Jeff Katzenberg

Jeffrey Katzenberg ( ; born December 21, 1950) is an American media proprietor and film producer. He served as chairman of Walt 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-founded DreamWorks SKG in 1994, where he served as the company's chief executive officer (CEO) and executive producer of its animated franchises—including ''Shrek'', ''Madagascar'', ''Kung Fu Panda'', and ''How to Train Your Dragon''—until stepping down from the title in 2016. He has since founded the venture capital firm WndrCo in 2017, which invests in digital media projects, and launched Quibi 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 an election donor. With active support of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, he was named "one of Hollywood's premier political kingmakers and one of the Democratic Party's top national fund-raisers". He served as a campaign co-chair for Joe Biden's 2024 presidential re-election campaign, and subsequently Kamala Harris' 2024 presidential campaign.

Early life and education

Katzenberg was born on December 21, 1950, in New York City, to a Jewish family, the son of Anne, an artist, and Walter Katzenberg, a stockbroker. He attended the Ethical Culture Fieldston School, graduating in 1969. When he was 14, Katzenberg volunteered to work on John Lindsay's successful New York mayoral campaign. He quickly received the nickname "Squirt" and attended as many meetings as he could. He went on to attend New York University for one year, before dropping out to work full-time as an advance man for Lindsay.

Professional career

Paramount Pictures

Katzenberg began his career as an assistant to producer David V. Picker, then in 1974 he became an assistant to Barry Diller, the chairman of Paramount Pictures. Diller moved Katzenberg to the marketing department, followed by other assignments within the studio, until he was assigned to revive the ''Star Trek'' franchise, which resulted in '' Star 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 including ''48 Hrs.'', ''Terms of Endearment'', and ''Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom''.

The Walt Disney Studios

In 1984, Eisner became chief executive officer (CEO) of The Walt Disney Company. Eisner brought Katzenberg with him to serve as chairman of The Walt Disney Studios. As head of the studio, he oversaw all filmed content including motion pictures, television, Disney Channel, and home video distribution. 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 its Touchstone Pictures banner, including films such as ''Down and Out in Beverly Hills'', ''Three Men and a Baby'', ''Good Morning, Vietnam'', ''Dead Poets Society'', and ''Pretty Woman''. By 1987, Disney had become the number-one studio at the box office. Katzenberg expanded Disney's film portfolio by launching Hollywood Pictures with Eisner and overseeing the acquisition of Miramax Films in 1993. Katzenberg also oversaw Touchstone Television, which produced television series such as ''The Golden Girls'', ''Empty Nest'' and ''Home Improvement''.

Katzenberg was also charged with turning around Disney's ailing Feature Animation unit, creating some intrastudio controversy when he personally edited a few minutes out of a completed Disney animated feature, '' The Black Cauldron'' (1985), shortly after joining the company. Under his management, the animation department eventually began creating some of Disney's most critically acclaimed and highest grossing animated features. These films include ''The 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 an Academy Award for Best Picture—''Aladdin'' (1992), ''The Lion King'' (1994), and ''Pocahontas'' (1995).The Disney Renaissance Didn't Happen Because of Jeffrey Katzenberg; It Happened In Spite of Him
/ref> Katzenberg also brokered a deal with Pixar to produce 3D computer-generated animated movies and greenlit production of ''Toy Story''.

Concerns arose internally at Disney, particularly from Eisner and Roy E. Disney, about Katzenberg taking too much credit for the success of Disney's animated releases. In 1993, Katzenberg discussed with Eisner the possibility of being promoted to president of the company, which would mean moving Frank 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. In an interview with ''The Hollywood Reporter'', Eisner said that Roy Disney, Walt Disney's nephew and an influential member of the Disney board, did not like Katzenberg and threatened to start a proxy fight if Katzenberg was promoted to president. Tensions between Katzenberg, Eisner and Disney resulted in Katzenberg leaving Disney upon conclusion of his work contract with the company in October 1994. Disney board member Stanley Gold said Katzenberg had been brought low by "his ego and almost pathological need to be important". Katzenberg sued Disney for money he asserted he was owed, and settled out of court for an estimated $250 million in 1999.

DreamWorks SKG

Later in 1994, Katzenberg co-founded DreamWorks SKG with Steven Spielberg and David Geffen, with Katzenberg taking primary responsibility for animation operations. He was also credited as producer or executive producer on the DreamWorks animated films ''The Prince of Egypt'' (1998), ''The Road to El Dorado'', ''Chicken Run'' and '' Joseph: 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 both ''Shrek 2'' and ''Shark Tale'' in 2004.

After DreamWorks Animation suffered a $125 million loss on the traditionally animated '' Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas'' (2003), 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. Since then, most of DreamWorks' animated feature films have been successful financially and critically with several Annie Awards and Academy Awards nominations and wins.

DreamWorks Animation

In 2004, DreamWorks Animation (DWA) was spun off from DreamWorks as a separate company headed by Katzenberg. DWA held an initial public offering that same year in conjunction with the spinoff which raised more than $812 million.

The live-action DreamWorks movie studio was sold to Viacom in December 2005. Then in 2008, DreamWorks entered into a new agreement to begin distributing its live-action films through Universal Studios in 2009.

