Master fundraiser featured in FLIC documentary

How does one go about raising over $35 million for good causes? Part of it is personality. Part is knowing who to call for help. And a big part is knowing how to have fun.

“David Mirisch, The Man Behind the Golden Stars,” a documentary premiering Saturday at the Flathead Lake International Cinemafest in Polson, tells the story of David Mirisch, an all-time hero in the celebrity fundraising world of Hollywood. Mirisch relocated to western Montana a few years ago.

As a nephew of the legendary Mirisch brothers of Mirisch Film Co. that produced many major motion picture hits such as “West Side Story,” “Fiddler on the Roof,” “The Pink Panther” and “In the Heat of the Night,” David Mirisch spent his whole life around Hollywood celebrities. As a press agent, he managed public relations for the careers of over 500 celebrities, from The Supremes to Omar Sharif, and is credited with “discovering” Farrah Fawcett.

Along the way, he became known for knowing people. Dubbed “The man with the golden Rolodex,” he maintains a list of some 6,000 personalities and sports stars from Hollywood and elsewhere whom he can call and ask to lend their time and names to help raise funds for charities in star-studded fundraising events. He specializes in creatively mixing celebrities with event attendees, as teammates, speakers, entertainers, or even just as show-offs, such as a body-builder helping hype an auction item.

As one member of the celebrated L.A. Rams cheerleaders says in the film, “We knew if David Mirisch was going to be involved, it was going to be above board, it was going to be fabulous, and that we were really lucky.”

Mirisch provides organizations and corporations with instructions on how to produce an event of any size, from start to finish, and often serves on nonprofit boards helping organizations build their fundraising programs.

Mirisch now lives in Montana to be closer to his kids and grandkids.

“This movie is a legacy for my family to remember me by,” he said.

He offers his extensive fundraising know-how free of charge — and his Rolodex for causes in his adopted state.

“The Man Behind the Golden Stars” will be screened at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan 30, as part of the FLIC at Showboat Stadium 6 in Polson. Mirisch will be on hand for an audience Q&A session after the screening.