Former Houstonian Jack Valenti Dies at 85

Jack Valenti, the long-time head of the Motion Picture Association of America and Houston native passed away today at his home in Washington. He was 85 and still suffering the effects of a stroke he had in March.

Valenti was born in Houston to Sicilian immigrants in 1921, growing up on the still unpaved streets of the 1st Ward. He traced his love of movies to a string of jobs working in downtown Houston movie theaters. After a stint in the Army Air Corps during World War II flying combat missions in a B-25 attack bomber, he returned to Houston working at Humble Oil during the day and attended the University of Houston at night. He would later attend Harvard Business School on the GI Bill.

Jack Valenti (standing, right) staffing the student paper at UH back when views on smoking were say, just a little more relaxed.

Valenti's career rose to prominence along with a Texas Senator named LBJ, who hired Valenti's advertising agency to run campaigns including the 1960 Presidential ticket's campaign in Texas. On Nov. 22, 1963, Valenti was in the motorcade following President Kennedy. He wouldn't learn exactly what happened until they arrived at the hospital. Throughout the Johnson Presidency Valenti would be a close friend and confidant.

Valenti appears bottom left as Johnson is sworn in aboard Air Force One.

He left the Johnson administration to lead the MPAA. He would hold the role for 38 years, introducing the memorable G, PG, R, & NC-17 movie ratings system as a way to stave off government regulation. He was a controversial figure in Hollywood, revered as an icon of the industry once referred to by Robin Williams as "the man you never heard of, but you have to listen to anyway" but criticized by some for his support of such legislation as the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Valenti is survived by his wife and three children.

Obituaries: Houston Chronicle, LA Times, NY Times, Washington Post.