Patricia Newcomb

Margot Patricia "Pat" Newcomb Wigan (born July 9, 1930) is an American publicist and producer. After working for Pierre Salinger, she was hired by the agency of Arthur P. Jacobs and briefly represented Marilyn Monroe in 1956. In 1960, she became Monroe's permanent publicist until her death. She later worked for Barbra Streisand and Natalie Wood. She also worked for the United States Information Agency and assisted Robert F. Kennedy in his political campaigns. In 1969, she founded the Pickwick Public Relations Agency and became vice president of motion picture production at MGM in 1985. She was married to producer Gareth Wigan, who died in 2010.

Early life Margot Patricia "Pat" Newcomb was born on July 9, 1930, in Washington, D.C. She grew up in Chevy Chase, Maryland. Her mother, Lillian Levie (1906–2000) was a social worker and married Carman A. Newcomb Jr. (1898–1978) in 1929, who was the son of U.S. House Representative Carman A. Newcomb and an American lawyer. He represented coal companies owned by George Skakel, father of Ethel Kennedy. Due to his work, the family moved to California in 1946, where Patricia attended the Immaculate Heart High School. In 1952, she graduated in psychology at the Mills College in Oakland. The night before, Newcomb had slept at Monroe’s residence at 12305 Fifth Helena Drive, before waking up around noon and having an argument with Monroe near the pool.

At 4:30 p.m., Monroe's psychiatrist Ralph Greenson joined them to conduct therapy on Monroe, demanding that Newcomb leave. Though it is uncertain at what time Newcomb learned of her client’s death, she arrived at 12305 Fifth Helena Drive early the next morning. She shouted, "Keep shooting, vultures!" toward photographers who, aware of the death, stood behind the gate that blocked them from Monroe’s driveway. Following this outburst, she was fired by her boss, Arthur P. Jacobs, and attended Monroe's funeral on August 8.

Throughout the years, Newcomb's work for the Kennedys and silence on Monroe's death have led to conspiracy theories regarding her involvement in a possible murder scenario, outlined in Monroe biographies such as Did Pat Newcomb kill Marilyn Monroe? She has given rare statements to several writers, but has mostly declined to comment on her former client. Newcomb remains one of the last people alive who were closely linked to Monroe.

Personal life On June 28, 1982, Newcomb married film producer Gareth Wigan, who died in 2010. They had no children together.