Michael Ovitz Actor's agent Date of Birth: 14.12.1946 Country: USA

1. Biography of Michael Ovitz
2. Founding Creative Artists Agency
3. Rise of CAA
4. Influence and Departure from CAA

Biography of Michael Ovitz

Michael Ovitz, born on December 14, 1946, in Chicago, Illinois, USA, is a tour guide, executive producer, and talent agent. Today, he is often referred to as the "most influential person in Hollywood." However, when Ovitz started building his career in the 1960s, he worked as a tour guide at Universal Studios and had a part-time job in the mailroom at William Morris Agency.

Founding Creative Artists Agency

In 1975, Michael Ovitz became one of the founders of the phenomenally successful and powerful talent agency, Creative Artists Agency (CAA), and shortly after, he became the chairman of the board of directors, owning half of the company. By the late 1980s, CAA had a client roster consisting of over 150 directors, 130 actors, and 250 writers, all of whom were well-known and in high demand. This allowed Ovitz to begin monopolizing the Hollywood industry.

Rise of CAA

CAA's influence grew in the 1970s when they established a strong presence in television and launched a successful campaign in the film industry, breaking the unwritten rule of "package deals." Traditional package deals were common in television but did not usually apply to the film industry until the studios sold many of their projects from the beginning of the century until the early 1960s. With its extensive list of directors, actors, and writers, CAA became the leading agency in the lucrative field of film. Unlike traditional package deals, CAA did not charge clients a separate fee; instead, agents received a percentage of their clients' salaries. This allowed the company to build an impressive client base by attracting top talent and consistently providing work through unofficial package deals.

Influence and Departure from CAA

As CAA represented a large number of talented individuals in the film industry, the agency and Ovitz had the power to negotiate high salaries for their stars and overall control over film production. Ovitz's position at the top of Hollywood allowed him to shape the careers of many talents, guiding them to both small television studios and major film companies.

After considering taking on the responsibility of presiding over the largest Hollywood company, MCA, when it was acquired by Edgar Bronfman Jr., Ovitz surprised his colleagues by recommending Michael Eisner as the president of Walt Disney Company. This happened in 1995. After two tumultuous years in the second position, Ovitz announced his resignation on January 31, 1997. Reportedly, his refusal of the executive position and working under Eisner threw him off balance, mainly because he lacked clear areas of influence and responsibilities. Additionally, he frequently clashed with Disney producers. Rumors of Ovitz's departure began circulating in the media several months before his official statement. However, he did not completely step away from the industry and continues to work as a consultant. The severance package for Ovitz's departure was estimated to be between $90 million to $130 million.