Jules Glazer; Managed Campaign Finances

Jules Glazer, a well-known accountant who began his career handling finances for such celebrities as Abbott and Costello and went on to manage campaign finances for Democratic political candidates for 40 years, has died. He was 77.

The personal accountant of Gov. Gray Davis, Glazer died Oct. 7 in Palm Desert of complications from cancer, said his son-in-law Doug Lyon.

The native New Yorker, who served in the Army during World War II, will be buried in private graveside services Friday at Veterans Cemetery in Riverside.

Glazer was a short man but earned the nickname “Big Julie” for his big heart, Lyon said. Glazer was also tagged the “gift giver” for his financial support of environmental organizations and his myriad individual presents to staff and volunteers.

After earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting and business management at New York University, Glazer set up shop in Hollywood and began handling tax returns and other finances for motion picture personalities. Two of his major clients were the comedy team Bud Abbott and Lou Costello.

An avid Democrat, Glazer quickly segued to political accounting and developed a lifelong reputation for his integrity in that arena.

He was national treasurer for the presidential campaigns of President Jimmy Carter and presidential contender Jesse Jackson, and handled regional finances for other presidential candidates, including John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy.

In California, Glazer was statewide treasurer for Govs. Pat Brown and his son Jerry Brown during their gubernatorial campaigns, and regional accountant for several other gubernatorial candidates.

Glazer also handled campaign finances for local Democrats, including Los Angeles County Supervisor Ed Edelman and the late Sheriff Sherman Block and Mayor Tom Bradley, and several candidates for City Council and the Board of Supervisors.

William McNally, a longtime friend and colleague of the accountant, said Glazer took particular pride in resolving all charges of financial impropriety made against Bradley during his five terms in office, without one penalty.

Glazer was a consultant to the California Fair Political Practices Commission, helping to design election reporting forms used by candidates and supporters of initiative propositions. Glazer also acted as a consultant in designing federal election reporting forms after the creation of the Federal Election Commission.

“He was a sweet man in a sticky business. Completely ethical and funny. He’ll be hard to replace,” said McNally, for whom Glazer managed the finances of several nonprofit community organizations.

Early in his accounting career, Glazer served 60 days in jail in 1954 after pleading guilty to failure to file his personal income tax forms for 1950 and 1951.

Glazer is survived by his second wife, Joanne, of Palm Desert; two children from his marriage to Lillian Rosenblum, Michael Glazer of Malibu and Deborah Glazer Lyon of Agoura Hills, and five grandchildren.

Lyon said a public memorial is being planned for Nov. 7 in Los Angeles.

The family has asked that memorial donations be made to the Living Desert in Palm Desert, the major focus of Glazer’s charitable efforts in recent years.