Tony Habeeb Jr.; Publicist

Tony Habeeb Jr., a longtime publicist who served three terms as president of the Publicists Guild of America, has died at his Van Nuys home. He was 63.

Habeeb died Sunday of an apparent heart attack, said his daughter, Denise Cannistra.

Born in San Francisco, Habeeb worked as an assistant television editor at the Chronicle in San Francisco and served two years as a U.S. Army information specialist before beginning his publicity career in 1956 at CBS Television City in Los Angeles.

He worked in the publicity departments for numerous entertainment firms, including Fries Entertainment, Warner Bros. Television, Irwin Allen Productions, Paramount Television and Columbia Pictures Television. Habeeb, who was semi-retired, also headed projects at Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corp. and Universal Pictures, Cannistra said.

Habeeb, who wrote for such television shows as “Johnny Ringo” and “Rawhide” in the late 1950s and 1960s, received the Publicists Guild’s Bob Yeager Award in 1979 and its highest honor, the Les Mason Award, in 1988. He was also a trustee of the Leukemia Society of America.

He is survived by his wife of nine years, Susan Habeeb of Van Nuys; son Tony Habeeb III of North Hollywood; daughters Elaina Habeeb of Agoura and Denise Cannistra of Port Richey, Fla.; mother Victoria Habeeb of San Francisco; brothers Victor Habeeb and Bob Habeeb, both of San Francisco; sister Fareeda Christ of San Francisco; and two grandsons.

A funeral service is planned for 7 p.m. tonight at St. Nicholas Orthodox Church, 2300 W. 3rd St. in Los Angeles. A graveside service is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday at Valhalla Memorial Park, 10621 Victory Blvd. in North Hollywood. Pierce Brothers Valhalla Mortuary in North Hollywood is handling the arrangements.

Donations may be made in Habeeb’s name to the Leukemia Society of America.