Topic
15 facts from 2 episodes, in date order. These are what speakers said on the shows, each linked to the moment it was said. They aren't independently verified.
1970s-1980s
Michael Ovitz's agency CAA packaged talent and projects together and sold them to studios, shifting power from studios to talent.
“One, they package projects and talent together, and then they sell whole packages to studios and say, we'll sell the rights to you.”
1975
Michael Ovitz says a William Morris staff meeting where Sam Weisbord announced signing Ann Miller prompted the dissent that led to CAA.
“announced with great pride and passion that he had signed Ann Miller”
1975
Michael Ovitz says Creative Artists Agency started with $100,000 and paid off its debt in six months.
“And we started our business on $100,000. And we never went into debt beyond that, paid that debt off in six months”
1979
Michael Ovitz says he began CAA's movie business in 1979 while the other partners stayed in television.
“So we made a decision that I would start the movie business in 79, and the rest of the guys would stay in television.”
1979
Michael Ovitz says tax lawyer Gary Hendler persuaded Sean Connery to sign with CAA in 1979.
“He went with us for only one reason. Gary Hendler told him we were young, aggressive, hot, and had good taste.”
1990
Michael Ovitz says Creative Artists Agency represented about 45 of the 50 top-grossing directors in 1990.
“as CAA gained momentum in the 80s and early 90s, they didn't have a lot of choice because of the 50 top grossing directors, for example, in 90, CAA represented like 45 of them”
Undated
Michael Ovitz says Mike Nichols's fee to direct rose from $2.5 million to $5 million after he joined CAA.
“He was getting two and a half million to direct. And when he became a client of ours, we went to make a deal for him. I called him up and I got him five million.”
Undated
Michael Ovitz says CAA won Coca-Cola's advertising account and all 35 commercials it pitched were approved.
“We got awarded the account and of the 35 commercials we presented, they approved every single one.”
Undated
Michael Ovitz says CAA's Coca-Cola commercials earned it the cover of Time magazine.
“We got the cover of Time Magazine, which was important at the time.”
Undated
Michael Ovitz says McCann Erickson had 300 people on the Coca-Cola account while CAA used six.
“McCann Erickson had 300 human beings working on the Coke account. We had six.”
Undated
Michael Ovitz says CAA initially focused only on television because Screen Actors Guild rules required actors to be paid weekly, giving steady commissions.
“we made a conscious decision to be TV only, because by SAG rules, they had to pay every Thursday”
Undated
Michael Ovitz says CAA ran large red ads in Variety on Fridays and The Hollywood Reporter on Mondays announcing new star clients.
“We took out these giant red ads in Variety every Friday and The Hollywood Reporter on Monday.”
Undated
Michael Ovitz says CAA lost fewer than five or six clients over 25 years.
“in a 25-year period, I think we lost under five or six clients.”
Undated
Michael Ovitz says CAA used paper buck-slips as an internal messaging system before email.
“we had what's called a buck-slip system, which was everyone had buck-slips, which were these pieces of kind of heavy paper that had your name on it.”
Undated
A host says his research found that Ovitz sold CAA to the next generation for $200 million, paid out of future profits.
“at least my research found that you sold all of CAA to the next generation for $200 million, which, of course, they didn't have in cash.”
Episodes