Edward L. Masry | |
|---|---|
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Edward Louis Masry July 29, 1932 Paterson, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Died |
December 5, 2005 (aged 73) Thousand Oaks, California |
| Spouse |
Jacqueline Wilson Joette Levinson |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
| Alma mater |
Loyola Law School J.D. 1960 |
Edward Louis Masry (July 29, 1932 – December 5, 2005) was an American lawyer, a partner in the law firm of Masry & Vititoe and also a mayor and city councilman for the City of Thousand Oaks, California.[1][2] With the help of his legal assistant Erin Brockovich, Masry built a case against the Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) of California in 1993. Their successful lawsuit was the subject of the Oscar-winning film, Erin Brockovich (2000), starring Julia Roberts as Brockovich and Albert Finney as Masry.
Early life[]
Masry was born in Paterson, New Jersey, to Syrian immigrant parents who ran a silk apparel business.[1] He moved west to Southern California with his family when he was age eight, settling first in Venice and later in Van Nuys.[2]
Education[]
As an undergraduate, Masry attended L.A. Valley Junior College, UC Santa Barbara, UCLA, and USC, and served with the U.S. Army in France[2] from 1952 to 1954 during the Korean War, attaining the rank of corporal.[3] Although he never received a Bachelor's degree, Loyola Law School in Los Angeles accepted him on an exemption due to high placement test scores, and he graduated with a Juris Doctor degree in 1960. Thereafter, he was admitted to the State Bar of California, and set up private practice in 1961.
Career[]
Masry's law firm was instrumental in bringing about the multi-plaintiff direct action suit against Pacific Gas & Electric Company, alleging contamination of drinking water with hexavalent chromium in the Southern California town of Hinkley. The case was settled in 1996 for $333 million, the largest settlement ever paid in a direct-action lawsuit in American history.[4]
The case was adapted for the successful 2000 film Erin Brockovich, with Albert Finney portraying Masry. He had a non-speaking cameo appearance in the film as a restaurant patron sitting behind Julia Roberts, as did Erin Brockovich, who played a waitress.
Personal life[]
Masry died at age 73 at Los Robles Hospital in Thousand Oaks, due to complications related to diabetes.[2] He had resigned from the City Council of Thousand Oaks one week earlier because of his medical condition.
Filmography[]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Erin Brockovich | Diner behind Erin | Uncredited |
| 2001 | American Justice | Uncredited |
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Martin, Douglas (December 8, 2005). "Edward L. Masry, 73, pugnacious lawyer, dies". https://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/08/national/08masry.html.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Oliver, Myrna (December 7, 2005). "Ed Masry, 73; Attorney won major settlement from PG&E, sat on Thousand Oaks council". https://articles.latimes.com/2005/dec/07/local/me-masry7.
- ↑ IN MEMORY OF EDWARD L. MASRY - HON. BRAD SHERMAN of California in the House of Representatives; Tuesday, February 14, 2006 United States Government Publishing Office. Retrieved September 6, 2021.
- ↑ Pierson, David; So, Hemmy (February 4, 2006). "PG&E will pay residents who sued over groundwater pollution". https://articles.latimes.com/2006/feb/04/local/me-erin4.
External links[]
- Ed Masry at the Internet Movie Database
- Edward L. Masry at Find a Grave
The original article can be found at Edward L. Masry and the edit history here.