The William Morris Agency (WMA) was a Hollywood-based talent agency. It represented some of the best known 20th-century entertainers in film, television, and music. During its 109-year tenure^[1] it came to be regarded as the 'first great talent agency in show business'.^[2]

Description: William Morris Endeavor was founded in April 2009 with the merger of the William Morris Agency and the Endeavor Agency. WME then acquired IMG in 2014. WME is one of the world's top talent agencies and represents a variety of artists, including authors. Needs: Fiction and nonfiction. WMA Agent Training Program. 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. One Packaging Agent gets $1,250,000 whereas 3-5 Talent/Literary Agents combined only get $230,000. I believe you see the financial incentive with getting represented by a packaging agency which each of the above 6 are.

In April 2009, WMA announced it would merge with the Endeavor Talent Agency to form William Morris Endeavor.^[3] William Morris Endeavor was renamed Endeavor in October 2017.

History[edit]

Early history[edit]

In 1898, William Morris (born Zelman Moses), a German-Jewish immigrant to the US, posted a cross-hatch trademark above an office door in New York City – four 'X's', representing a W superimposed on an M^[4] – and went into business as William Morris, Vaudeville Agent. By the time WMA formally incorporated in New York State on January 31, 1918, Morris' son William Morris Jr. and his assistant Abraham Lastfogel, who started out as an office boy and after becoming a talent agent in his own right, entered into a business partnership with Morris Sr.

As silent film grew into widely viewed entertainment, Morris encouraged his clients to experiment in the new medium. Stars such as Charlie Chaplin, Al Jolson, the Marx Brothers, and Mae West were all represented by the company.

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 Hollywood and Vine to Canon Drive in Beverly Hills.^[5]

1945 to 2000[edit]

In December 1949, the William Morris Agency acquired the Berg-Allenberg Agency (founded by Phil Berg and Bert Allenberg). The senior agent in the motion picture department during the 1950s was Mike Zimring.^[6]

By 1965, WMA's Music Department was representing several clients including the Rolling Stones, Sonny & Cher, the Beach Boys, and the Byrds.^{[citation needed]} In 1973, the Agency's newly established Nashville office provided another significant boost to the operations of William Morris, extending the Agency's reach into country music and beyond.^[7] In 1976, Nat Lefkowitz was named as co-chairman of the firm^[8] (he later hired his nephew, Ted Ashley who would go on to found the Ashley-Famous talent agency).^[9] In 1980, Morris Stoller was named chairman.^[10]

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 Jim Halsey Company.

In the early 1990s, WMA's Literary Department announced the largest book-to-screen deal ever inked when it sold the television rights for Scarlett, the sequel to Margaret Mitchell's Gone With the Wind. In 2000, WMA acquired The Writers Shop, which was owned by Jennifer Rudolph Walsh.^[11]

Post-2000[edit]

In 2003, WMA opened an office in Miami Beach, and in 2004 they opened an office in Shanghai.^[12] 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 Centre Point Tower.

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 Creative Artists Agency's New York City office and Theatrical Department.^[13]

2009 merger with Endeavor[edit]

On April 27, 2009, WMA and the Endeavor Talent Agency announced that they were merging to form William Morris Endeavor.^[14] Endeavor executives Ari Emanuel and Patrick Whitesell were widely recognized as the architects of the deal and ultimately took the roles of WME Co-CEOs.^[15] 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 Management, where he was Vice-Chairman, in 1999. He had joined WMA as President and Co-Chief Executive Officer, and had risen to Board Chairman.^[16]

After the merger, WMA relocated its offices to the Endeavor building at 9601 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills, California.^[17]

WMA Agent Training Program[edit]

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 accepted, trainees rotate through different departments, starting with the mailroom, before becoming a full-time assistant or coordinator.

WMA's longtime competitor, Creative Artists Agency, was founded in 1975 by Michael Ovitz, Ronald Meyer, William Haber, Michael S. Rosenfeld, and Rowland Perkins, all former WMA agent trainees.^[18][19]David Geffen 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.'^{[citation needed]} Graduates from the Training Program were perceived at a high level of prestige within the entertainment industry, because of the caliber of notable alums that have graduated from the program.^[19]:464

Former Chairman Norman Brokaw 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, The Mailroom: Hollywood History from the Bottom Up.

