Jeff Wald(1944-2021)
- Producer
- Actor
- Production Manager
Jeff S. Wald was born Jeffrey Sommers in 1944. He is a product of the famous William Morris Agency mailroom, which produced such Hollywood luminaries as David Geffen, Barry Diller, Jerry Weintraub, Ron Meyer, Bernie Brillstein and others. In 1967, Wald moved to Chicago and became the talent buyer for Mister Kelly's, The London House, and the Happy Medium. The following year, he moved to Los Angeles.
In late 1969, Wald and Ron De Blasio formed their own company and added George Carlin to their roster. Two years later, he inked a record deal with Capitol Records for his then-wife, actress and singer Helen Reddy. They wed in 1966 and had two children. During most of the 1970s she was one of the biggest selling female artists, winning a Grammy for "I Am Woman", one of her 14 hits and her first of four number ones. In 1975, he began building his management company and over the years his clients have included Miles Davis, Marvin Gaye, Sylvester Stallone, James Brolin, Paul Rodriguez, Elliott Gould, Donna Summer, Flip Wilson, Clint Black, Gary Morris, Roseanne Barr, and Mike Tyson, among others. In 1986, Wald became President of Barris Industries, which then became Guber Peters. Sony bought the company and Wald stayed on until 1991.
Wald has produced award-winning movies of the week, miniseries, game shows, variety specials, scripted one-hour dramas and talk shows, including Paul Rodriguez's Latin Nights (1995) (ABC), James Brolin's Pensacola: Wings of Gold (1997) (CBS), as well as specials for both Reddy and Donna Summer (NBC & ABC). Wald, Mark Burnett, Jeffrey Katzenberg, and Sylvester Stallone were executive producers of The Contender (2005),, which ran for four years. Wald produced feature films for Orion (Opposing Force (1986)) and for Rhysher/MGM Entertainment (2 Days in the Valley (1996)).
Wald was a Jerry Brown delegate to the 1976 Democratic convention and a Kennedy delegate in 1980. He was appointed to a four-year term by President Jimmy Carter to serve on the board of the USO. Brown appointed him to the Board of Economic Development for the State of California. Wald also served for six years as an appointee of Mayor Bradley to the Organizing Committee for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. He served on the Board of Governors of Cedars Sinai Hospital, USC and the Betty Ford Center. Wald was an active fundraiser for Jerry Brown as Attorney General and Governor.
In 1997, Wald and Irving Azoff formed AzoffWald to promote George Foreman's last two fights. Wald also promoted Sergio Mora, Peter Manfredo, Steve Forbes, Sakio Bika and K9 Bundrage all of whom have won championship belts. He later produced a musical version of the iconic movie "Casablanca", called "Casablanca The Dance", which debuted in Beijing in front of the President of China as well as most of the Government.
Wald is currently CEO of Aria Multimedia Entertainment and Creston Enterprises, whose company has produced and published 2 coffee table books, the first being the "Official Michael Jackson Book" and the second being "Hip Hop: A Cultural Odyssey", both edited and created by Wald's son, Jordan Sommers, and photo-edited by Wald's wife, Deborah.
Wald has two adult children, Traci Donat and Jordan Sommer, from his marriage to Helen Reddy; he has one grandchild, Lily Donat (Traci's daughter). Wald's wife since 1990, Deborah, is a photographer and photo editor; they have a daughter, Sarah.
In late 1969, Wald and Ron De Blasio formed their own company and added George Carlin to their roster. Two years later, he inked a record deal with Capitol Records for his then-wife, actress and singer Helen Reddy. They wed in 1966 and had two children. During most of the 1970s she was one of the biggest selling female artists, winning a Grammy for "I Am Woman", one of her 14 hits and her first of four number ones. In 1975, he began building his management company and over the years his clients have included Miles Davis, Marvin Gaye, Sylvester Stallone, James Brolin, Paul Rodriguez, Elliott Gould, Donna Summer, Flip Wilson, Clint Black, Gary Morris, Roseanne Barr, and Mike Tyson, among others. In 1986, Wald became President of Barris Industries, which then became Guber Peters. Sony bought the company and Wald stayed on until 1991.
Wald has produced award-winning movies of the week, miniseries, game shows, variety specials, scripted one-hour dramas and talk shows, including Paul Rodriguez's Latin Nights (1995) (ABC), James Brolin's Pensacola: Wings of Gold (1997) (CBS), as well as specials for both Reddy and Donna Summer (NBC & ABC). Wald, Mark Burnett, Jeffrey Katzenberg, and Sylvester Stallone were executive producers of The Contender (2005),, which ran for four years. Wald produced feature films for Orion (Opposing Force (1986)) and for Rhysher/MGM Entertainment (2 Days in the Valley (1996)).
Wald was a Jerry Brown delegate to the 1976 Democratic convention and a Kennedy delegate in 1980. He was appointed to a four-year term by President Jimmy Carter to serve on the board of the USO. Brown appointed him to the Board of Economic Development for the State of California. Wald also served for six years as an appointee of Mayor Bradley to the Organizing Committee for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. He served on the Board of Governors of Cedars Sinai Hospital, USC and the Betty Ford Center. Wald was an active fundraiser for Jerry Brown as Attorney General and Governor.
In 1997, Wald and Irving Azoff formed AzoffWald to promote George Foreman's last two fights. Wald also promoted Sergio Mora, Peter Manfredo, Steve Forbes, Sakio Bika and K9 Bundrage all of whom have won championship belts. He later produced a musical version of the iconic movie "Casablanca", called "Casablanca The Dance", which debuted in Beijing in front of the President of China as well as most of the Government.
Wald is currently CEO of Aria Multimedia Entertainment and Creston Enterprises, whose company has produced and published 2 coffee table books, the first being the "Official Michael Jackson Book" and the second being "Hip Hop: A Cultural Odyssey", both edited and created by Wald's son, Jordan Sommers, and photo-edited by Wald's wife, Deborah.
Wald has two adult children, Traci Donat and Jordan Sommer, from his marriage to Helen Reddy; he has one grandchild, Lily Donat (Traci's daughter). Wald's wife since 1990, Deborah, is a photographer and photo editor; they have a daughter, Sarah.
