Las Vegas video production company founder dies at 89

The founder of an award-winning Southern Nevada video production company has died.

Robert Levy, 89, operated Levy Production Group and Levy Online for several years after its founding 35 years ago. The company, now run by sons Mike and Barry Levy, has been a pioneering production and video advertising staple in Southern Nevada with its 14,000-square-foot off-Strip production facility with studios, voice-over booths and editing suites.

Levy is survived by his wife, Sheila Coleman Levy, his sons and other family members.

The family plans a private memorial for Levy, who died Friday. Palm Eastern Mortuary and Cemetery is handling arrangements.

Longtime political consultant and public relations professional Tom Letizia remembers Levy as a one-time competitor that became a life-long friend.

“We traveled the world together, probably made 20 or 30 media trips,” Letizia said. “We started off with competing ad agencies many years ago, but eventually we traveled with our wives and became great friends.”

Letizia said Levy was “shrewd, compassionate and fair,” and was one of the smartest businessmen he’d ever worked with.

He credited Levy as a leader in buying and airing back-to-back 15-second television spots, but dividing the 30 seconds of time with smaller advertisers.

“That concept of having a pool of advertisers to call upon gave a lot of businesses an opportunity to succeed because individually they couldn’t afford the air time,” he said. “Bob mastered the concept and excelled at it.”

Letizia said Levy’s sons took the production business to new heights.

“He was always in business and always successful,” he said. “I learned a lot from him and was lucky to have him as a friend. I’m sad to see him go. He was one in a million.”

Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on X, formerly known as Twitter.