References[edit]

1. ^'Company Overview of William Morris Endeavor Entertainment, LLC'. Bloomberg Businessweek. Retrieved May 27, 2012.
2. ^Cullen, Frank; Florence Hackman; Donald McNeilly (2007). Vaudeville old & new: an encyclopedia of variety performances in America, Volume 1. Psychology Press. p. 1020. ISBN978-0-4159-3853-2. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
3. ^Littleton, Cynthia; Fleming, Michael (April 27, 2009). 'WMA, Endeavor approve merger'. Variety. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
4. ^'William Morris Agency, Inc. History'. fundinguniverse.com. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
5. ^'A Charmed Life, or a Thirty-Six Short Makes It Big'. The Brokaw Company. Retrieved November 13, 2011.
6. ^Weisbord, Merrily (1991). Our future selves : love, life, sex, and aging. Berkeley, Calif.: North Atlantic Books. p. 157. ISBN978-1556431456.
7. ^Claudia Eller (January 16, 2003). 'Morris Targets Miami's Talent'. Los Angeles Times.
8. ^'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'. The New York Times. September 6, 1983.
9. ^Fleming, Karl (June 24, 1974). 'Who is Ted Ashley? Just the King of Hollywood, Baby'. New York Magazine. Retrieved March 20, 2018.
10. ^'Morris Stoller, 74, William Morris Agency Head, Dies'. The Los Angeles Times. March 25, 1986.
11. ^'Jennifer Rudolph Walsh'. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
12. ^Sutter, Claude Brodesser,Mary; Brodesser, Claude; Sutter, Mary (2003-01-16). 'WMA goes to Miami'. Variety. Retrieved 2019-09-03.
13. ^Robert Hofler (2003-05-09). 'CAA opening Gotham digs'. Variety.com. Retrieved 2015-04-27.
14. ^Finke, Nikki (2009-04-27). 'Latest WMA-Endeavor Merger Update: Hollywood History In The Making Today: Endeavor And William Morris Vote Yes'. Deadline.
15. ^'It's A Takeover, Not A Merger'. LA Weekly. May 28, 2009.
16. ^Michael Cieply (December 26, 2009). 'Layoffs in the William Morris-Endeavor Merger'. The New York Times.
17. ^Finke, Nikki (2009-10-09). 'WME Will Stay In Endeavor Headquarters Instead Of Moving To New Morris Building'. Deadline.
18. ^Rose, Frank (1996). The Agency (First ed.). New York: Harper Business. ISBN0887308074.
19. ^ ^abRensin, David (2003). The Mailroom (First ed.). New York: Ballantine Books. ISBN0345442350.

Further reading[edit]

• Haskell, Sam (2009). Promises I Made My Mother. ISBN978-0345506559.
• Rensin, David (2003). The Mailroom: Hollywood History from the Bottom Up. ISBN978-0345442345.
• Rose, Frank (1995). The Agency: William Morris and the Hidden History of Show Business. ISBN978-0887307492.

External links[edit]

Background

Endeavor is a global entertainment, sports and content company, home to the world’s most dynamic and engaging storytellers, brands, live events and experiences. The company is comprised of industry leaders including entertainment agency WME; sports, fashion, events and media company IMG; and premier mixed martial arts organization UFC. The Endeavor network specializes in talent representation and management; marketing, brand strategy, activation, and licensing; content development, media distribution and sales; event management; and a number of direct-to-consumer offerings. Named one of Fortune’s 25 Most Important Private Companies, Endeavor employs 7,000+ employees operating across 30+ countries.

From fashion shows to critically acclaimed television and films, bestselling novels to gourmet culinary festivals, world-class sports training to sold-out cultural experiences, we influence an unparalleled number of compelling experiences around the world each day. Prepare to be challenged, take risks, and help us write the future of entertainment and sports, making these world class experiences possible. Endeavor unites and brings people together in our love of sport, culture, and entertainment. We understand this can only be accomplished when we harness the entirety of our company and lead with a lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion. It means that we engage in anti-racism and allyship the way we do anything. Fiercely and Fearlessly. As a global company that drives culture we endeavor to reflect the world’s diverse voices both internally and externally to ensure success in our mission.

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This newly-created role within WME Sports, a division of Endeavor, will build Endeavor’s strategic & tactical plans, go-to-market strategies and business team targeting properties around the world. Endeavor’s property representation business will identify business offerings and opportunities to serve and support sports and entertainment properties domestically and internationally. The role will personally lead new business development, including all sales, and manage Endeavor’s to-be-bolstered account, service and fulfillment teams for all property representation accounts.

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• Utilizing the current internal culture of Endeavor and WME, build a high-energy, hard charging, results-driven internal culture predicated on high-end business development and sales.

• Build and manage a high-performing team, leading by example and balancing working in the trenches alongside your staff with top-level strategic thinking. Hire, train, mentor, and develop a diverse team. Constantly emphasize and build bench strength.

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• Bachelor's Degree strongly preferred; graduate degrees a plus.

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• Creative:Possess a strong desire to innovate; able to think creatively; develop marketing plans and programs unique to the industry; generate out-of-the-box ideas and concepts on behalf of clients; able to generate new ways to solve problems; etc.

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