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were widely recognized as the architects of the deal and ultimately took the roles of WME Co-CEOs. Following the official announcement of the merger, nearly 100 WMA employees and former board members were let go. One of those leaving was Jim Wiatt, who came to WMA in 1999 from
International Creative
442:
once called the WMA Agent
Training Program "The Harvard School of Show Business – only better: no grades, no exams, a small stipend and great placement opportunities." Graduates from the Training Program were perceived at a high level of prestige within the entertainment industry, because of
418:
The WMA Agent
Training Program, often referred to as the "mailroom", was established in the 1940s and is well known for its roster of successful alumni. Since the 1970s the program has been replicated at other talent agencies and studios, many of which were headed by former mailroom trainees. Once
664:"Nat Lefkowitz, a former co-chairman of the William Morris Agency, the theatrical talent agency with which he was associated for 56 years, died Sunday in New York University Medical Center, where he had undergone heart surgery. He was 78 years old"
249:
By 1930, Morris had turned over leadership of the agency to his son and
Lastfogel. In 1932, five years after his retirement, William Morris Sr. died from heart failure. By that time, the Agency had begun the process of relocating from
365:. In 2007, the Agency expanded its London music operation, underscoring WMA's continued commitment to the international marketplace. Along with the addition of new personnel, the London office moved into the iconic
179:. It represented some of the best known 20th-century entertainers in film, television, and music. During its 109-year tenure it came to be regarded as the "first great talent agency in show business".
450:
became the first mailboy in the
Beverly Hills Mailroom at age 15. The Agent Training program still exists today at William Morris Endeavor. It was famously documented in David Rensin's 2003 book,
262:
372:
In 2003, a seismic shift occurred in the agency landscape when WMA's SVP and
Theatre topper, George Lane, and fellow agent in charge of foreign rights, Michael Cardonick, left WMA to open
328:
In the early 1980s, WMA built the
William Morris Plaza located at 150 El Camino Drive, directly across the street from its main building at 151 El Camino. In 1989, WMA acquired the
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accepted, trainees rotate through different departments, starting with the mailroom, before becoming a full-time assistant or coordinator.
335:
In the early 1990s, WMA's
Literary Department announced the largest book-to-screen deal ever inked when it sold the television rights for
403:
Management, where he was Vice-Chairman. He had joined WMA as
President and Co-Chief Executive Officer, and had risen to Board Chairman.
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immigrant to the US, posted a cross-hatch trademark above an office door in New York City – four "X's", representing a
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As silent film grew into widely viewed entertainment, Morris encouraged his clients to experiment in the new medium. Stars such as
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270:(right) meets in the Oval Office with a representative of the William Morris Agency to discuss advertising for his
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815:"Latest WMA-Endeavor Merger Update: Hollywood History In The Making Today: Endeavor And William Morris Vote Yes"
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After the merger, WMA relocated its offices to the
Endeavor building at 9601 Wilshire Boulevard in
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On April 27, 2009, WMA and the Endeavor Talent Agency announced that they were merging to form
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and Bert Allenberg). The senior agent in the motion picture department during the 1950s was
75:
278:
In December 1949, the William Morris Agency acquired the Berg-Allenberg Agency (founded by
219:. By the time WMA formally incorporated in New York State on January 31, 1918, Morris' son
186:
to form William Morris Endeavor. William Morris Endeavor was renamed WME-IMG in 2013, then
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Vaudeville old & new: an encyclopedia of variety performances in America, Volume 1
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In 2003, WMA opened an office in Miami Beach, and in 2004 they opened an office in
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48:
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871:"WME Will Stay In Endeavor Headquarters Instead Of Moving To New Morris Building"
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267:
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Sutter, Claude Brodesser,Mary; Brodesser, Claude; Sutter, Mary (2003-01-16).
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was named as co-chairman of the firm (in 1936, Lefkowitz hired his nephew,
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By 1965, WMA's Music Department was representing several clients including
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the caliber of notable alums that have graduated from the program.
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986:
The Agency: William Morris and the Hidden History of Show Business
261:
154:
473:"Company Overview of William Morris Endeavor Entertainment, LLC"
144:
349:. In 2000, WMA acquired The Writers Shop, which was owned by
504:
Cullen, Frank; Florence Hackman; Donald McNeilly (2007).
621:. Berkeley, Calif.: North Atlantic Books. p. 157.
542:
Littleton, Cynthia; Fleming, Michael (April 27, 2009).
712:"Morris Stoller, 74, William Morris Agency Head, Dies"
438:, and Rowland Perkins, all former WMA agent trainees.
685:"Who is Ted Ashley? Just the King of Hollywood, Baby"
182:
In April 2009, WMA announced it would merge with the
596:"A Charmed Life, or a Thirty-Six Short Makes It Big"
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Our future selves : love, life, sex, and aging
376:'s New York City office and Theatrical Department.
