Patricia Newcomb

Margot Patricia Newcomb Wigan (July 9, 1930) is an American producer and publicist, most notably for actress Marilyn Monroe.

Patricia Newcomb
Born
Margot Patricia Newcomb

(1930-07-09) July 9, 1930
Washington D. C., U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Education
Occupation
  • Producer
  • publicist
Spouse(s)
​
​
(m. 1982; died 2010)​
RelativesCarman A. Newcomb (grandfather)

Early life

Margot Patricia "Pat" Newcomb was born on July 9, 1930 in Washington D.C. She grew up in Chevy Chase, Maryland. Her mother, Lillian Levie (1906–2000) was a social worker and married Carman A. Newcomb Jr. (1898–1978) in 1929,[1] who was the son of U.S. House Representative Carman A. Newcomb and an American lawyer. He represented coal companies owned by George Skakel, father of Ethel Kennedy. Due to his work, the family moved to California in 1946, where Patricia attended the Immaculate Heart High School. In 1952, she graduated in psychology at the Mills College in Oakland.[1] Patricia has a sister named Hope Adrian.

Career

Newcomb was introduced to Robert Kennedy, while working for his later press secretary, Pierre Salinger, as a researcher. She later worked for the public relations agency of Arthur P. Jacobs, becoming the publicist of Marilyn Monroe in 1960 and remaining in this position until Monroe's death in 1962.[1]

In the next years, Newcomb continued to work in Hollywood, representing Barbra Streisand and Natalie Wood, among other celebrities, and working for film productions, such as Hello, Dolly! (starring Streisand) and Ordinary People. She was an information specialist in the United States Information Agency and a consultant to the Justice Department, after helping in the senatorial campaign of Robert Kennedy in 1964.[1] Newcomb was also Kennedy's campaign manager in the 1968 presidential election, working for him until his assassination.[1] In 1970, Newcomb campaigned for democrat Eunice Kennedy. A year prior, she founded the Pickwick Public Relations agency with Pat Kingsley and Lois Weber Smith. In 1985, Newcomb was named vice-president of the motion picture production at MGM.[1]

Marilyn Monroe

Newcomb became the publicist of Monroe in 1956, during the filming of Bus Stop. She was later replaced, but rehired in 1960, after Monroe's publicist Rupert Allan moved to Monaco to represent Grace Kelly. Newcomb accompanied Monroe to many events, including to the Madison Square Garden on May 19, 1962, where she performed "Happy Birthday, Mr. President". Newcomb bought Monroe her dog Maf and remained her publicist until Monroe's death on August 4, 1962.[2] The night before, Newcomb had slept at her residence at 12305 Fifth Helena Drive, before waking up around noon and having an argument with Monroe at the pool.

At 4:30 p.m., Monroe's psychiatrist Ralph Greenson joined them to conduct therapy on Monroe, demanding Newcomb to leave.[3][4] Though it is uncertain, at what time she learned of her client’s death, she arrived at the scene the next morning, shouting "Keep shooting, vultures!" toward the press. Following this outburst, she was fired by her boss, Arthur P. Jacobs, and attended Monroe's funeral on August 8.[5]

Throughout the years, Newcomb's work for the Kennedys and silence on Monroe's death have led to conspiracy theories regarding her involvement, outlined in biographies such as Did Pat Newcomb kill Marilyn Monroe? She has given rare statements to several writers, but has mostly rejected commenting on her former client. Newcomb remains one of the last people alive, who were closely linked to Monroe.

Personal life

On June 28, 1982, Newcomb married film producer Gareth Wigan, who died in 2010.[1][6] They had no children together.

References
  1. Vitacco-Robles, Gary (2014-11-11). Icon: The Life, Times and Films of Marilyn Monroe Volume 2 1956 TO 1962 & Beyond. BearManor Media.
  2. Spoto, Donald (2001). Marilyn Monroe: The Biography. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-0-8154-1183-3.
  3. Spoto, Donald (2001). Marilyn Monroe : the biography. Internet Archive. New York : Cooper Square Press ; [Lanham, MD] : Distributed by National Book Network. ISBN 978-0-8154-1183-3.
  4. Banner, Lois W. (2013). Marilyn : the passion and the paradox. Internet Archive. ISBN 978-1-4088-3133-5.
  5. "Marilyn Monroe's Housekeeper, Publicist Fled U.S. After Her Death". Us Weekly. 2019-10-16. Retrieved 2020-09-06.
  6. Barnes, Brooks (2010-02-18). "Gareth Wigan, Who Urged Hollywood Abroad, Dies at 78". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-09-06.
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