Jack Fiman; Former Advertising and Media Consulting Executive

Jack Fiman, formerly president of a Santa Monica-based advertising group and a top executive of the defunct Cannon Pictures Inc., has died at age 49.

Fiman, who moved to Atlanta after Cannon dissolved in 1994, died there Monday of a cerebral hemorrhage.

In 1975, Fiman became president of Martin & Benedict, a major media buying and advertising firm with such clients as MGM / UA, Warner Bros., Atlantic Releasing, Transworld Films and Lorimar. Fiman created and oversaw advertising and marketing campaigns for more than 150 feature films.

At the same time, he pursued other projects, including producing Jane Fonda workout videos and for 10 years working with the political consulting firm of Zimmerman, Galanty & Fiman. The firm designed media campaigns for Gary Hart’s presidential bid, state Sen. Tom Hayden’s run for the U.S. Senate, the winning campaigns of Chicago Mayor Harold Washington and New Mexico Gov. Tony Anaya and Proposition 103, California’s insurance initiative.

From 1979 on, Fiman’s advertising firm handled the commercials for Cannon Pictures. In 1990 he signed on as Cannon’s senior executive vice president and chief operating officer.

The company, known for B-action and science fiction films such as “The Borrower,” fired Fiman and other top executives when it slipped into bankruptcy in 1994.

In Atlanta, he owned a boutique called Veronica’s Attic.

A native of St. Louis, Fiman was educated at the University of Missouri. He began his career in Chicago as an account executive for ABC.

Survivors include his wife, Elizabeth Weller Fiman, and two daughters, Rennie and Casey.

Funeral services are scheduled today in Atlanta. The family has asked that any memorial contributions be sent to the Jack Fiman Memorial Fund at Paideia School, 1509 Ponce de Leon Ave., Atlanta, GA 30307.