Who is Michael Ovitz?
Born on December 14, 1946, in Chicago, Illinois, Michael Ovitz is a master of the art of persuasion and the business of showbiz. He has been the one dealing billions of dollars worth of ‘certainties’ in Hollywood, including MCA/Universal’s effort to sell PolyGram, Universal’s unit to buy MGM.
If Hollywood had a Hall of Fame for dealmakers, Michael Ovitz would be its first inductee. A founder of Creative Artists Agency, or CAA, he got himself the nickname as the guy who made the stars shine brighter—and the career Tom Cruise had rivals a supernova.
Michael Ovitz Career
Michael Ovitz’s career should be like one blockbuster film with a lot of twists and an all-star cast. He entered the glamour world of Hollywood in the most unglamorous way possible: as a mailroom clerk at the William Morris Agency. Imagine him then, opening envelopes full of fan mail and hoping to catch someone’s eye who might advance him beyond the mailroom. Fast forward to 1975, and Ovitz, along with Ron Meyer, Bill Haber, Rowland Perkins, and Mike Rosenfeld, founded the Creative Artists Agency (CAA).
Starting with a mere $21,000 and a rented office, Ovitz and these two would build CAA into Hollywood’s ultimate power broker. They represented not just actors but, in effect, orchestrated Hollywood itself. The negotiating prowess of Ovitz was such that he could, almost certainly, get a penguin into a polar bear convention. For years, his client roster has read like a who’s who of Hollywood royalty: Tom Cruise, Dustin Hoffman, and Barbra Streisand, to name only a few.
In reality, Ovitz was doing more than making stars; he was making deals that revolutionized the industry. He convinced the studios to go ahead and buy whole packages of talent—because why settle for one star when you can get a whole constellation?
Michael Ovitz Net Worth
As of 2024, Michael Ovitz’s estimated net worth is around $500 million. That is right a billion dollars. To put it in other words, that’s more zeros than you’d see in a phone number for a telemarketer pitching luxury yachts. A big chunk of his money came from his stint at CAA and then, of course, the ill-fated stint at Disney.
Mike Ovitz – Disney Adventure: According to him, his adventure with Disney was like one high-stakes poker game, in which he wagered his future on becoming the head honcho of the entertainment giant. He didn’t get the job, but he left with a pay-off of $138 million. Talk about taking the best swag bag from the party ever!
Michael Ovitz Age
Michael Ovitz was born on December 14, 1946. That makes him 77 years old as of 2024. You could think he would be sunbathing by the pool and reminiscing about the good old days. Instead, he is still investing, advising, and collecting art like there is no tomorrow. If he were a fine wine, he would be a classic: full of complexity and yet very much appreciated.
Michael Ovitz Family: Wife and Children
Michael Ovitz is married to Judy Reich, and together they’ve weathered the ups and downs of the business world. The couple has three children: Christopher, Kimberly, and Eric. It seems they decided to continue the family tradition of having names that are simple yet impactful—because when you’re part of the Ovitz clan, you don’t do anything halfway.
The Ovitz family is close-knit like a celebrity couple’s picture on Instagram. They have tried to live such lives that Michael Ovitz could sometimes keep under the radar, even with his gigantic career. Judy must be the one to always bring him back down to Earth because it’s hard to think of Michael Ovitz setting up a couch without her.
Michael Ovitz Height and Weight
Michael Ovitz is approximately as tall as the average leading man in Hollywood—at least, if that leading man is a hobbit. That is to say, at 5 feet 6 inches in height, he stands out enough to make one notice. Weighing approximately 65 kg, he is fit enough to continue navigating the high-stakes world of business and investment. If you were casting a movie about a talent agent who could make or break careers, his height would be decidedly inconsequential—his influence towers over the field.
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