Bio
Elliot Mintz is an American Media consultant.
In the 1960s and early 1970s Elliot was a radio DJ and TV host. In the 1980s he became a spokesperson for the John Lennon and Yoko Ono estate, and took on other musicians and actors as clients as a publicist, including Bob Dylan, Paris Hilton, and Diana Ross.
Early Life
Elliot was born on February 16, 1945, in the Bronx, New York City. In 1963, inspired in part by the film The Misfits, he made the move to California. He attended Los Angeles City College, where he immersed himself in the world of broadcasting, and fell in love with the art of the interview.
Elliot began his career at the local school radio station and later moved onto KMLA. During this time, he was fortunate to secure interviews with notable figures including Jack Lemmon and Jayne Mansfield.
His first nationally broadcast interview came after the assassination of John F. Kennedy. He discovered that a classmate, Roland Bynum, had known Lee Harvey Oswald while serving in the Marines. This groundbreaking interview was the first character and background piece on Oswald in the US, and attracted attention from both national and international media.
As a result of this exposure, Elliot was soon hired by KPFK radio, becoming the youngest talk show host in America at just 21 years old.
Radio & TV
From 1966 to 1968, Elliot hosted a listener-supported broadcast over KPFK in Los Angeles, CA. The show provided a platform for community conversation, and Elliot’s interviews with public figures.
Elliot’s interviews included those with Mort Sahl, Norman Mailer, Ray Bradbury, Alan Watts, Salvador Dalí, Jack Lemmon, John Wayne, Groucho Marx, Jack Nicholson, Allen Ginsberg, Jayne Mansfield, Raquel Welch, Karen Black, and musicians such as Donna Summer, John Coltrane, Stevie Wonder, Ringo Starr, Alice Cooper, Mick Jagger, as well as John Lennon and Yoko Ono.
Paradoxically, he has also appeared on episodes of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills along with The Simple Life with Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie.
Public Relations
At a pivotal moment in his career, Elliot decided to transition from broadcasting to public relations. He reached out to several public figures he had previously interviewed, sharing his understanding of media demands and their desire for effective representation. A handful expressed interest, marking the start of his successful second career in public relations.
Elliot’s first unofficial client was Bobby Sherman during the 1960s. He went on to consult for a diverse range of clients, including individuals, corporate clients, entrepreneurs, and public figures focusing on crisis management. His impressive client roster includes Bob Dylan, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Diana Ross, Melanie Griffith, Christie Brinkley, Janet Wayne Gretsky, Bijan (CEO of House of Bijan), Robert Earl (CEO of Planet Hollywood), and Marc Bell (former CEO of Penthouse Magazine).
In the 2000s, Elliot represented Paris Hilton and the Hilton Family, and appeared on her TV show The Simple Life. Elliot also made a guest appearance in the series Unfiltered with Paris Jackson.
John Lennon & Yoko Ono
In 1971, Elliot interviewed Yoko Ono on the radio, followed by an interview with John Lennon. This led to a close friendship, with late-night phone calls becoming a daily ritual.
Their first in-person meeting took place in Ojai, California, in 1972, and thus began a journey where Elliot became a confidant of the couple. He would visit the duo dozens of times at the fabled ‘Dakota’ and travel with them, including to Japan.
Elliot considered John Lennon his closest friend, until his assassination in 1980. Following this, Yoko Ono asked Elliot to become the official spokesperson for the Lennon estate.
Since then, Elliot has played a pivotal role in preserving John’s legacy. While cataloging Lennon’s belongings, he discovered hundreds of hours of unreleased recordings, including unfinished songs, early versions of famous hits, and idle thoughts. With Yoko’s blessing, Elliot launched a syndicated radio series, The Lost Lennon Tapes, which aired for four years and featured over 214 episodes. He later hosted a spinoff program, The Beatle Years, and appeared in several documentaries about Lennon and Ono, such as Imagine: John Lennon and The U.S. vs. John Lennon. In 1985, he served as a technical advisor for the television film John and Yoko: A Love Story.
Elliot’s friendship with Yoko continues today; last visiting Yoko to celebrate her 91st birthday in 2024. The same month, he signed an agreement with Penguin/Random House to write his first book, We All Shine On: John, Yoko, and Me, was published on October 22nd, 2024.
Elliot Throughout the Years
Today & Beyond
In February 2024, Elliot Mintz announced his collaboration with Penguin/Random House to write We All Shine On: John, Yoko, and Me, a book detailing his relationship with John Lennon and Yoko Ono. It is available internationally through TransWorld and is currently available for order on Amazon and other major outlets, along with an audiobook.
For ongoing updates, please visit the NEWS section of this website.
Today, Elliot continues to consult, focusing on philanthropic causes, and enjoys long walks on Southern California hiking trails. He cherishes time with close friends, meditation, reading, and visiting museums, reflecting on his past experiences and looking forward to new adventures.