Tom Illius, who represented Bill Cosby, Tony Orlando, Debbie Reynolds, Jerry Lewis, Jim Nabors, Mickey Gilley, Englebert Humperdinck, Della Resse, Charo and the Nederlander Organization for the state of Nevada in almost 40 years as a William Morris agent, died Sept. 7 in Los Angeles. He was 83.
Illius joined WMA in 1971 in Chicago, then moved to New York two years later to head the record department. He came to the Beverly Hills office in 1975 and in 1980 became a vp specializing in nightclub productions such as Moulin Rouge (its Reno and Vegas editions).
He guided Nederlander’s entrance into legitimate theater in Reno with such productions as Hello, Dolly! with Carol Channing in 1976, The Music Man, My Fair Lady, Annie Get Your Gun, Annie and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.
A native of Cleveland, Illius became a personal manager and owner of a recording studio, with such clients as the Poni-Tails (“Born Too Late”) and other musicians. He co-managed comedian Frank Fontaine (The Jackie Gleason Show) and then worked for Ashley Famous Agency in New York as an agent.
Services will be held at 10 a.m. on Sept. 23 at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Beverly Hills.
