Harold Friedman

December 4, 1924 - July 23, 2025 Harold Friedman was born on December 4th, 1924, in Ridgewood, New Jersey, and died on July 23, 2025, in Santa Monica, California at the age of 100. He lived through the Great Depression, fought and earned a Purple Heart in World War II, graduated from Harvard University and Yale Law School, and worked as a lawyer at Mitchell Silberberg and Knupp in Los Angeles for over 60 years.
He survived Covid at the age of 95 and continued going into his office until a week before his death. As a member of "The Greatest Generation", he was lauded for is resilience, patriotism, sense of responsibility, and willingness to make sacrifices for people and causes in which he believed.
Hal loved his life, and to paraphrase the poet Dylan Thomas "He did not go gently into that good night."
But he often said, "No one gets out of this world alive." If ever there were an exception, it would have been Hal Friedman.
A LIFE FORGED BY HISTORY
His parents were immigrants from Russia and Poland. Hal's father Jack "JJ" Friedman was a tailor who opened a dry cleaner and furrier called "Bon-Ton" in Ridgewood, NJ, where Hal and his younger brother Leslie worked after school throughout their youth. His father hoped that Harold would eventually take over the family business, but Hal had other ideas.
He initially intended to apply to New Jersey State Teacher's College, but his high school Latin teacher recognized his intellectual curiosity and suggested he apply to a place called Harvard College, a school unknown to Hal. He applied and was accepted to the class of 1942.
However, his schooling was interrupted when he was drafted as a private in Company C of the 21st Armored Infantry Battalion of the 11th Armored Division of the Third US Army, where he fought and was seriously injured during the Battle of the Bulge. After a three-month recuperation, he rejoined his troops and on May 5, 1945, reached the Mauthausen Concentration Camp where his unit helped secure the liberation of its prisoners.
In 2024, at the age of 100, Hal was presented with the French Legion of Honor Medal for his contributions during World War II.
CHAMPION OF THE ARTS AND ADVOCACY
Returning home, Hal graduated from Harvard cum laude in 1948 and earned his J.D. from Yale Law School in 1951-both made possible by the G.I. Bill he had earned in service.
After clerking for Albert Lee Stephens, Sr., in the US Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, Hal joined the law firm Mitchell, Silberberg and Knupp, where he became a partner and had a distinguished career representing actors, directors, producers, and writers in the motion picture and television industry. Among his clients were Paul Newman, Howard Hughes, Norman Lloyd, Dino de Laurentis, A.C. Lyles, Arthur Hiller, Sam Peckinpah, Mahindra & Mahindra and Toho-Tow Pictures.
He also represented lenders and borrowers in the financing of independent motion pictures and was active in the practice of private international law, representing domestic real estate developers and aerospace companies.
He maintained clients and friendships all over the world, and when those clients and friends died, he maintained relationships with their children and grandchildren. He was the ultimate correspondent, connector, and communicator.
In 1968, he married Marjorie J. Lawson (1929-2015) during halftime of the Nebraska-Oklahoma football game (Marjorie was a Husker). They had two daughters: Andrea Fay Friedman and Katherine Friedman Holland.
His oldest daughter Andrea was born with Down Syndrome. At the time of her birth, it was common practice to institutionalize people with intellectual disabilities. Hal and Marj rejected this advice and went on to become pioneers in the field of advocacy for neurodiverse people.
Their daughter Andrea graduated high school, attended community college, drove a car, and became one of the first actresses with Down Syndrome to gain worldwide recognition as an actress, a speaker, and an advocate for people with intellectual and physical challenges. She had a recurring role on the ABC drama "Life Goes On" with Chris Burke and went on to guest star in numerous television and movie roles. Andrea died from Alzheimer's in December 2023.
Hal and Marj were among several parents and educators who founded the Pathway Program at UCLA Extension, a two-year college program for students who identify as neurodiverse, offering a blend of educational, social, and vocational experiences.
THE MAN BEHIND THE 3 PIECE SUIT
Hal was rarely seen without his three-piece suit. His "workout" outfit consisted of a button-down shirt and khakis. He began working out at the age of 80 after a heart attack and was still riding his exercise bike at 100.
He had no hobbies; he said work and family were the only hobbies he needed. The one place he was able to stop working and briefly relax was Kailua, Hawaii, where he would vacation with his family almost every summer.
He did become a sports fan at the age of 80. Under the influence of his son-in-law, Grant he incorporated UNC basketball ties into his wardrobe (Go Heels!) and attended many L.A. Dodger games with his grandsons Lawson and Andrew.
Hal was adamant that if he was going to take up space on this planet, he was going to be useful and productive. He loved his work, loved interacting with clients and friends, and most of all, loved to be of service. He was a devoted husband, father and grandfather, a mentor, a loyal friend, a trusted advisor, a sharp wit, a confidante, a hero, a fierce opponent, a rock, a voice of reason and shelter in a storm.
He had many mottos, and he lived by all of them. They included:
- "Deeds not words."
- "Do unto others what you would have them do unto you, (not necessarily what they do unto you)."
- "There is no such thing as a 'boilerplate' contract!"
- "Children are expensive, grandchildren are priceless."
- "It's never as good as it seems and it's never as bad as it seems."
And his all-time favorite:
- "It's better to be lucky than smart."
Anyone who knew Hal understood he was both-and those fortunate enough to know him were the luckiest of all.
He is survived by his daughter Katherine (Kay) Friedman Holland, son-in-law Grant Holland, grandsons Lawson and Andrew Holland, his son-in-law's mother Susan Holland, nieces Joan Kreiger, Cathy Kahmi, and Amy Fisherman, nieces Linda and Sue Lawson, and nephew Rick Lawson.
If you would like to donate in Hal's memory, please consider the UCLA Pathway Program. http://giving.ucla.edu/HalFriedman