Mike Medavoy

Born in Shanghai, China, and raised in Chile, studio executive Mike Medavoy started out working in the mailroom at Universal Pictures. From there he became a casting director and then worked as one of Hollywood's biggest talent agents, managing the... more

Born in Shanghai, China, and raised in Chile, studio executive Mike Medavoy started out working in the mailroom at Universal Pictures. From there he became a casting director and then worked as one of Hollywood's biggest talent agents, managing the careers of such figures as Steven Spielberg, Jane Fonda, Michelangelo Antonioni, and Robert Aldrich. At that time, Medavoy also was the vice president in charge of the IFA motion picture department and was responsible for helping to promote such '70s blockbusters as The Sting and Jaws. In 1978, Medavoy and others created Orion Pictures after becoming frustrated with the policies of United Artists where Medavoy had been serving as the senior vice president of West Coast productions since 1974. He became the chairman of Tri-Star Pictures in 1990, resigning in 1994. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide less