Edward Davis; Prominent L.A. Neurologist, 61

Los Angeles neurologist Edward H. Davis, who treated dozens of entertainers and other prominent figures during nearly 30 years of practice, died of pneumonia at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Saturday, his family said. He was 61.

After the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy, Davis appeared in court to testify that Kennedy’s assassin, Sirhan B. Sirhan, was competent to stand trial. He diagnosed Kitty Dukakis’ spinal cord compression while she was campaigning in California last year for her husband, Democratic presidential nominee Michael S. Dukakis.

Stroke Research

Davis, former chief of clinical neurology at Cedars-Sinai, also did research on the connection between stroke victims’ ability to recover and how well they had coped with the normal difficulties of life before suffering their strokes.

Davis was undergoing chemotherapy treatments for lymphoma, when he caught pneumonia, his family said. He had survived two bouts with cancer already. In 1983 and 1985 he was treated for Hodgkin’s disease.

Slated for Honors

He was scheduled to be honored by the American Academy of Neurology for lifetime service at its national meeting next month. He served as chairman of the organization’s Committee on Practice.

Davis is survived by his wife, Ruth; three sons, Anthony of Los Angeles; Adam of New York City and Alexander of Victorville; two stepsons, Alexander and Ted Alben, both of Los Angeles; a sister, Ruth Bartfeld, of Bethesda, Md., and an aunt, Ceil Hammerling of New York City.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Leo Baeck Temple, 1300 N. Sepulveda Blvd. Burial will be private, the family said.