Ashley-Famous

Ashley-Famous was a talent agency started in 1945 by talent agent Ted Ashley. The agency was responsible for many hit television shows and had several famous clients. It changed names and ownership a few times, eventually becoming one of the agencies that in 1975 formed International Creative Management.

Ashley-Famous
TypePrivate
IndustryTalent agency
PredecessorTed Ashley and Associates
Ashley-Steiner Agency
Ashley-Steiner-Famous Artists
Founded1945 (1945) in New York City
FounderTed Ashley
Defunct1975 (1975)
FateMerged with Creative Management Associates in 1975 to form International Creative Management
SuccessorInternational Famous Agency
Key people
Ira L. Steiner (1950–1964)
OwnerTed Ashley (1945–1967)
Steve Ross (1967–1968)
Marvin Josephson (1968–1975)

Overview

Ted Ashley was known to be a skilled talent agent who would lead top clients away from other agencies and bring them to his establishment.[1] As owner of the agency, Ashley would have made circa 10% on each production.[1]

One of Ashley-Famous's claims to fame was its ability to market and sell hit television series, many of which ended up being staples of popular culture and/or cult classics. It is said that Ashley was responsible for putting over 100 television shows on the air during his time at this agency. These shows were of all different genres, including science fiction, spy fiction and parodies, and game shows. Examples include Candid Camera, Juvenile Jury, The Danny Kaye Show, Mission: Impossible, Get Smart, The Carol Burnett Show, Medic, Star Trek, Dr. Kildare, The Defenders, Tarzan, Name That Tune, The Twilight Zone and The Doris Day Show.[2]

Under Ashley, the agency represented clients from the entire spectrum of the entertainment industry including musicians, playwrights, and actors and actresses from both the big and small screens. Some of its more famous musical clients included Perry Como, Trini Lopez, Janis Joplin, The Doors, and Iron Butterfly. In the film industry, it represented Burt Lancaster, Rex Harrison, Yul Brynner, and Ingrid Bergman. Arthur Miller was one of the playwrights the agency represented,[2] as well as Yukio Mishima.

History

Ted Ashley era

Ted Ashley had been working at the William Morris Agency (where he started off as a talent agent at the age of 20) when in 1945 he decided to break off and start his own talent agency at the age of 23. It started out in New York City as Ted Ashley and Associates.[2]

In 1950, Ashley was joined by William Morris agent Ira L. Steiner and the agency was renamed the Ashley-Steiner Agency.[3][4]

In 1962, Ashley-Steiner purchased the Famous Artists Agency from Charles K. Feldman and renamed the merged entity Ashley-Steiner-Famous Artists.[5]

In 1964, Ira Steiner resigned to form his own film production company; Ashley's agency was renamed Ashley-Famous.[6]

In 1966, Ashley-Famous signed a deal with Artie Ripp and his two co-principals to act as the exclusive booker for the majority of Kama Sutra Records' artists and all its writers and producers.[7]

In 1967, Ted Ashley sold Ashley-Famous to Steve Ross, an entrepreneur in charge of Kinney National Company, in exchange for 12,750,000 in Kinney stock[1] because of personal reasons that involved not wanting to be an agent anymore. In an interview, Ashley said, "There’s something undermining to one’s sense of one’s self about that whole relationship" (referencing the agent and client partnership).[1] As a result of the sale, Ashley became CEO of Warner Bros.

Marvin Josephson era

The agency was sold again, to Marvin Josephson, in 1968 because of conflicts of interest that violated anti-trust laws;[1] it separated from Warner Bros. and became known as International Famous Agency (IFA).[8] Under Josephson, IFA became the first publicly traded talent agency.[9]

In 1971,[9] IFA acquired Jerry Perenchio's Chartwell Artists agency, which represented such stars as Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, Jane Fonda, Marlon Brando, Henry Mancini, Elton John, Glen Campbell, Johnny Mathis, Donovan, José Feliciano, Sérgio Mendes, Rod Taylor, and Michael Landon.[10]

IFA also acquired the British talent agency Robin Dalton Associates in 1971.[10]

In 1975, Josephson merged IFA with Creative Management Associates to form International Creative Management.[8]

Notable agents

Agents who worked for the firm over the years included Kay B. Barrett,[11] David Geffen,[12] Frank Konigsberg,[13] Mike Medavoy,[14] Marvin Minoff,[15] David De Silva, and Martin Baum.

References
  1. Fleming, Karl (June 24, 1974). "Who Is Ted Ashley? Just the King of Hollywood, Baby!". New York Magazine. New York Media, LLC: 30–35. Retrieved January 14, 2018.
  2. "[Deathwatch] Ted Ashley, Agency Chief, 80". slick.org. Archived from the original on November 21, 2011. Retrieved May 9, 2016.
  3. "Steiner Joins Ashley Firm". Billboard. August 12, 1950.
  4. "Ira L. Steiner, 70; Veteran Talent Agent". Los Angeles Times. February 17, 1985. Retrieved March 20, 2018.
  5. Rose, Frank (1995). The Agency: William Morris and the Hidden History of Show Business. New York: Harper Business. p. 104,263. ISBN 9780887307492.
  6. "WNDT Aides To Meet On Gould Successor". The New York Times. May 26, 1964. Ira L. Steiner announced yesterday he had resigned as executive vice president of AshleySteinerFamous Artists, Inc., a theatrical talent agency involved in the production of many television shows. Mr. Steiner said he would form a company to produce films for motion pictures and television.
  7. "Ashley Famous Takes on Acts Of Kama Sutra". Billboard. July 8, 1966. p. 24. Retrieved May 20, 2017.
  8. Murphy, J. Kim (May 19, 2022). "Marvin Josephson, Founder of ICM Partners, Dies at 95". Variety. After acquiring Ashley Famous Agency in 1968, the combined agency was renamed International Famous Agency (IFA)
  9. Pedersen, Erik (September 13, 2021). "Robin French Dies: Former Paramount Production Chief & Talent Agent Was 84". Deadline Hollywood.
  10. "Chartell Clients Shift Over to IFA" (PDF). Cashbox. August 14, 1971. p. 7.
  11. Derek Granger (January 31, 1995). "Obituaries: Kay Brown". The Independent. Retrieved February 19, 2010.
  12. Newsource, C. N. N. (February 7, 2021). "David Geffen Fast Facts". ABC17NEWS. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
  13. "Frank Konigsberg, Veteran TV Producer and Agent, Dies at 83". The Hollywood Reporter. November 14, 2016. Retrieved November 20, 2016.
  14. Phoenix Pictures Inc. (September 10, 2009). "Mike Medavoy | Chairman & Chief Executive Officer". Phoenix Pictures. Archived from the original on March 28, 2015. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
  15. Barnes, Mike (November 13, 2009). "'Nixon Interviews' producer Marvin Minoff dies". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on October 24, 2012. Retrieved December 2, 2009.
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