Sanford ‘Sandy’ Wernick, the longtime manager of Adam Sandler, has passed away at age 86 following a brief illness. He died on Thursday in Rancho Mirage, surrounded by family and loved ones.
Funeral Arrangements
A private service will occur in Palm Desert, followed by a memorial celebration in Los Angeles to celebrate his legacy.
Connection to Adam Sandler
Wernick served as a key figure in Sandler’s career as a talent manager and partner at Brillstein Entertainment Partners. He acted as executive producer on several of Sandler’s blockbuster films, including Billy Madison (1995), Happy Gilmore (1996), Bulletproof (1996), and The Wedding Singer (1998).
Sandler drew inspiration from Wernick for his role in the 2017 Netflix comedy Sandy Wexler, portraying a 1990s Los Angeles talent manager who discovers a talented young singer played by Jennifer Hudson. Wernick appeared in a cameo in the film.
Notable Clients
Beyond Sandler, Wernick represented prominent talents such as Jeff Ross, Lorne Michaels, Rob Schneider, Tim Herlihy, and Colin Quinn.

