Helen Kushnick

Helen Kushnick (August 18, 1945 – August 28, 1996), born Helen Gorman in New York, was the agent of comedians Jimmie Walker, Elayne Boosler and Jay Leno for much of her early career. Leno had been performing stand-up comedy in a variety of venues when she found him, and afterwards, Kushnick was with him all the way to his role hosting The Tonight Show.

Her strong-arm tactics in her role as executive producer of the show created a great deal of conflict with NBC.For example, she reportedly banned stars from appearing on the program if they appeared on any other talk show. These practices led to her dismissal only four months into her tenure in that position.

The 1996 HBO TV movie The Late Shift (based on Bill Carter'sNew York Times bestselling book of the same title) uncovered the network politics that occurred prior to the retirement of Johnny Carson from The Tonight Show on NBC. The film starred Kathy Bates as Kushnick, who received an Emmy Award nomination for her role, and won a Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award. Kushnick sued over her portrayal, and settled out of court for an undisclosed sum.

Kushnick's three-year-old son, Samuel, died in 1983 of AIDS due to an infected blood transfusion.

Helen was a founding AmfAR with Elizabeth Taylor, and testified before Congress about changing blood supply rules.Former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop dedicated a book to the memory of Samuel Kushnick.

Kushnick's husband, Jerrold, died of cancer in 1989.

Helen Kushnick died of breast cancer in Los Angeles, California on August 28, 1996, aged 51.