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966:The Mailroom: Hollywood History from the Bottom Up
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453:The Mailroom: Hollywood History from the Bottom Up
317:, at William Morris, who would go on to found the
850:"Layoffs in the William Morris-Endeavor Merger"
203:In 1898, William Morris (born Zelman Moses), a
916:(First ed.). New York: Ballantine Books.
907:
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888:(First ed.). New York: Harper Business.
215: – and went into business as
159:William Morris Fireplace Screen with monogram
8:
1044:Entertainment companies of the United States
1034:Companies based in Beverly Hills, California
776:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
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1059:Entertainment companies established in 1898
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29:
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1054:American companies established in 1898
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571:"William Morris Agency, Inc. History"
246:were all represented by the company.
7:
1029:1898 establishments in New York City
848:Michael Cieply (December 26, 2009).
642:Claudia Eller (January 16, 2003).
25:
254:to Canon Drive in Beverly Hills.
1039:Companies based in New York City
217:William Morris, Vaudeville Agent
829:"It's A Takeover, Not A Merger"
683:Fleming, Karl (June 24, 1974).
644:"Morris Targets Miami's Talent"
544:"WMA, Endeavor approve merger"
1:
27:Former American talent agency
1049:Talent and literary agencies
791:Robert Hofler (2003-05-09).
60:; 126 years ago
49:Talent and literary agencies
869:Finke, Nikki (2009-10-09).
813:Finke, Nikki (2009-04-27).
422:WMA's longtime competitor,
88:; 15 years ago
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617:Weisbord, Merrily (1991).
414:WMA Agent Training Program
383:
944:Promises I Made My Mother
793:"CAA opening Gotham digs"
426:, was founded in 1975 by
408:Beverly Hills, California
380:2009 merger with Endeavor
321:talent agency). In 1980,
127:Beverly Hills, California
35:
732:"Jennifer Rudolph Walsh"
424:Creative Artists Agency
392:William Morris Endeavor
386:William Morris Endeavor
374:Creative Artists Agency
963:Rensin, David (2003).
912:Rensin, David (2003).
478:Bloomberg Businessweek
394:. Endeavor executives
351:Jennifer Rudolph Walsh
275:
184:Endeavor Talent Agency
160:
106:Endeavor Talent Agency
940:Haskell, Sam (2009).
717:The Los Angeles Times
309:and beyond. In 1976,
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165:William Morris Agency
158:
31:William Morris Agency
984:Rose, Frank (1995).
969:. Ballantine Books.
948:. Ballantine Books.
884:Rose, Frank (1996).
672:. September 6, 1983.
598:. The Brokaw Company
485:on February 26, 2009
436:Michael S. Rosenfeld
325:was named chairman.
754:"WMA goes to Miami"
575:fundinguniverse.com
211:superimposed on an
32:
988:. HarperBusiness.
855:The New York Times
669:The New York Times
367:Centre Point Tower
346:Gone With the Wind
291:The Rolling Stones
276:
252:Hollywood and Vine
223:and his assistant
221:William Morris Jr.
161:
18:William Morris Sr.
720:. March 25, 1986.
649:Los Angeles Times
521:978-0-4159-3853-2
434:, William Haber,
400:Patrick Whitesell
341:Margaret Mitchell
225:Abraham Lastfogel
190:in October 2017.
153:
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16:(Redirected from
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1012:Official website
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481:. Archived from
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446:Future Chairman
339:, the sequel to
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837:. May 28, 2009.
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199:Early history
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797:. Retrieved
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761:. Retrieved
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694:. Retrieved
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602:November 13,
600:. Retrieved
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578:. Retrieved
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553:. Retrieved
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525:. Retrieved
506:
499:
487:. Retrieved
483:the original
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451:
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440:David Geffen
432:Ronald Meyer
421:
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284:Mike Zimring
277:
258:1945 to 2000
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168:
164:
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122:Headquarters
104:Acquired by
873:. Deadline.
817:. Deadline.
396:Ari Emanuel
268:Gerald Ford
1023:Categories
923:0345442350
895:0887308074
886:The Agency
799:2015-04-27
763:2019-09-03
737:29 January
580:29 January
460:References
330:Jim Halsey
315:Ted Ashley
266:President
834:LA Weekly
696:March 20,
357:Post-2000
332:Company.
303:The Byrds
280:Phil Berg
274:campaign.
236:Al Jolson
173:Hollywood
112:Successor
772:cite web
690:New York
363:Shanghai
337:Scarlett
244:Mae West
188:Endeavor
171:) was a
116:Endeavor
76:New York
45:Industry
758:Variety
549:Variety
489:May 27,
194:History
175:-based
140:Website
93:2009-07
91: (
83:Defunct
63: (
55:Founded
992:
973:
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920:
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625:
518:
301:, and
242:, and
238:, the
990:ISBN
971:ISBN
950:ISBN
918:ISBN
890:ISBN
778:link
739:2016
698:2018
623:ISBN
604:2011
582:2016
557:2019
529:2019
516:ISBN
491:2012
398:and
272:1976
163:The
147:.com
101:Fate
65:1898
58:1898
343:'s
169:WMA
70:in
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