Benign and trusted agent who represented writers and directors in film, television and publishing
Jenne Casarotto, who has died aged 77 after a short illness, created in Casarotto Ramsay what Hollywood likes to call a boutique agency. But any business that deals both with the estate of Tennessee Williams and with the films of Steve McQueen clearly exercises a benign cultural reach beyond that of many more self-important addresses. Who else could be effortlessly skilled at doing the best for a playwright such as Caryl Churchill and for a movie director such as Stephen Frears?
Jenne was always dedicated to the interests of her clients with a self-effacement that was quiet, calm and authoritative. It was amazing how completely she could give you her attention, given the number of others queueing at the switchboard. All her clients – Oscar winners or Oscar dodgers – were worthy of her time, regardless of fortune. For them she was supportive and cheerful, always ready to smooth the bumps of show business.
