Bernie Brillstein

LOS ANGELES—Bernie Brillstein, a longtime Hollywood talent agent, manager, producer and studio head who helped guide the careers of “Saturday Night Live” comedians and package a slew of TV and movie hits, died Thursday. He was 77.

Brillstein died of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at a Los Angeles hospital, according to Brillstein Entertainment Partners, a company he helped found.

Starting in the mailroom of the William Morris agency in 1956, Brillstein moved up to become a Hollywood power broker famous for putting together deals, often with talent he represented and himself as executive producer.

Brillstein helped guide the careers of John Belushi and Muppets creator Jim Henson. He also helped bring “Saturday Night Live” and “The Sopranos” to television.

Among the shows he helped bring to TV were the long-running variety show “Hee Haw” and “Alf.” He was executive producer on the hit movie “Ghostbusters.”

Orville Moody

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla.—Orville Moody, a U.S. Army veteran who won the 1969 U.S. Open for his only PGA Tour title, died Friday. He was 74.

The PGA Tour said Moody, a part Choctaw Indian from Chickasha, Okla., died in Texas. The tour did not give a cause of death.

Called “Sarge” because of his 14 years in the service, Moody was the last player to win the U.S. Open after going through local and sectional qualifying. He shot a 72 in the final round at Champions Golf Club in Houston for a one-shot victory over Deane Beman, Al Geiberger and Bob Rosburg.

Moody was a five-time runner-up on the PGA Tour and won tournaments in Hong Kong, Morocco and Australia.

A long putter helped revive his career when he joined the 50-and-over Senior PGA Tour in 1984, and his 11 victories included the 1989 U.S. Senior Open.

Moody made the last of his 513 Champions Tour starts in the 2003 Constellation Energy Classic.