Jeffrey Katzenberg | |
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_(cropped).jpg) Katzenberg in 2022 | |
| Born | (1950-12-21)December 21, 1950 (age 74) New York City, U.S. |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1979–present |
| Organization | WndrCo |
| Notable work | Who Framed Roger Rabbit The Little Mermaid Beauty and the Beast Aladdin The Lion King American Beauty The Prince of Egypt Shrek Kung Fu Panda How to Train Your Dragon |
| Title |
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| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Signature | |
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Jeffrey Katzenberg (/ˈkætsənbɜːrɡ/KAT-sən-burg; born December 21, 1950) is an Americanmedia proprietor and film producer. He served as chair ofWalt Disney Studios from 1984 to 1994, a position in which he oversaw production and business operations for the company's feature films. Following his departure, he co-foundedDreamWorks SKG in 1994,[a] where he served as the company'schief executive officer (CEO) and executive producer of its animated franchises—includingShrek,Madagascar,Kung Fu Panda, andHow to Train Your Dragon—until stepping down from the title in 2016. He has since founded the venture capital firm WndrCo in the same year,[1] which invests in digital media projects, and launchedQuibi in 2020, a defunct short-form mobile video platform that lost US$1.35 billion in seven months.
Katzenberg has also been involved in politics as anelection donor. With active support ofHillary Clinton andBarack Obama, he was named "one of Hollywood's premier politicalkingmakers and one of theDemocratic Party's top national fund-raisers".[2] He served as a campaign co-chair forJoe Biden's2024 presidential re-election campaign, and subsequentlyKamala Harris's2024 presidential campaign.[3]
Katzenberg was born on December 21, 1950, inNew York City, to aJewish family, the son of Anne, an artist, and Walter Katzenberg, a stockbroker.[4] He attended theEthical Culture Fieldston School, graduating in 1969. When he was 14, Katzenberg volunteered to work onJohn Lindsay's successful New York mayoral campaign. He quickly received the nickname "Squirt" and attended as many meetings as he could.[5] He went on to attendNew York University for one year, before dropping out to work full-time as anadvance man for Lindsay.[6][7]
Katzenberg began his career as an assistant to producerDavid V. Picker, then in 1974 he became an assistant toBarry Diller, thechairman ofParamount Pictures.[4] Diller moved Katzenberg to themarketing department, followed by other assignments within the studio, until he was assigned to revive theStar Trek franchise, which resulted inStar Trek: The Motion Picture. He continued to work his way up and became president of production under Paramount's president,Michael Eisner, overseeing the production of films including48 Hrs.,Terms of Endearment, andIndiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.[8]
In 1984, Eisner becamechief executive officer (CEO) ofthe Walt Disney Company. Eisner brought Katzenberg with him to serve as chairman ofthe Walt Disney Studios.[4] As head of the studio, he oversaw all filmed content including motion pictures, television,Disney Channel, and home video distribution.[4] Katzenberg was responsible for reviving the studio which, at the time, ranked last at the box office among the major studios. He focused the studio on the production of adult-oriented comedies through itsTouchstone Pictures banner, including films such asDown and Out in Beverly Hills,Three Men and a Baby,Good Morning, Vietnam,Dead Poets Society, andPretty Woman. By 1987, Disney had become the number-one studio at the box office.[9] Katzenberg expanded Disney's film portfolio by launchingHollywood Pictures with Eisner and overseeing the acquisition ofMiramax Films in 1993.[5] Katzenberg also oversawTouchstone Television, which produced television series such asThe Golden Girls,Empty Nest andHome Improvement.
