LOS ANGELES (AP) — Hollywood talent agent Monique James, whose company helped make stars of Robert Redford, Warren Beatty, Sharon Gless and others, died Jan. 18 of cancer. She was 74.
James joined the casting department of CBS in 1948 as a receptionist who couldn't type, and a year later left with her boss to form their own company. Casting Consultants specialized in performers for the fledgling television medium and had clients including Grace Kelly and Leslie Nielsen.
The company became successful so fast that Lew Wasserman, head of the MCA studio, quickly bought it out and hired James and partner Eleanor Kilgallen to work for him, James in Hollywood and Kilgallen in New York.