Intellectual Property Group Co-Founder Was 68 – The Hollywood Reporter

Veteran literary manager Jerry Kalajian, who co-founded the Intellectual Property Group, has died. He was 68.

Kalajian died after battling cancer on Sept. 9 in San Diego.

His death was announced by the Intellectual Property Group, where Kalajian was a partner.

“His partners, everyone at Intellectual Property Group, and his life-long, dearest friends Cynthia Campos-Greenberg, Michael Moore, Cathleen Gallagher-Joachim, Spyros Skouras, Julia Kole, Ilene Feldman, Helene Tobias, Gaelyn Nichols-Marvin and so many others love Jerry so very much and will miss him terribly every day,” the literary management company said in a statement on Wednesday.

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Born in Detroit, Kalajian moved to Los Angeles in 1974, where he worked as a waiter before earning his first position at the Diamond Talent Agency with Abby Greshler.

He then became a talent agent at Herb Tobias & Associates and APA/Agency for the Performing Arts. That was followed by Kalajian launching a partnership and a new literary agency, Becsey, Wisdom, Kalajian.

Kalajian, Larry Becsey and Joel Gotler then launched Intellectual Property Group, and worked together for 20 years under that banner, along with partners Leslie Conliffe and Brian Lipson.

As a literary agent, Kalajian represented top Hollywood producers, directors, writers and screenwriters, and was a frequent attendee at key literary events like the London Book Fair, and major film festivals.

“He was ever a smart and sage advisor, a joyful and relentless champion of literary voices, and a dear and true friend. His unpretentious and unbelievable wit, dedication, generosity, spirit, integrity and tenacity have had a lasting impact on the industry, his clients, his colleagues and his friends,” the IPG said in its statement.

In lieu of flowers, the IPG requests that donations be sent to Scripps Health Foundation In Support Of Scripps MD Anderson Prebys Cancer Center.