Veteran Communications Exec Frank Mankiewicz has Died

Frank Mankiewicz has died. He was 90-years old. The longtime Washington communications pro served Robert F. Kennedy as his press secretary during his 1968 presidential campaign, and was the figure who announced RFK’s assassination.

Mankiewicz became a columnist and journalist, and was noted for his opposition to the Nixon Administration. Afterwards, he became president of NPR. During that time he sought to expand the network’s domain, and launched Morning Edition.

Mankiewicz became an agency executive afterwards, building the public relations practice at Gray & Co. After being acquired by Hill & Knowlton, Mankiewicz became vice chair of the agency.

According to The Washington Post, Mackiewicz once joked, “I know everyone in Washington, and half of them owe me something. The other half I owe.”

Mankiewicz was also a veteran, and fought in The Battle of the Bulge. He is survived by his wife and novelist Patricia O’Brien, and his sons Josh Mankiewicz, a “Dateline NBC,” correspondent, and Ben Mankiewicz, a Turner Classic Movies host.