Ben Irwin; Publicist and Playwright

Ben Irwin, a well-known Hollywood publicist and writer whose clients included the late David Niven and Nat King Cole, has died at the age of 79.

Irwin died in his sleep Wednesday at St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, where he was being treated for a long-term heart condition.

A native of Brooklyn who was brought up in New Haven, Conn., Irwin worked with the American Red Cross in the East during World War II and was a reporter for the New Haven Register.

Moving west, he was a founding partner of Cleary, Strauss & Irwin Public Relations, which later merged with McFadden & Eddy to become McFadden, Strauss & Irwin.

Before his retirement in 1974 because of heart problems, Irwin had represented such stars as Niven, Cole, Rod Steiger, Nancy Wilson, Shelley Winters, Karl Malden, Julie Andrews, Neil Diamond, Herb Alpert, Fred MacMurray and the late Inger Stevens.

Irwin established and until recently taught a UCLA Extension class in entertainment public relations. A recovered alcoholic, he worked extensively with Alcoholics Anonymous and the National Council on Alcoholism and was a columnist for Sober Times magazine.

The Publicists’ Guild of America presented him its Special Award of Merit because of his charitable and educational efforts.

Irwin was also a playwright and screenwriter and a frequent contributor to Los Angeles Times feature sections.

At the time of his death, he had just completed a play based on the lives of the Barrymore family of actors and was developing it for Broadway and film.

Many of his plays had been optioned for Broadway, including “The Commentator,” which won a national competition.

Irwin is survived by his wife, Peggy, his son, David, and two grandchildren.

He will be buried at sea, with private services to follow at the family home in Studio City.

Memorial donations may be made to the Los Angeles chapter of the National Council on Alcoholism.