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Betty Lee Hunt, 85, Publicist for Stars and Noted Shows, Dies

By Stephen Holden

October 17, 2005

Betty Lee Hunt, a longtime Broadway and nightclub publicist and producer, died on Tuesday at her home in Manhattan. She was 85.

The cause was non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, said her partner, Maria Pucci. Among the many shows Ms. Hunt publicized were the original Broadway productions of "Sweet Charity" and "Grease."

She was an associate producer of "Torch Song Trilogy," Harvey Fierstein's groundbreaking play, which won the 1983 Tony Award for best drama and Mr. Fierstein a Tony for best actor. She also co-produced the successful 1986 Off Broadway musical "Beehive."

Her extensive personal client roster at various times included Lena Horne, George Shearing, Marian McPartland and Bobby Short, with whom she worked for 35 years.

Born Betty Lee Hurewitz in Brooklyn, Ms. Hunt graduated from Erasmus Hall and began her career as an assistant to Dorothy Ross, a New York publicist for nightclubs like Spivy's Roof, Le Martinique and Le Ruban Bleu. In her early 20's she became publicity director for the Music Corporation of America, then worked for several other companies before forming Betty Lee Hunt Associates in 1950, which represented "House of Flowers" and "The Zoo Story," the first of four Edward Albee plays she publicized.

The business was renamed Hunt/Pucci Associates three years after Ms. Pucci joined the company. Among the many shows they represented were Beth Henley's "Crimes of the Heart," Marsha Norman's " 'Night, Mother," Michael Cristofer's "Shadow Box," John Pielmeier's "Agnes of God," "Liza Minnelli at the Winter Garden" and Peter Allen's "Up in One."

In addition to Ms. Pucci, Ms. Hunt is survived by a sister, Aileen, and a brother, Saul.