Katzenberg was also charged with turning around Disney's ailingFeature Animation unit. Shortly after joining the company, he created some intrastudio controversy when he personally edited a few minutes out of a completed Disney animated feature,The Black Cauldron (1985), while also delaying its release.[10][11] Under his management, the animation department eventually began creatingsome of Disney's most critically acclaimed and highest grossing animated features. These films includeThe Great Mouse Detective (1986),Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988),Oliver & Company (1988),The Little Mermaid (1989),Beauty and the Beast (1991)—which was the first animated feature to be nominated for anAcademy Award forBest Picture—Aladdin (1992),The Lion King (1994), andPocahontas (1995).[12][13][unreliable source?] Katzenberg also brokered a deal withPixar to produce 3Dcomputer-generated animated movies and greenlit production ofToy Story.[14]
Concerns arose internally at Disney, particularly from Eisner andRoy E. Disney, about Katzenberg taking too much credit for the success of Disney's animated releases.[9][15]: 166–168 In 1993, Katzenberg discussed with Eisner the possibility of being promoted to president of the company, which would mean movingFrank Wells from president to vice chairman. Eisner responded that Wells would feel "hurt" in that scenario and then, according to Katzenberg, assured him that he would get the job if Wells vacated the position. After Wells died in a helicopter crash in 1994, Eisner assumed his duties instead of promoting Katzenberg.[16] In an interview withThe Hollywood Reporter, Eisner said thatRoy Disney,Walt Disney's nephew and an influential member of the Disney board, did not like Katzenberg and threatened to start aproxy fight if Katzenberg was promoted to president.[17] Tensions between Katzenberg, Eisner and Disney resulted in Katzenberg leaving Disney upon conclusion of his work contract with the company in October 1994.[18][15]: 183, 185 Disney board member Stanley Gold said Katzenberg had been brought low by "his ego and almost pathological need to be important".[16] Katzenberg sued Disney for money he asserted he was owed, and settled out of court for an estimated $250 million in 1999.[8]
Later in 1994, Katzenberg co-foundedDreamWorks SKG withSteven Spielberg andDavid Geffen, with Katzenberg taking primary responsibility foranimation operations. He was also credited as producer or executive producer on the DreamWorks animated filmsThe Prince of Egypt (1998),The Road to El Dorado,Chicken Run andJoseph: King of Dreams (all in 2000),Shrek in 2001,Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron in 2002,Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas in 2003 and bothShrek 2 andShark Tale in 2004.
AfterDreamWorks Animation suffered a $125 million loss on the traditionally animatedSinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas (2003),[19] Katzenberg believed that telling traditional stories using traditional animation was a thing of the past, and the studio switched to all computer-generated animation, though some of their films would have some small 2D animated sequences.[20] Since then, most of DreamWorks' animated feature films have been successful financially and critically with severalAnnie Awards andAcademy Awards nominations and wins.
In 2004, DreamWorks Animation (DWA) was spun off from DreamWorks as a separate company headed by Katzenberg.[21] DWA held aninitial public offering that same year in conjunction with the spinoff which raised more than $812 million.[22]
The live-action DreamWorks movie studio was sold toViacom in December 2005.[23][24] Then in 2008, DreamWorks entered into a new agreement to begin distributing its live-action films throughUniversal Studios in 2009.[25]
In 2006, Katzenberg made an appearance on the fifth season ofThe Apprentice. He awarded the task winners an opportunity to be character voices inOver the Hedge.
