Marvin Josephson died: the founder of ICM was 95 years old

The new company was born on 1 April 1955 as a personal management company. The first major client was Bob Kishan, who produced and starred in “Captain Kangaroo,” a 29-year children’s show on CBS. This program aired in October 1955. Captain Kangaroo had his bathroom at the 1955 Thanksgiving Hornet Parade the night before Thanksgiving. Bambergers used to be a department store in Newark, New Jersey

In the green room, Josephson met Charles Collingwood, a CBS commentator who was making colorful commentary for the parade, which aired on CBS. This was the beginning of Josephson’s pioneering role in television news characters and news producers and the transformation from a personal management company to a talent agency.

News commentators and producers included Chet Huntley, Peter Jennings, Frank McGee, Don Hewitt, and Reuven Frank. Later, Josephson personally represented Barbara Walters.

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the agency grew involving agents and clients, including hiring Lynn Nesbitt, to found a literary agency at the Talent Agency. In the mid-1960s, Josephson merged his company with Los Angeles-based Rosenberg Coryell, who, among others, represented Bing Crosby and James Garner.

Josephson subsequently acquired its partners in California and the company operated under the name of Marvin Josephson Associates (MJA). The company continued to grow in the number of MCA buying agents when MCA exited the talent agency business. He then made his biggest move in 1968 when he bought the Ashley Famous Agency from a subsidiary of Steve Ross. He decided to buy Warner Brothers and was forced to sell the talented Ashley-Famous Agency due to union rules. The price was $ 10 million, which was supposed to be in cash.

Josephson found two insurance companies that invested $ 4 million, while the other $ 6 million was loaned by Chase Manhattan, which he requested. Chase Personal Collateral Loan. Since Ted Ashley was not supposed to be a part of the deal (he would have headed Warner Brothers), the combined agency was called the Internationally Recognized Agency (IFA), but the parent company that owned IFA was still called MJA.

The MJA went public in 1971 under the name MJA, which was later changed to Josephson International, Inc. (JII).

The company continued to expand through internal growth and small acquisitions, including Chasin Park Citron, a major Hollywood boutique of former top MCA agents. In 1975, MJA acquired Creative Management Associates (CMA), which had previously managed the GAC. CMA was also a public company and was run by Freddie Fields, who decided to leave the agency business and become a film producer.

The deal involved buying cash, but in a press release it was euphemistically called a cash merger because Freddie was sensitive to the use of the term “sold.” The CMA was stronger than the IFA in movies, but the IFA was stronger in television and publishing, among other areas. Giuseppeson He was president and chief executive officer of a parent corporation, and was president and chief executive officer of a combined talent agency called International Creative Management (ICM).

Since 1975, the agency has grown into a powerhouse with offices in Los Angeles, New York and London. The company has also formed a separate classical music group called ICM Artists, which represents the likes of Yo Yo Ma, Yitzhak Perlman and Isaac Stern, along with many other prominent classical artists and directors.

During this time, Josephson personally represented a select group of clients that included Henry Kissinger following his resignation as Secretary of State. Other clients represented by Josephson himself included Steve McQueen, General Norman Schwarzkopf, former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, and General Colin Powell. Giuseppeson He also led efforts to sign the Organizing Committee for the 1976 Montreal Olympics, where ICM represented the sale of television rights to ABC on behalf of the committee.

In 1988, Josephson led the effort to privatize JII. Once again, Chase Manhattan lent 88% of the $ 72 million requested, while Josephson lent 12%. This time there was no personal guarantee. When the case went private, Josephson promised Jeff Berg, Sam Cons, and Jim Wyatt, all key agents and executives at ICM, that he would give the three of them the chance to head ICM for five years.

In 1992, Josephson fulfilled his promise and handed over daily control of ICM to Messrs. Berg, Cons and Wyatt, while Josephson remained active behind the scenes and continued to represent personal clients. In 2005, the company was sold to a private investor, Suhail Rizvi.

“We mourn the passing of one of BWI’s founders, Marvin Josephson, who was widely respected as an agent, leader and man,” BWI said in a statement. “We extend our sincere condolences to his family.

Steve McQueen introduced Josephson to karate and said he will remember him long after he forgets the commissions he received. Josephson received 4^myself Black Belt in Tang So Do, and later Israeli Martial Arts, Krav Maga, where he was awarded the Honorary 4.^myself He received a title and became a YouTube star just before the age of 82.^Y birthday.

Josephson has been actively involved with Israel throughout his life and for more than 11 years he served as the president of an American charity called Friends of the Israel Defense Forces. He has also served on the board of the International Rescue Committee and has traveled to various rescue missions to assist in the resettlement of refugees in Ethiopia, Bosnia and Iraq.

He is survived by his wife, actress / director / producer Tina Chen; Five children, Nancy Josephson, who followed in her father’s footsteps and is a prominent television agent, former president of ICM and now partner of WME, Celia and Claire, Eiling and Ipei Chen-Josephson; 16 grandchildren; two grandchildren; And his brother Jack Josephson. She was preceded in her death by her son, Joe Josephson.