Milton Sylvan Carney

CARNEY – Milton Sylvan. 94. Born March 12, 1929, died January 23, 2024. Loving husband, proud father, delighted grandfather and the most loyal of friends. He is survived by; son Alexander D and his wife Cathy Ann Gray-Carney; son Jared Matthew and his wife Deirdre Ellin Wallace with children Allegra Orly and Carmen Avra. A unique man, who impacted the lives of many, and left his mark on the world. His beloved wife of 65 years, Joan Barbara (Lightdale), predeceased him in 2020.

Milton was born in Nashville, TN to Abraham and Faye Carney (Newman). Growing up he was a theatrical, musical and intellectual talent. While attending Vanderbilt University (A.B.) his performances at the Neighborhood Playhouse gained local accolades. While at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Fine Arts Milton met Joan. They fell in love while performing in New York theatre and spending time in the Hamptons. He had a promising early career in the theatre; credits include the original production of Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge, the cast of Shaw’s St. Joan, as well as working for legendary producer Robert Whitehead. Some of his early reviews were quite favorable.

However, Milton chose to enter the exciting new field of Broadcasting, starting out at the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) as an entry-level page. Almost 30 years later he would retire from ABC as a Senior Vice President. Along the way he changed the way Television networks did business - producing the most polished and exciting live events and meetings that amazed executives, performers, advertisers, critics and viewers. They were too numerous to recount, but of special note were 16 years of off-air events at the Olympic games; Board of Governors meetings that helped make ABC the leader at affiliate relations and ABC’s 25th Anniversary Gala. Milton was one of the creators of an in-house talent agency at ABC and also wrote and implemented the company’s first travel policy.

His work took him far and wide: American Airlines recognized him with one of its first awards for flying more in one year than any other passenger. For decades he was seen as a leading “voice of the customer” to the hospitality industry, participating in the design of the then groundbreaking Los Angeles Century Plaza Hotel, receiving the Public Relations Society of America’s lifetime achievement honor and lecturing at the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University and Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne.

After retiring from ABC, Milton was fortunate to enjoy a long second act as a character actor (and model) in independent film and theatre. This included performances at The Actors Theatre of Louisville, centrally featured in an IBM print campaign, appearing in filmmaker Eugene Jarecki’s short Season of the Lifterbees and being a cast member for the entire Broadway run of the Tony award-winning revival of J.B. Priestley’s An Inspector Calls.

Well known for his highly literate wit and often ribald sense of humor, he was generous and available to help friends in need. Milton mentored, guided, and positively contributed to the lives of countless younger people he met professionally and personally. Raised in an observant home, his evolving attitude towards organized religion never took away from the pride, comfort and joy he took from Jewish rituals, customs and holidays. Music was always a part of his life. Languages came very easily to him – at his peak he spoke five fluently and more with proficiency. A keen “putterer”, his idea of perfect happiness was “fixing” things on hot summer days. He and Joan’s homes in New Suffolk, South Jamesport and Mattituck on Long Island’s North Fork were famous for their fun-drenched, convivial gatherings large and small.

New York City was his adopted home, country life held its charm for some time, the aloha spirit of the Hawaiian Islands kept him coming back and the golden State of California was where he ended his life. Before brain disease closed in, he got to be a part of his adored granddaughters lives. No one who knew him will forget his legacy of warmth, success, care and humanity.