Divorce lawyer to the stars Marvin Mitchelson dies

AFP, September, 2004

LOS ANGELES (AFP) — Famed Hollywood divorce lawyer Marvin Mitchelson, who invented the concept of "palimony" payments for jilted lovers of stars, has died at the age of 76, his publicist said.

The colourful Mitchelson, who fought cases involving famous clients such as Joan Collins, Robert DeNiro, Bob Dylan and Hugh Hefner, pioneered palimony in a suit brought against late movie star Lee Marvin by his ex-lover.

The lawyer, who was famed for his jet-set lifestyle and a client list that read like a who's who of Hollywood, died on Saturday in a Los Angeles hospice of complications from cancer.

"He'd been sick with cancer for a few months," said his longtime friend and publicist Sy Presten.

"He's been failing for several weeks. It was a matter of time,...