Mervyn Lee Adelson (1929 - 2015)

Born 23 Oct 1929 in Los Angeles, California, USA

Died 8 Sep 2015 at age 85 in Los Angeles, California, USA

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Summer Seely [send private message]

Biography

American real estate developer and television producer who co-founded Lorimar Television.

Adelson was born to a Jewish family in Los Angeles on October 23, 1929 to Nathan and Pearl Adelson (née Swartz). His parents were the children of Russian immigrants who had settled in Nebraska. He worked in a grocery store run by his family as a child.

In the 1950s Adelson established himself in Las Vegas where he first met Irwin Molasky and Moe Dalitz. The trio were responsible for building the Las Vegas Country Club as well as what became Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center. Molasky and Adelson later opened Omni La Costa Resort and Spa in 1965. Adelson soon left the real estate industry and co-founded Lorimar Television with Molasky and Lee Rich in 1969.

Adelson was married and subsequently divorced four times. His first wife was Lori Kaufman with whom he had a daughter and two sons: Ellen Adelson Ross, Andrew Adelson, and Gary Adelson.

His second wife was Gail Kenaston, adopted daughter of silent film star Billie Dove.

His third wife was the television journalist Barbara Walters to whom he was married from 1981 until 1984. They remarried in 1986 and divorced for the second time in 1992. They met on a blind date.

His fourth wife was Thea Nesis with whom he had adopted two daughters, Lexi and Ava Nesis. All his marriages ended in divorce.

Adelson died in Los Angeles on September 8, 2015 from cancer, aged 85.

Sources

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merv_Adelson

• http://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-merv-adelson-20150911-story.html

• Memorial: Find a Grave (has image)
  Find A Grave: Memorial #166250173 (accessed 31 December 2022)
  Memorial page for Mervyn Lee Adelson Famous memorial (23 Oct 1929-8 Sep 2015), citing Hillside Memorial Park, Culver City, Los Angeles County, California, USA (plot: Valley of Remembrance, Block 6, Plot 72, Grave 2); Maintained by Find a Grave.