Katzenberg has been an industry leader in promoting digital 3D production of film, calling it "the greatest advance in the film industry since the arrival of color in the 1930s." When Katzenberg appeared onThe Colbert Report on April 20, 2010, he confirmed that from now on "every single movie" that DreamWorks Animation produced would be in3D and gaveStephen Colbert a pair of new3D glasses.[26]
NBCUniversal acquired DWA in 2016 for $3.8 billion. Katzenberg left his position as CEO of DWA and was named chairman of DreamWorks New Media (DWN), consisting of DWA's interests inAwesomenessTV and Nova.[27][28] By January 2017, Katzenberg had stepped down from his position with DWN.[29] In February 2017, NBCUniversal acquired a minority stake inAmblin Partners, the new parent company of the live-action DreamWorks studio since 2015, which reunited a minority percentage of the live-action DreamWorks label with its former animation division.[30]
In January 2017, theLA Times reported that Katzenberg had raised funds for anew media and technology investment firm called WndrCo.[29]
In late 2018, Katzenberg announced his new video streaming platform,Quibi, created in partnership with former eBay CEOMeg Whitman.[31][32] The platform specialized in original, short-form content designed for smartphones. Whitman was hired as the company's CEO and first employee. Katzenberg and Whitman created Quibi as a mobile-basedNetflix. Their investors included Disney, NBCUniversal,Sony, Viacom, andAT&T's newly rebrandedWarnerMedia.[33]
In late 2020, Quibi shut down after just over six months of operation. Katzenberg said the shutdown was due to a sudden change in how audiences consume media caused by thecoronavirus pandemic which did not align with Quibi's market niche as well as a desire to return some funds to investors.[34][35] Of the initial $1.65 billion raised, Katzenberg said he was able to return $600 million to investors.[36] To lift Quibi employees' spirits,The Wall Street Journal reported that Katzenberg told them to listen to "Get Back Up Again" from the movieTrolls during a video call announcing the company's closure.[37]
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Katzenberg has been a prominent supporter ofDemocratic candidates for elected office since theClinton administration and was an early supporter ofBarack Obama. Reportedly "smitten" byObama's speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, Katzenberg pledged his full support to Obama in 2006 if he decided to run for president. During his campaign, Obama praised Katzenberg for his "tenacious support and advocacy since we started back in 2007."[38][39]
Katzenberg was an avid fundraiser for Obama, doing so while much of Hollywood was still supporting the Clintons.The Wall Street Journal reported his efforts allowed Katzenberg to become an "informal liaison" between Hollywood and theObama administration.[38] Katzenberg was reportedly Obama's top "bundler", and, withAndy Spahn, had collected at least $6.6 million in combined donations for both of Obama's presidential campaigns.[40] In 2012, Katzenberg organized a fundraiser for Obama's2012 presidential campaign at the residence ofGeorge Clooney. The event reportedly set a record for presidential fundraisers, garnering approximately $15 million.[41] Some Obama campaign officials were unhappy with some of Katzenberg's requests, including that Obama stay and talk with guests at each of the 14 tables at the dinner.[38]
In 2012, theSecurities and Exchange Commission reportedly opened an investigation into DreamWorks and other movie studios for bribing foreign officials. It was opened after the announcements of a deal between China and the United States to increase the number of American movies released in China and the launch ofOriental DreamWorks, a Chinese offshoot of DreamWorks Animation.[42] News of the investigation broke shortly after Katzenberg assistedJoe Biden with brokering the Chinese movie deal and Katzenberg had held a fundraiser for the Obama campaign. The timing of the events ledWashington Post columnistJennifer Rubin to question if the deal and fundraiser were related.[43][42] Katzenberg denied the existence of the investigation, saying that DreamWorks had never been asked for documents or to otherwise cooperate with an investigation.[44]
In October 2012, Obama and Bill Clinton reportedly visited Katzenberg at his home inBeverly Hills for a private meeting with wealthy Democratic donors. The Obama campaign said the meeting was to thank supporters, but some members of the campaign finance committee said that it involved the pro-Obamapolitical action committeePriorities USA Action. Members of theWhite House press corps who had traveled to California with Obama were kept in the garage of Katzenberg's mansion and one reporter called the meeting "unusual".[45] Katzenberg, who had previously donated $2 million to Priorities USA Action, donated an additional $1 million to the PAC that month.[45][46] Katzenberg donated $1 million to Priorities USA Action in 2015, which supportedHillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential race.[47] In October 2016, he hosted a $100,000-per-person fundraiser at his Beverly Hills residence with Obama as the main attraction.[48]
