Michael Eisner
is a businessman who was known for being the CEO of The Walt Disney Company
from 1984 to 2005. Born on March 7, 1942 in Mount Kisco, New York, Eisner grew
up in Manhattan. He earned his BA in English degree at Denison University in
1964.
Eisner worked
with CBS and NBC for a short while before being hired by ABC as Assistant to
the National Programming Director. His hard work earned him the honors to
become the senior vice president for programming and development. When ABC
President Barry Diller
became Paramount Pictures’ chairman in 1976, he hired Eisner as president and
CEO of Paramount. At Paramount, Eisner produced several hit films like Saturday Night Fever and Raiders of the Lost Ark, and hit TV
programs like Family Ties and Happy Days.
In 1984, Diller resigned
from his position at Paramount and his protégé Eisner became the CEO. A
time came when he passed over the job as CEO at Paramount and started looking
for another job. He lobbied for the vacant position of CEO at The Walt Disney
Company.
The death of
Walter Disney in 1966 was the beginning of a season of difficult takeovers. In
1984, Eisner was brought into the company to provide the strength that the
company has missed. From that time until the early 1990s, The Walt Disney
showed revitalized business ventures and produced such hit films as who Framed Roger Rabbit?, and The Little Mermaid. The company also
purchased Miramax Films to broaden its adult offerings and media outfits such
as ESPN and ABC.
Eisner’s term
also began “The
Disney Decade” in the early 1990s. The plan would feature new theme parks
in many parts of the world, expansion of existing theme parks, and investments
in new films and new media. Some of the proposals, however, were completed.
Among those completed included Disneyland Paris, Disney’s Hollywood, Disney
California Adventure and the Walt Disney Studios Park.
In 2012, Eisner
was inducted into the prestigious Television Academy Hall of Fame.
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