Lew Wasserman

Lew Wasserman (1913–2002) was an American talent agent and entertainment executive who led MCA and Universal Pictures. He helped transform talent representation and studio management in Hollywood.

Connect

Jules Stein: Jules Stein was an American physician and talent agent who founded the Music Corporation of America in 1924. Stein founded MCA and made Wasserman his successor as its leading executive.
Talent agency: A talent agency represents performers and creators in negotiations for work and compensation. MCA’s agency business gave Wasserman leverage across Hollywood’s contracts and productions.
United States v. Paramount Pictures, Inc.: United States v. Paramount Pictures, Inc. was a 1948 Supreme Court decision against studio practices that restricted film distribution. Its consequences weakened studio control over theaters and opened a path for MCA’s Universal acquisition.
William Morris Agency: The William Morris Agency was an American talent agency founded in 1898 that represented performers and creators. It was MCA’s established rival in the contest to represent Hollywood’s leading talent.
Ronald Reagan: Ronald Reagan was an American actor and politician who served as the 40th president of the United States. Wasserman represented Reagan as an actor and later supported his political career.
Block booking: Block booking was a film-distribution practice requiring theaters to rent a group of films together. MCA used packaged talent and productions to secure deals with broadcasters and studios.
Universal Pictures: Universal Pictures is an American film studio founded in 1912 and now part of NBCUniversal. Under Wasserman, Universal became a leading model of a studio managed around a film slate and talent relationships.
Creative Artists Agency: Creative Artists Agency is an American talent and sports agency founded in 1975 by former William Morris agents. CAA’s team-based model challenged the agency culture MCA had helped build.
Alfred Hitchcock: Alfred Hitchcock was a British film director known for suspense films including Vertigo and Psycho. Wasserman negotiated Hitchcock’s move to Universal and helped shape his unusually favorable studio arrangement.
Television syndication: Television syndication is the licensing of programs to broadcasters or stations outside their original network run. MCA expanded beyond representation by producing and distributing television programs.