Wernick, a partner and senior executive VP at Brillstein Entertainment Partners, died on March 5 in Rancho Mirage, California, following a brief illness, per Deadline. He was 86.
Wernick began his career as a manager in the 1970s, with a client list that included Tim Herlihy, SNL mastermind Lorne Michaels, and Jeff Ross. He co-created and executive-produced Def Comedy Jam and also helped package and produce hit shows like Saturday Night Live, The Muppet Show, The Sopranos, Alf, and The Goldbergs.
As Sandler’s manager, Wernick also executive-produced the movies Billy Madison, Happy Gilmore, Bulletproof, and The Wedding Singer.
In 2017, Sandler played a character inspired by Wernick in the Netflix film Sandy Wexler. The movie follows a talent manager in 1994 Los Angeles who tries to make a star out of a gifted young singer named Courtney (Jennifer Hudson). Wernick also made a cameo in the film.
Wernick was born in the Bronx on March 22, 1939. After graduating from NYU, he served in the Army from 1960 to 1962.
Before becoming a manager in the 1970s, he started as an agent, working his way from the MCA mailroom to vice president of ICM’s TV division. Later, he became a partner and senior executive VP at Brillstein Entertainment Partners.
He later became an adjunct professor at the USC School of Cinematic Arts and volunteered in the Cedars-Sinai emergency room.
Wernick is survived by his wife of 64 years, Barbara; his daughter, Michele; his son, Barry, and daughter-in-law, Jillian; his grandson, Sammy; his sister, Joyce, and brother-in-law, Jules; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.