Howard Stern‘s longtime agent Don Buchwald passed away on Monday at age 88.
Buchwald, who got the nickname ‘Superagent’ from the shock jock, died of natural causes at his home back east in the Berkshires of Massachusetts, his eponymous agency announced on Tuesday.
The Brooklyn native started Don Buchwald & Associates in 1977 with a core group of five agents and expanded to Los Angeles in 1992. The firm, now known as Buchwald, employs 130 staff members who specialize in various sectors of entertainment and media.
‘My father was the epitome of the self-made man and he built his brilliant legacy with grace and generosity,’ his daughter Laura shared on social media, per Deadline.
‘He was generous to a fault, he loved our mom, his wife of nearly 60 years, the way we all deserve to be loved, he was philanthropic, he believed in Democracy, and wanted nothing more than for those he cared about to understand their value and ability to contribute to the greater good.’
Howard Stern ‘s longtime agent Don Buchwald passed away on Monday at age 88; (seen in 2008)
Buchwald, who got the nickname ‘Superagent’ from the shock jock, died of natural causes at his home back east in the Berkshires of Massachusetts , his eponymous agency announced on Tuesday; (seen in 2015)
Don and his beloved wife Maggie also shared daughter Julia Buchwald, president of Buchwald’s West Coast offices.
‘I promised my father that the incredible agency he built from the ground up 47 years ago will not only continue to flourish but will evolve as we forge our path ahead,’ Julia said in a social media statement.
‘I, along with my devoted teammates, intend to keep this promise and make Don proud.’
Buchwald, serving as Stern’s agent, manager, and publicist, negotiated a landmark deal in 2015 with Sirius XM satellite radio for his renowned client, worth an estimated $90 million per year.
‘We sat down in his office and we talked for an hour,’ Stern said of his first meeting with Buchwald to The New York Times in 2018. ‘He turned to me and said, “You know, your career could be as big as Johnny Carson’s.”‘
‘I thought this guy might be a little bit nuts. But he believed in me from the very beginning, more than I believed in myself.’
Born in May 1936 to a history teacher mom and curtain salesman father, Don would study theater at Brooklyn College after serving in the U.S. Army.
‘When it came time to choose a field of study, I was just 17 and not equipped to settle into my life’s work. So, instead, I joined the U.S. Army and traveled to Korea and Japan,’ Buchwald told Brooklyn College Magazine.
Buchwald, serving as Stern’s agent, manager, and publicist, negotiated a landmark deal in 2015 with Sirius XM satellite radio for his renowned client, worth an estimated $90 million per year; (pictured 2015)
Buchwald also served as agent to Stern’s sidekick, Robin Quiver; (pictured in 2010)
Buchwald other clients have included Kathleen Turner, Ralph Macchio and Ali MacGraw. (pictured with Dr. Judy Kuriansky (C) and friend in 1996)
The switch from stage to management came after he ‘impressed another Brooklyn College pal who had a small talent agency and who thought my collection of experiences meshed nicely together.’
Buchwald added, ‘He couldn’t afford to pay me a salary, but convinced me to try my hand at being a talent agent. He gave me a desk, a phone, and some guidance. I was a talent agent!
‘Neither job paid a guaranteed wage but I could earn money through sales success.’
Buchwald also served as agent to Stern’s sidekick, Robin Quivers. Other clients have included Kathleen Turner, Ralph Macchio and Ali MacGraw.