Somewhere, Robert Pietranton is smiling and spinning his favorite tune, Bruce Springsteen's "Walk Like a Man" from the "Tunnel of Love" album. The beloved and well-respected communications exec, who just celebrated his birthday on Nov. 10, died Wednesday in Los Angeles. Pietranton was 56.

The news stunned and saddened the tight-knit Hollywood publicity and journalism communities, particularly the TV execs, publicists and reporters who worked closely with Pietranton during his stints at Warner Bros. TV, Sony Pictures TV and DreamWorks. The cause of his death has not yet been disclosed, but Warner Bros. TV said a celebration of his life will be held at a later date.

Pietranton, known for a wide variety of nicknames (this reporter liked to call him "Bobby P"), most recently worked at Warner

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