Michael Eisner facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Michael Eisner
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Eisner in 2010
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Michael Dammann Eisner
March 7, 1942 Mount Kisco, New York, U.S.
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| Education | Denison University (BA) |
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| Years active | 1966–present |
| Board member of | Denison University The Tornante Company |
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Jane Breckenridge
(m. 1967) |
| Children | 3, including Breck and Eric |
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Michael Dammann Eisner (born March 7, 1942) is an American businessman. He was the chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of The Walt Disney Company for 21 years, from September 1984 to September 2005. Before joining Disney, Eisner was the president of Paramount Pictures. He also worked briefly at major television networks like NBC, CBS, and ABC.
During his time at Disney, Eisner helped bring the company's animation studios back to life. Many successful films were made, including The Little Mermaid (1989), Beauty and the Beast (1991), Aladdin (1992), and The Lion King (1994). This period is often called the Disney Renaissance. Eisner also helped Disney grow by acquiring other companies like ABC, most of ESPN, and The Muppets franchise. He also oversaw big expansions of Disney's theme parks around the world. These included the openings of Disney's Hollywood Studios (1989), Disneyland Paris (1992), Disney's Animal Kingdom (1998), Disney California Adventure and Tokyo DisneySea (2001), Walt Disney Studios Park (2002), and Hong Kong Disneyland (2005).
Eisner's last years at Disney were challenging. Some movies didn't do well, and he had disagreements with former colleagues like Jeffrey Katzenberg and Steve Jobs. This led to a campaign called "Save Disney," which caused him to lose the trust of many people on Disney's Board of Directors. Because of this pressure, Eisner announced in March 2005 that he would step down as CEO. He handed over his daily duties to Bob Iger and officially left the company in September 2005. After Disney, he created the stop-motion animated TV show Glenn Martin, DDS in 2009.
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Early Life and Education
Michael Eisner was born in Mount Kisco, New York. His family was well-off. His mother, Margaret, was the president of a hospital that helped children. His father, Lester Eisner, Jr., was a lawyer. Eisner's great-grandfather, Sigmund Eisner, started a successful clothing company that made uniforms for the Boy Scouts of America.
Eisner grew up in Manhattan. He went to the Allen-Stevenson School and then The Lawrenceville School. He graduated from Denison University in 1964 with a degree in English. He was part of the Delta Upsilon fraternity.
Working at ABC and Paramount
After short jobs at NBC and CBS, Eisner was hired by Barry Diller at ABC. He started as an assistant and worked his way up to a senior position in programming. In 1976, Diller, who was then in charge of Paramount Pictures, brought Eisner to Paramount as president.
During his time at Paramount, the studio made many popular films. These included Saturday Night Fever, Grease, the Star Trek movie series, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Beverly Hills Cop. They also produced hit TV shows like Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, and Cheers.
In 1984, Diller left Paramount. Eisner hoped to take his place as the studio head. However, he was not chosen for the job. So, he left Paramount and sought a new role, eventually becoming the CEO of The Walt Disney Company.
Leading The Walt Disney Company
After the deaths of founders Walt Disney and Roy O. Disney, The Walt Disney Company faced challenges. In 1984, shareholders Sid Bass and Roy E. Disney brought in Michael Eisner as CEO and chairman. They also brought in Frank Wells as president to help strengthen the company. Eisner then hired Jeffrey Katzenberg to lead the Disney movie studios.
A few years after becoming CEO, Eisner became the host of The Wonderful World of Disney. This made him the public face of the company. Even though he wasn't a professional performer, he worked hard to improve his on-camera skills. Children at Disney theme parks often recognized him and asked for his autograph.
The Disney Renaissance
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Eisner helped Disney become very successful again. The company's animation studio, Walt Disney Animation Studios, had many popular and critically acclaimed films. This period is known as the Disney Renaissance. It began with films like Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) and The Little Mermaid (1989). Other big hits included Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King.
Under Eisner, Disney also bought other media companies. These included Miramax Films in 1993, ABC, most of ESPN, Fox Family Channel (now Freeform), Baby Einstein, and The Muppets franchise. The purchase of ABC was special because it reunited Eisner with his former employer.
Theme Park Expansions
In the early 1990s, Eisner and his team planned "The Disney Decade." This plan included building new parks around the world, expanding existing ones, and investing in new films and media. While not all plans were completed, many important projects did happen.
New theme parks opened, such as the Euro Disney Resort (now Disneyland Paris) in 1992, Disney-MGM Studios (now Disney's Hollywood Studios) in 1989, and Disney's California Adventure Park (now Disney California Adventure) in 2001. Disney's Animal Kingdom also opened in 1998. These expansions helped Disney grow its global presence.
Challenges and Departure
Despite many successes, Eisner's later years at Disney faced challenges. There were disagreements with other executives. In 2003, Roy E. Disney, the nephew of Walt Disney, resigned from the board. He felt there was too much micromanagement and that the company was losing its creative spirit. He also pointed to some movie failures and disputes with Pixar Animation Studios, which had made hits like Toy Story and Finding Nemo with Disney.
In March 2004, a large number of Disney shareholders (43%) voted against re-electing Eisner to the board. This was a big surprise. As a result, the board gave the chairman position to George J. Mitchell. However, Eisner remained CEO for a while longer.
On March 13, 2005, Eisner announced he would step down as CEO a year before his contract ended. He handed over his daily duties to Bob Iger, who was chosen as the new CEO. Eisner officially left Disney in September 2005, ending his 21-year leadership.
After Disney
After leaving Disney, Michael Eisner continued his career in media. In October 2005, he was a guest host for the Charlie Rose talk show. His performance impressed CNBC, and in 2006, they hired him to host his own show, Conversations with Michael Eisner. This show featured interviews with business leaders, politicians, and artists until it ended in 2009.
In 2007, Eisner's investment company, The Tornante Company, launched a studio called Vuguru. This studio produced and shared videos for the internet and mobile devices. Also in 2007, Eisner's company partnered to buy Topps Company, known for its bubble gum and collectibles. He later sold Topps in 2022. His investment firm has also supported the popular Netflix series BoJack Horseman.
In 2009, Eisner used his own money to produce a claymation show called Glenn Martin, DDS. He was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 2012 for his contributions to television.
Portsmouth Football Club
In March 2017, it was revealed that Eisner was interested in buying Portsmouth F.C., a football (soccer) club in England. The club had faced difficulties but was taken over by its fans. On August 3, 2017, Eisner and his Tornante Company completed the purchase of the club.
Personal Life
After college in 1964, Michael Eisner met Jane Breckenridge, who later became his wife. They have three sons: Breck, Eric, and Anders Eisner.
Books by Michael Eisner
- Work in Progress (1998)
- Camp (2005)
- Working Together: Why Great Partnerships Succeed (2010)
Awards and Recognition
- 1994 Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement
- 2001 Honor Award from the National Building Museum
- 2004 UJA-Federation of New York's Steven J. Ross Humanitarian of the Year Award
- Received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2008.
- Inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame on March 1, 2012.
See also
In Spanish: Michael Eisner para niños
