70-year-old keeps busy promoting local talent

Linda Lange may be 70, but she's not ready to retire , because she's having way too much fun.

Doing what, you ask?

She operates her self-named talent agency.

Her first job as a typist was followed by a number of different positions -- waitress, secretary, DJ , sales associate in various industries and managing an advertising firm.

"I've had so many jobs, I'm probably in the book of Guinness World Records, " she said.

At one point, the workaholic sold radio time by day, had a country radio show on weekends, hosted a '50s night at a restaurant two nights a week and took phone orders at a pizza place the other five nights.

Work, for her, she said, has always been fun. It has always been about being in the right place at the right time, too.

"I've never had to apply for a job," she said.

When she was 40, she met a famous Hollywood producer who introduced her to the owner of an up-and-c oming talent agency. She was offered a job, and the agency expanded to become the third-largest talent agency in Los Angeles . After only two years, Lange was promoted to an agent and was made the director of the commercial department, where she represented celebrities for product endorsements.

"Back then, actors only did commercials that aired in Japan," she said.

The owner of Seagram's called her and asked if Bruce Willis would endorse his product.

"I said, 'He won't do commercials,' " she said. "He said, ' You go ask him if he'll do it for $6 million.' "

Bruce Willis began doing commercials.

She also got Roseanne Barr a deal with Pizza Hut and Hervé "zee plane, zee plane" Villechaize of "Fantasy Island" fame a contract with Budget Rent-A-Car. Other celebrities she worked with included Cindy Crawford, Mel Torme and Sarah Vaughan.

Lange has the memorabilia to back up her memories, such as a treasured autographed picture of former astronaut Neil Armstrong, which hangs in her Summerlin home.

At one point, she was living in Hawaii when she met the producer of a movie that was in development. Three weeks later, she received a surprise package from Castle Rock Films.

It seems they wanted her to do the casting for the Hawaii portion. The movie was "Honeymoon in Vegas," with Nicolas Cage, James Caan and Sarah Jessica Parker.

Most recently, she opened Lange Talent Agency, building off the success she had as a branch manager for a major agency in Southern California. She books the "talent" -- an industry term meaning actor, model or spokesperson -- for local commercials and TV promotions. Her clients have appeared in Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority clips and promoted car dealerships, as well as the opening of The Venetian and the commercials now running for Tivoli Village.

"She's fantastic to work with," said Sam Seegars , production manager for Letizia Mass Media. "She's jumped through all kinds of hoops for me."

Laura Olson-Reyes, director of corporate communications for Bally Technologies, also has worked with Lange.

"Linda Lange and her team have an uncanny ability to understand the product that we want and match the best talent (with that) to ensure a positive outcome," she said.

Lange has written a book of her life, "It is What it is," available at amazon.com.

Contact Summerlin and Summerlin South View reporter Jan Hogan at jhogan@viewnews.com or 387-2949.