Hope's publicist. But he was soon hired away by publicist Jim Mahoney.
Wasserman was assigned to help with major accounts, including Frank Sinatra, Andy Williams, the Beach Boys and the Beatles' record label, Apple Records.
He did his job so well that in the late '60s, Mahoney made him a financial partner and renamed the company Mahoney/Wasserman Public Relations. In the late '80s, Wasserman headed up a new entertainment publicity division for the advertising agency D'Arcy, Masius, Benton & Bowles and launched his own company, the Wasserman Group, in the early '90s.
When he died, Wasserman, who also had had problems with cocaine, had been sober for more than 20 years and was "an incredible advocate for AA and a sponsor for others," said Myers, who worked for Wasserman in the late '70s.
"He was," she said, "a great mentor."
A graveside service will be held at 2 p.m. Nov. 28 at Mt. Sinai Memorial Park, 5950 Forest Lawn Drive, Los Angeles.
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dennis.mclellan@latimes.com
