Mickey Cottrell, Veteran Indie Film Publicist and Actor, Dies at 79

Cottrell worked with directors like Gus Van Sant, Andrew Haigh and Phillip Noyce

NEW YORK - APRIL 30: Director Ian McCrudden (L) and actor Mickey Cottrell attend the director's brunch held during the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival on April 30, 2007 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for Tribeca Film Festival)
Mickey Cottrell, at right, with director Ian McCrudden in 2007 (Getty Images)

Mickey Cottrell, veteran publicist for independent filmmakers like Andrew Haigh and Phillip Noyce, died Monday at the age of 79. His death was confirmed by friend and former LACMA film curator Ian Burnie. The publicist passed away at the Motion Picture Hospital in Woodland Hills.

Cottrell initially started working publicity at Landmark Theaters, then transitioned to Josh Baran & Associates before launching Cottrell and Lindeman Associates in 1989. In 2002 he started his own firm Mickey Cottrell Film Publicty and then Inclusive PR in 2004.

Cottrell worked with several high profile independent filmmakers from Andrew Haigh, Phillip Noyce and Wim Wenders on “Wings of Desire.” He worked extensively, though, with Gus Van Sant, working with him on publicity for three of his films, “Drugstore Cowboy,” “My Own Private Idaho” and “Even Cowgirls Get the Blues.”

He handled publicity for several other features including “The Quiet American,” the documentary “I Am Divine,” and Carl Franklin’s “One False Move.” He most recently handled the publicity for the 2010 Angelina Jolie feature “Salt” as well as the Old Hollywood documentary, “Tab Hunter Confidential.”

Outside of that, Cottrell dabbled in producing, which included the 1992 Linda Fiorentino film “Chain of Desire” and the Paul Bartel-directed film “Shelf Life” from 1993.

Cottrell also dabbled in acting, appearing in “My Own Private Idaho,” “Drugstore Cowboy,” Tim Burton’s “Ed Wood,” “Volcano” and both “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and “Star Trek: Voyager.”

Cottrell was born Sept. 4, 1994, in Little Rock, Arkansas, where he attended Catholic High School and then the University of Arkansas. His love of film started early, with him working at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis before he started managing the Loyola Theatre.

Cottrell is survived by sisters Gigi and Suzy Cottrell, his nephew Jeremy Allen and great-nephew Gregory Allen. 

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