- Ovitz co-founded Creative Artists Agency (CAA) in 1975 and served as its chairman until 1995. He later served as President of the Walt Disney Company from 1995 to 1997. His "package deals" at CAA coupled actors, directors and screenwriters together, allowing the talent greater negotiating power with the studio, transforming the film industry.
Ovitz served as talent agent to Hollywood actors Tom Cruise, Dustin Hoffman, Kevin Costner, John Belushi, Michael Douglas, Bill Murray, Sylvester Stallone, and many others along with directors Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese and more. He helped negotiate Matsushita's acquisition of MCA/Universal as well as Sony's acquisition of Columbia Pictures. His signing of Coca Cola to CAA from McCann-Erikson changed the advertising industry by creating greater competition among non-traditional agencies.
- IMDb mini biography by: marya kramer - In 2010 Ovitz co-founded VCl fund Broad Beach Ventures - a portfolio of over thirty companies including Medium, Palantir, Klout, Priceonomics, GoodRx, and others. Ovitz also consults with Silcon Valley VC firms Andreessen Horowitz, Founders Fund and Formation 8.
Ovitz has served as a member of the Board of Directors for J. Crew Group Inc., Gulfstream Aviation and Opsware. He served as Chairman of the Executive Board of the UCLA Hospital and Medical Center and headed up the Capital Campaign to raise money for their new hospital, designed by I.M. Pei. He also served on the Executive Advisory Board of the Pediatric AIDS Foundation, the Board of Directors of D.A.R.E. America, and the National Board of Advisors for the Children's Scholarship Fund. He sits on the Board of Directors of the Museum of Modern Art, is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and sits on the Board of Advisors of Andreessen Horowitz.
- IMDb mini biography by: marya kramer
- SpouseJudy Ovitz(August 3, 1969 - present) (3 children)
- Was President & COO of the Walt Disney Company in 1995, but dismissed four months after an internal battle with Walt Disney Company Chairman & CEO Michael Eisner. However, he received an estimated $140 million severance package. This severance package was the subject of the Disney shareholder revolt in 2004 and featured in James Stewart's DisneyWar book.
- As a martial arts student under the tutelage of Steven Seagal, Ovitz is credited with both discovering Seagal and launching his movie career.
- At one point, was a consideration to become President & COO of Universal Studios (replacing Sid Sheinberg), but was passed over in support of his CAA colleague, Ron Meyer.
- Headed CAA from 1975 to 1995.
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