In 2018, following theStoneman Douglas High School shooting, Katzenberg pledged $500,000 to theMarch for Our Lives gun-control demonstration.[49]
Katzenberg donated approximately $1.8 million to a PAC supportingKaren Bass'sLos Angeles mayoral bid in 2022.[50]
In 2023, Katzenberg was named as one of the national co-chairs ofJoe Biden's 2024 campaign for reelection as president.[51] Katzenberg noted he would provide significant financial support for Biden's re-election.[52] In December 2023, Katzenberg hosted a fundraiser and, at the time, dismissedconcerns about Biden's age, instead referring to it as "his superpower".[53]
In 2024, Katzenberg was an advisor to and co-chair of theBiden reelection campaign.[54] After Biden dropped out of the race, Katzenberg became co-chair ofKamala Harris's 2024 presidential campaign.[55]
When the White House announced its opposition to theStop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) in January 2012,Chris Dodd, the former Senator and head of theMotion Picture Association of America, the film industry's lobbying organization, contacted Katzenberg to obtain more information about the president's plans.[56] When Dodd reportedly asked him to intervene, Katzenberg declined,[57] but "sought to soothe hurt feelings and lay the groundwork for a deal more friendly to Hollywood". Katzenberg's office contacted Obama and urged him to contact other studio chiefs in order to reaffirm their support. Obama would take the advice, making Katzenberg one of the few Hollywood executives working on brokering a compromise with Silicon Valley.[38]
Katzenberg was awarded anhonoraryDoctor of Arts degree byRingling College of Art and Design in 2008, the first in the school's history.[58]
TheAcademy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences awarded Katzenberg with theJean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 2012, in acknowledgment of his role in "raising money for education, art and health-related causes, particularly those benefiting the motion picture industry".[59][60] The following year, Katzenberg was awarded theNational Medal of Arts by President Obama.[61]
At the2017 Cannes Film Festival, Katzenberg was awarded an honoraryPalme d'Or, the festival's highest prize. Cannes directorThierry Frémaux credited Katzenberg andShrek with expanding the range of films considered at the competition. Katzenberg compared the distinction to the earlier Academy recognition.[62]
Katzenberg married Marilyn Siegel, a kindergarten teacher, in 1975. They have twin children, Laura and David, born in 1983.[63] David is a television producer and director.[64][65]
Katzenberg and his wife have been highly active in charitable causes. They donated the multimillion-dollar Katzenberg Center toBoston University's College of General Studies, citing that the school gave their two children the "love of education".[66] They also donated the Marilyn and Jeffrey Katzenberg Center for Animation at theUniversity of Southern California.
Katzenberg sits on the board of directors of multiple organizations, including theMotion Picture & Television Fund,Geffen Playhouse,Cedars-Sinai Medical Center,AIDS Project Los Angeles,The Michael J. Fox Foundation,California Institute of the Arts,Simon Wiesenthal Center, and theUSC School of Cinematic Arts. In 2008, Katzenberg founded the DreamWorks Animation Academy in partnership with Inner-City Arts, a Los Angeles-based art education nonprofit organization, to provide inner-city students with instruction in digital media production.[60][67]
In January 2025, Katzenberg and his wife donated $5 million to the Motion Picture & Television Fund for relief efforts regarding theSouthern California wildfires.[68]
Katzenberg had an estimated worth of $900 million in 2016.[69]
| Year | Title | Occupation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Father of the Pride | Creator/Executive producer | 2 episodes |
| 2005–2009 | The Contender | Executive producer | 26 episodes |
| 2005 | The Contender Rematch: Mora vs. Manfredo | TV special | |
| 2008 | The Contender Asia | 12 episodes | |
| 2010 | Neighbors from Hell | 5 episodes | |
| 2020 | Dummy | Producer | wiip, Heller Highwater Pictures, Let's Go Again |
| Thanks a Million | Short TV series | ||
| Elba vs. Block | |||
| Beauty | Short series | ||
| Benedict Men | TV series | ||
| 2021 | The Now | Executive producer | |
| 2022 | Natural Born Narco |
The company nearly went bankrupt twice, Geffen said during a panel discussion in New York this year, adding that when the animated film "Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas" flopped in 2003, the resulting $125-million loss nearly sank his company.
'I think the idea of a traditional story being told using traditional animation is likely a thing of the past', he said. Among other factors, Mr. Katzenberg said, 'fast-evolving technology is making it easier to create images that a few years ago could only be drawn by hand.'
