Don “Superagent” Buchwald, 88, passed away peacefully surrounded by his immediate family in the Berkshires home he loved so much.
Don was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., the youngest of five siblings, to Solomon and Nellie Buchwald. So proud was he of his Brooklyn roots he named his home “Bensonhurst” after his neighborhood. He was a graduate of the theater program at Brooklyn College, an institution he continued to support by serving on its board. The stage on which he first performed is now part of the college’s Don Buchwald Theater.
Don served in the United States Army in Korea and Japan, before returning to finish his education.
In 1977, Don launched Don Buchwald & Associates, a New York City-based talent agency that originally focused on theater and broadcast. It has since grown into a bi-coastal stalwart in the industry, rebranded as BUCHWALD, with over 130 employees and representation across every platform of entertainment and media.
It was Don’s longtime friend and client Howard Stern who referred to him as “Superagent,” a nickname that has stuck with him throughout his career.
Don was a generous philanthropist who supported the arts, education, and a variety of other causes. In the Berkshires, he and his wife Maggie were proud supporters of the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, where they enjoyed many wonderful performances. He was an ardent sports fan with a soft spot for the underdog, an enthusiastic singer who eschewed the trappings of conventional tune and key, and a fabulous storyteller. In recent years, he took to writing poetry, which he loved to share with friends and visitors. He enjoyed travel, particularly to the home in Paris where he and Maggie hosted friends and family and loved dining out. He adored throwing parties, from intimate dinners to huge Fourth of July blowouts replete with fireworks and, one year, a cowboy on horseback. He was a fierce defender of Democracy who almost always listened to opposing views with an open mind. He collected art, fedoras, neckties, and friends—everywhere he went, from all walks of life. He loved the many dogs who joined the family. Of everything he did and everything he accomplished, he was most proud of his family.
Don is survived by his wife Maggie, to whom he was fiercely devoted for 59 years; his daughters, Julia, president of BUCHWALD’s West Coast office, and Laura, a novelist; his grandchildren, Sebastian and Scarlett Gatta; his son-in-law Bryan Smith; his dog Banksy; many adored nieces and nephews; his sisters-in-law, Virginia Buchwald, Marian Michel, and Barbara Haldeman; his brother-in-law Ed Haldeman; and countless colleagues and friends. Most notably among these, he is survived by his best friend of nearly 70 years, the Honorable Charles J. Thomas, or, as Don called him, “Judgy.” Don’s legacy will endure, and he will be greatly missed by all who had the pleasure of his company. To know him was to love him.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to the Brooklyn College Foundation. To send remembrances to his family, please visit the website of Finnerty & Stevens Funeral Home.
