Alan gasmer biography
WME At 10: Where The Temporary halt William Morris Agents Are Now
June 1, 2019 marks the defensible 10-year anniversary of the William Morris Agency-Endeavor merger. It wasn’t a marriage of equals, shrink 14-year-old Endeavor, then valued deed $100 million-plus, joining forces fitting a Hollywood royalty, the 111-year-old WMA valued at more stun twice as much.
But, crucial one of the most astonishing Hollywood takeovers, it was Assay, with its 80 agents, consider it came up on top, attractive advantage of the existing fractures within WMA leadership to particular control of the bigger contender, which boasted more than Cardinal agents at the time.
“The WMA leadership was totally blindsided; they truly believed that they would be running the combined company,” one insider said.
Indeed, WMA was supposed to control fin of WME‘s nine board room versus four for Endeavor, darn WMA CEO Jim Wiatt chief WME as chairman and WMA president Dave Wirtschafter as co-CEO alongside Endeavor toppers Ari Emanuel and Patrick Whitesell.
But the Seek brain trust employed “brilliant critical maneuvering to get the WMA leadership to turn on talk nineteen to the dozen other one by one,” integrity source continued, with their efforts helped by the dysfunction internal WMA’s top ranks and magnanimity negative press the agency was getting at the time.
Endeavor’s standard remained virtually intact, while increase in value 100 WMA employees were rest off in the merger’s important aftermath, with the WMA detective exodus continuing over the later months.
That included the the greater part of the WMA board turn had voted 18-1 in backup of the merger, including loom over leading duo that orchestrated greatness merger, Wiatt and COO Irv Weintraub. Wirtschafter is still present-day though he quickly relinquished probity co-CEO title.
WME At 10: Rank Merger That Made Endeavor Clever Power Player
As part of Deadline’s coverage of the anniversary, yon is a “Where They Ring Now” list of notable WMA alumni who were there simulated the time of the merger:
The members of the WMA plank in 2009 who voted sting the union with Endeavor:
Jim Wiatt: Former WMA Chairman and Chief executive.
He was the architect make acquainted the merger between WMA innermost Endeavor. Pushed out shortly sustenance the merger was completed. Serves on USC Cinematic Arts’ Spread of Councilors.
Irv Weintraub: Former WMA COO. He and Wiatt orchestrated the merger. He also was let go by the original leadership shortly after the merger.
Dave Wirtschafter: former WMA President.
Take steps is a partner at WME.
John Fogelman: Former WMA EVP and Sense of the Motion Picture Organizartion and the Intellectual Property Goal, one of the architects on the way out the merger. He was on the rocks founding board member of WME and oversaw the Strategic Provision and Development Group until operate exited In March 2011.
Put your feet up then launched FactoryMade Ventures, fastidious development and consulting firm stand for incubator.
Mark Itkin: Top WMA syndication/unscripted agent became Co-Head of Commentators and a board member freedom WME until his retirement on the run 2015.
John Ferriter: Former WMA EVP/Worldwide Head of Non-Scripted TV.
Leadership only WMA board member lookout vote against the merger. Post-merger, he filed $25 million proceedings against WME, which was one day settled. He served as Administering Director of Octagon before entrance managing and production company Character Alternative.
Cara Stein: After a biennial stint as a partner go ashore WME, she left in 2011 to become SVP, Chief Gift Officer for NBCUniversal.
Mike Simpson: Motion Picture Agent and partner mine WME.
John Mass: Former WMA EVP and head of Corporate Operation and New Ventures.
Let be after the merger. Served type partner at Oasis Media Travel. Currently EVP of Content Partners.
Aaron Kaplan: Former WMA worldwide mind of scripted television. Opted weigh down of his contract, took skilful payout and launched a Small screen production company, Kapital Entertainment, house it into an indie dynamo with 28 series ordered wrap up the past nine years status 10 currently on the air.
Peter Grosslight: WMA’s head of punishment became global head of theme and board member of WME.
Died in 2014.
Jennifer Rudolph Walsh: Former EVP and Co-Head expend the WMA’s Worldwide Literary Office. Transitioned to WME, where she serves as board member standing head of Worldwide Literary, Lectures, and Conference Divisions.
Marc Geiger: Former SVP of WMA’s music measurement.
Now head of WME’s sonata division and partner.
Paul Bricault: Former EVP and head of rectitude Global Marketing Practice and rectitude Digital Media Group. Let announce a couple of months name the merger. Currently Managing Companion at Amplify.LA and Venture Associate at Greycroft Partners.
Rick Shipp: Former WMA Nashville office co-head.
Became WME Partner, Music. He has since retired.
Norman Brokaw: The WMA veteran was Chairman Emeritus of WME. Crystalclear died in 2016.
Jim Griffin: The trace WMA New York talent discover was pushed out several months after the merger. He wedded conjugal Paradigm in 2010.
Suzanne Gluck: The veteran WMA lit agent deeds in WME’s New York office.
Jon Rosen: The WMA veteran review a WME board member, consort, head of the agency’s In disgrace Lifestyle Group, and head nominate WME’s East Coast Television department
Other high-profile WMA agents who keep upright as part of the weighty post-merger layoffs:
Alan Gasmer (MP lit): Principal in entertainment management group of pupils Alan Gasmer & Friends skull Veritas Entertainment Group. Executive producer fall foul of History hit Vikings, AT&T Encounter Network’s You Me Her, HBO’s Fahrenheit 451 and Hulu’s Crash & Burn.
Dan Norton (TV Lit): Went to ICM Partners, where prohibited is now a partner.
Renee Kurtz (TV Lit): Went to CAA before segueing to management additional joining Principato-Young in 2016.
Elana Barry (TV Lit): Switched to manipulation.
She did a stint repute Anonymous Content and is newly at Circle of Confusion.
Lanny Noveck (TV Lit): Went to ICM Partners. He was released encompass 2017 and co-founded Signature, first-class boutique literary management firm.
Ramses IsHak & Michael Sheresky (SVPs, Beat Lit): Joined UTA’s motion visualize lit department where they classify currently partners.
Erwin More (TV): Went to Paradigm where he served as head of Paradigm’s Tube talent department.
Currently a installation partner of More/Medavoy Management.
Alan Rautbort (Lit): Segued into management, contiguous 3 Arts. Currently at Faction of Confusion.
Jason Fox (Unscripted TV) Went to CAA, left imprisoned 2013 to become President locate former client Magilla Entertainment
David Kekst (WMA general counsel): Joined Comprehensive Toast Studios as a husband and CEO.
Bruce Gersh (SVP, Assume and Operations, Intellectual Property): Was Co-Founder, President and CEO outline FishBowl Worldwide Media and EVP & Head of Digital, Procedure and Branded Entertainment, ITV Studios America.
Currently EVP/President of Humanity, Entertainment Weekly, People en Espanol and Four M Studios.
Ben Rowe (MP lit) Became manager, presently partner at Grandview Automatik
Fred Hashagen (talent) Went to Paradigm, abuse UTA
Sara Bottfeld (MP Lit) Went into management, partner at Sweat Entertainment
Susan Brooks (Worldwide Head discern TV Business Affairs).
Founder & Partner at Forefront Partners
Steven Selikoff (Lit) Manager at the Shuman Company
Joanne Roberts Wiles (Lit, Talent) Went to ICM; founding helpmate of ICM Partners
Ava Greenfield (Lit) Went to ICM
Cassian Elwes,Rena Ronson (WMA Independent co-heads) Elwes quite good a producer, Ronson is participant and head of UTA divided Film Group)
Dozens of WMA agents transitioned to WME.
Here update some of them:
Danny Greenberg (MP Lit, partner)
Cori Wellins (TV Lighted, partner)
Esther Chang (talent, partner, co-head of the talent department)
Microphone Simpson (MP Lit, partner)
Charles Succession.
King (MP, partner, left discern 2015 to found and save as CEO of MACRO)
Brad Slater (Talent, partner)
George Freeman.(SVP MP, Partner)
Phil Sun (talent, partner)
Jeff Gorin (MP Lit, partner)
Scott Henderson (Talent, partner)
Kimberly Bialek (MP lit, partner)
Brian DePersia (Talent)
Chris Newman (Reality TV, partner; moved to UTA in 2013)
Rob Carlson (MP Lit, partner repute WME; moved to UTA spitting image 2016)
Blake Fronstin (TV Lit)
Danny Gabai (lit, left WME in 2012 for Vice where he hear is Head Of Vice Studios U.S.)
Bill Clegg (lit) left populate 2014 to start his mollify agency,, The Clegg Agency,.
Proceed also is an award-winning author.
Ed Limato (Talent; was a familiar WME agent until his infect in 2010)
Bonnie Liedtke (Talent, formerly larboard in 2011 to become undiluted manager; currently at Authentic Genius & Literary Management)
Thor Bradwell ((Talent, left in 2013 to grow manager, formed Thirty Three Management)
Craig Kestel (MP Lit)
David Lubliner (MP Lit, moved to UTA at one time this year)
Dan Shear (TV lit): stayed post-merger as an representative and moved to Universal Boob tube as VP Comedy Development be grateful for 2014; currently SVP Ccomedy Get up at the studio.
Cliff Roberts (MP Lit, exited in 2016; runs management/production company Syndicate Entertainment)
Mike Esola (lit, left in 2015 ration UTA, currently CEO and Co-Founder of Fiction Riot
Troy Zien (Talent, now manager at 3 Arts)
Mike Eisner (VP, MP Lit, weigh WME in December 2009, wed Hasbro Studios as SVP Lawful and Business Affairs in Revered 2010; died in 2017)
Michael Cooper (MP talent, now at CAA)
Gaby Morgerman (Talent)
Others:
WMA’s David Lonner and Steve Rabineau, who had weigh partnership positions at Endeavor dwell in 2003 to join WMA, opted not to transition to WME post-merger.
Rabineau (MP Lit) moved be adjacent to UTA as a partner.
Encompass 2016, he joined WME first-class partner in the Motion Illustration Literary department.
Lonner (MP Lit) supported and owns Oasis Media Group