In 2006, Katzenberg made an appearance on the fifth season of ''The Apprentice''. He awarded the task winners an opportunity to be character voices in ''Over 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 on ''The Colbert Report'' on April 20, 2010, he confirmed that from now on "every single movie" that DreamWorks Animation produced would be in 3D and gave Stephen Colbert a pair of new 3D glasses.

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 in AwesomenessTV and Nova. By January 2017, Katzenberg had stepped down from his position with DWN.

WndrCo

In January 2017, the ''LA Times'' reported that Katzenberg had raised funds for a new media and technology investment firm called WndrCo.

Quibi

In late 2018, Katzenberg announced his new video streaming platform, Quibi, created in partnership with former eBay CEO Meg Whitman. 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-based Netflix. Their investors included Disney, NBCUniversal, Sony, Viacom, and AT&T's newly rebranded WarnerMedia.

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 the coronavirus pandemic which did not align with Quibi's market niche as well as a desire to return some funds to investors. Of the initial $1.65 billion raised, Katzenberg said he was able to return $600 million to investors. To lift Quibi employees' spirits, ''The Wall Street Journal'' reported that Katzenberg told them to listen to "Get Back Up Again" from the movie ''Trolls'' during a video call announcing the company's closure.

Political activities

Katzenberg has been a prominent supporter of Democratic candidates for elected office since the Clinton administration and was an early supporter of Barack Obama. Reportedly "smitten" by Obama'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."

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 the Obama administration. Katzenberg was reportedly Obama's top "bundler", and, with Andy Spahn, had collected at least $6.6 million in combined donations for both of Obama's presidential campaigns. In 2012, Katzenberg organized a fundraiser for Obama's 2012 presidential campaign at the residence of George Clooney. The event reportedly set a record for presidential fundraisers, garnering approximately $15 million. 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.

In 2012, the Securities 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 of Oriental DreamWorks, a Chinese offshoot of DreamWorks Animation. News of the investigation broke shortly after Katzenberg assisted Joe Biden with brokering the Chinese movie deal and Katzenberg had held a fundraiser for the Obama campaign. The timing of the events led ''Washington Post'' columnist Jennifer Rubin to question if the deal and fundraiser were related. Katzenberg denied the existence of the investigation, saying that DreamWorks had never been asked for documents or to otherwise cooperate with an investigation.

In October 2012, Obama and Bill Clinton reportedly visited Katzenberg at his home in Beverly 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-Obama political action committee Priorities USA Action. Members of the White 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". Katzenberg, who had previously donated $2 million to Priorities USA Action, donated an additional $1 million to the PAC that month. Kaztzenberg donated $1 million to Priorities USA Action in 2015, which supported Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential race. In October 2016, he hosted a $100,000-per-person fundraiser at his Beverly Hills residence with Obama as the main attraction.

In 2018, following the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, Katzenberg pledged $500,000 to the March for Our Lives gun-control demonstration.

Katzenberg donated approximately $1.8 million to a PAC supporting Karen Bass's Los Angeles mayoral bid in 2022.

In 2023, Katzenberg was named as one of the national co-chairs of Joe Biden's 2024 campaign for reelection as president. Katzenberg noted he would provide significant financial support for Biden's re-election. In December 2023, Katzenberg hosted a fundraiser and, at the time, dismissed concerns about Biden's age, instead referring to it as "his superpower".

In 2024, Katzenberg was an advisor to and co-chair of the Biden reelection campaign. After Biden dropped out of the race, Katzenberg became co-chair of Kamala Harris's 2024 presidential campaign.

SOPA/PIPA

When the White House announced its opposition to the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) in January 2012, Chris Dodd, the former Senator and head of the Motion Picture Association of America, the film industry's lobbying organization, contacted Katzenberg to obtain more information about the president's plans. When Dodd reportedly asked him to intervene, Katzenberg declined, 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.

Recognition

Katzenberg was awarded an honorary Doctor of Arts degree by Ringling College of Art and Design in 2008, the first in the school's history.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences awarded Katzenberg with the Jean 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". The following year, Katzenberg was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Obama.

At the 2017 Cannes Film Festival, Katzenberg was awarded an honorary Palme d'Or, the festival's highest prize. Cannes director Thierry Frémaux credited Katzenberg and ''Shrek'' with expanding the range of films considered at the competition. Katzenberg compared the distinction to the earlier Academy recognition.

Personal life

Katzenberg married Marilyn Siegel, a kindergarten teacher, in 1975. They have twin children, Laura and David, born in 1983. David is a television producer and director.

Katzenberg and his wife have been highly active in charitable causes. They donated the multimillion-dollar Katzenberg Center to Boston University's College of General Studies, citing that the school gave their two children the "love of education". They also donated the Marilyn and Jeffrey Katzenberg Center for Animation at the University of Southern California.

Katzenberg sits on the board of directors of multiple organizations, including the Motion 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 the USC 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.

In January 2025, Katzenberg and his wife donated $5 million to the Motion Picture & Television Fund for relief efforts regarding the Southern California wildfires.

Katzenberg had an estimated worth of $900 million in 2016.

Filmography

Films

Television

Notes

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Katzenberg, Jeffrey

1950 births
Living people
20th-century American businesspeople
21st-century American businesspeople
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Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award winners
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