Ronni Chasen’s estate was worth millions of dollars

The sum comes from personal property worth $4.7 million, income from personal property worth $500,000 and real-estate holdings valued at $900,000, according to the documents.

In the will, Chasen left her “playbill collection and other memorabilia relating to the motion picture business” to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, provided that any exhibition of the items is accompanied by a noticed saying they are “from the collection of Ronni Chasen.”

Chasen also gave a lot to charity, leaving $20,000 to Hole in the Wall Gang Fund, Inc., $10,000 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation International, $5,000 to Women’s Cancer Research Foundation, $5,000 to the American Film Institute, $2,500 to the Gilda Radner Cancer Program and $5,000 to the Simon Wiesenthal Center. Small amounts of money go to Big Sister Volunteers of Los Angeles, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.  

The Hollywood publicist left three-quarters of her estate to her mother, but she has since died. Considering the circumstances, Chasen chose to give a large sum of money to a niece, Melissa Cohen, and to charities. 

The will also includes another relative of Chasen’s, namely a niece, Jill Gatsby, who is to receive $10.

“I have intentionally and with full knowledge of the consequences omitted to provide for my niece, Jill Cohen, also known as Jill Gatsby, except for the gift of $10,” the will states.

According to TMZ, another will was prepared for Chasen in 2006, but it has not been located yet. Chasen’s brother, Lawrence Cohen, who is applying to be the special administrator, says he believes the will may be in a safe deposit box.