The following was written by Playboy's editorial director, Chris Napolitano. I worked with Michelle for nearly seven years. It's with a heavy heart that I pass along some bad news for all at Playboy.
On Sunday we lost a legendary member of our family when Michelle Urry, Playboy's longtime cartoon editor, died after a lengthy bout with cancer.
The news comes as something as a shock. Michelle was an intensely private person, and kept her health issues to herself for many years. During that time, she performed her job with grace and aplomb, and was a wonderful ambassador for Playboy to the outside world. She was instrumental in pulling together book deals — most recently negotiating contracts with Steerforth Press, resulting in the publication of Sexual Pensees by Bruce Friedman (of which she was the editor) and others (an earlier title, 50 Years of Cartoons was a great success, financially and PR-wise).
During her 30-plus years with the company, she rose through the ranks from her start as an assistant to Hef to a position as the vice president of the licensing department in the 1970s.
Her place in the world of cartoons was unmatched; working closely with Hef, she regularly brought the best out in such preeminent artists as Jules Feiffer, Gahan Wilson, Buck Brown, Arnold Roth and B. Kliban, whom she discovered. Each month her work was enjoyed by millions, and she will be missed and mourned by many.
She is survived by her son Caleb and husband Alan Trustman. The family is planning a small private memorial service next Tuesday. Details on where to send condolences and remembrances will be forthcoming.
We will hold her in our hearts always, and honor her in the best way we can — by continuing to publish the best cartoons in the world, which I know will keep her spirit burning brightly.
ADDITIONAL PRESS FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES, THE NEW YORK TIMES AND THE FEBRUARY '07 ISSUE OF PLAYBOY, RESPECTIVELY. Click image to enlarge and read article:
PHOTOS FROM HOLIDAY 1998 CHRISTMAS PARTY @ PLAYBOY 730 CROWN BUILDING
Jules Feiffer & Michelle
With Art Spiegelman
With Gary McCoy
