Paul Bloch, Rogers & Cowan Publicity Giant, Dies at 78

The company chairman represented stars such as Tom Cruise, Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis and Michael Keaton

Paul Bloch
Publicist Stan Rosenfield (left) with Paul Bloch at the 27th American Cinematheque Award honoring Jerry Bruckheimer in 2013. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Paul Bloch, one of Hollywood’s top publicists and chairman of Rogers & Cowan, died on Friday. He was 78.

Bloch represented clients such as Tom Cruise, Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, Michael Keaton and Eddie Murphy, among others.

He died Friday morning at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles after a long illness.

Bloch started at Rogers & Cowan in the 1960s and was known for putting out fires in Hollywood.

Cruise hired Bloch in 2005 after his sister, and fellow Scientologist Lee Anne DeVette, resigned following a string of odd public appearances that tarnished his reputation. The actor was being criticized for his ties to Scientology, he famously jumped around Oprah’s couch over excitement to then girlfriend Katie Holmes, and he sparred with with Matt Lauer during an interview on NBC’s “Today” show. Bloch repped Cruise until 2010.

“Paul was not one of the best. He was the best,” fellow publicist to the stars, Stan Rosenfield (pictured above left with Bloch), said in a statement to TheWrap. “To say he will be missed is like saying Everest is a mountain.”

Bloch was beloved in the industry and was known for his collection of sweaters.

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