Sandy Wernick, Manager for Adam Sandler, Dies at 86

Mar 5, 2026 8:34pm PT Sandy Wernick, Longtime Manager for Adam Sandler and Brillstein Entertainment Partner, Dies at 86 By Pat Saperstein Plus Icon Pat Saperstein Deputy Editor @Variety_PatS Latest Slava Tsukerman, Director of Cult Indie Hit ‘Liquid Sky,’ Dies at 85 1 day ago ‘Evil Dead’ Actor Bruce Campbell Says He Has Cancer That’s ‘Treatable’ but Not ‘Curable’: But ‘I’m a Tough Old Son of a Bitch’ 3 days ago CNN’s Jake Tapper Breaks News of Paramount Buying Network’s Parent Company WBD Live on Air: ‘It Affects Everybody I’m Looking at Right Now in the Studio’ 1 week ago See All FilmMagic Sanford “Sandy” Wernick, the longtime talent manager of clients including Adam Sandler who became partner and senior executive VP at Brillstein Entertainment Partners, died Thursday in Rancho Mirage, Calif. He was 86. Wernick signed Sandler as a client when Sandler was just 22 years old, before he appeared on “Saturday Night Live,” and his Netflix movie “Sandy Wexler” paid homage to Wernick’s reputation as a master dealmaker. Related Stories Call the Doctor: As Hollywood Gigs Dry Up, Actors Are Playing Fake Patients in Real Hospitals At Brillstein, Wernick was involved in personal management, TV and motion picture packaging and producing. He started in the business out as an agent, working his way from the MCA mailroom to VP of the TV division at ICM. Popular on Variety In addition to co-creating and executive producing “Def Comedy Jam,” he was integral to packaging and producing shows including “Saturday Night Live.” “The Muppet Show,” “The Sopranos,” “Politically Incorrect,” “Just Shoot Me,” “NewsRadio,” Alf,” “The Larry Sanders Show,” “Rules of Engagement,” “The Goldbergs,” “The Jim Gaffigan Show” and “Buffalo Bill.” He served as executive producer on feature films including “Happy Gilmore,” “Billy Madison,” “The Wedding Singer” and “Bulletproof.” Wernick also made cameo appearances as an actor in several motion pictures and TV shows. His clients as a manager and agent included actors, writers, producers, directors and designers such as Sandler, Tim Herlihy, John Davies, Akira (Leo) Yoshimura, Lorne Michaels, Ray Klausen, Don Mischer, Stan Lathan, Jeff Ross, Marilyn Wilson, Marty Pasetta, Victor Levin, Buz Kohan, Colin Quinn, Rob Schneider, Norm Crosby, Peter Falk and Alexandra Pelosi. Wernick also served as an Adjunct Professor at the USC School of Cinematic Arts’ Peter Stark Producing Program and as a volunteer in the Cedars Sinai Emergency Room. Born in the Bronx, he graduated NYU and served in the Army from 1960-1962. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Barbara, daughter Michele, son Barry and daughter-in-law Jillian, grandson Sammy, sister Joyce and brother-in-law Jules. Private services in Palm Desert will be followed by a memorial in Los Angeles at a later date. Jump to Comments Imax Charts Asia Pacific Growth Strategy, Targets Expansion Across India, Japan, Australia and Southeast Asia: ‘The Appetite Is Really Global’ (EXCLUSIVE) Box Office 2026 Predictions: Will ‘The Odyssey,’ ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ and a New ‘Star Wars’ Finally Propel Grosses Above $9 Billion? Everything We Know About Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ Donna Langley on BAFTA Fellowship, Why ‘The Odyssey’ Was ‘Not a Difficult Yes,’ Shooting The Next ‘Fast & Furious’ in L.A. and Future ‘Wicked’ Plans (EXCLUSIVE) Anne Hathaway Was ‘Fully in Character’ on ‘The Odyssey Set,’ Even When the Camera ‘Wouldn’t See Her for Three Days’: ‘You Never Stop Working’ Matt Damon ‘Lost a Lot of Weight’ for ‘The Odyssey’ and Cut Down to 167 Pounds: ‘I Haven’t Been That Light Since High School’ JavaScript is required to load the comments. Loading comments...