Law Practice
Aug. 17, 2002
Negotiator Helped Bring Olympics to L.A.
LOS ANGELES - John C. Argue, founding partner of Argue Pearson Harbison & Myers and a key player in bringing the Olympic games to Los Angeles in 1984, has died.
Argue died Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena Aug. 10, seven months after he was diagnosed with leukemia. He was 70.
Argue began his legal career in 1956 when he practiced for a few years with his father at the firm of Argue & Argue. He later went to Flint & McKay, where he handled the estate of William Randolph Hearst, legendary newspaper and magazine publisher, for many years.
Argue founded the Argue Pearson firm in 1972 with Don Pearson, Steve Harbison and Louis Myers.
Argue had a general business practice, specializing in negotiating and contracts.
"He had a tremendous sense of what was important to the other side as well as to his client," Pearson said.
The biggest negotiation of his career was the contract between the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee and the International Olympic Committee, according to Pearson and Harbison.
"Every competition was important to him, maybe none more than his involvement with the Olympics," Harbison said.
Other than his fierce negotiating, Argue loved golf and backgammon and even played backgammon by mail, according to Harbison.
He also was involved in many organizations throughout Los Angeles, including the American Heart Association in Los Angeles, the Chancery Club and the California Club.
"He's the only person I knew that would schedule two or three breakfast meetings in the same day," Pearson said.
Born Jan. 25, 1932, in Glendale, Argue always held the city of Los Angeles important to him.
"He was an advocate of Los Angeles," Pearson said. "When someone would complain about the smog or the riots, he would say something like, 'But think of all the great things we have here - the people, the beaches.'"
Argue also sat on the board of trustees of USC, his law school alma mater, beginning in 1984. He was serving a five-year term as chairman of the board at the time of his death.
"He worked hard and tirelessly to promote Los Angeles and all the good things about it," said his wife of 39 years, Liz Argue.
In addition to his wife, of La Cañada-Flintridge, he is survived by a daughter, Elizabeth "Betsy" Argue Pollon of San Luis Obispo; a son, John Argue of Manhattan Beach; and four grandchildren.
The family plans to hold a private celebration of his life.
Stefanie Knapp
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