Founded in 1898, the William Morris Agency was the largest diversified talent and literary agency in the world, with offices in New York, Beverly Hills, Nashville, Miami, London, and Shanghai. 1898 (MDCCCXCVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Official language(s) None, English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 27th 141,205 km² 455 km 530 km 13. ... For other uses, see: Beverly Hills (disambiguation). ... For other cities named Nashville, see Nashville (disambiguation). ... This article is about the city in Florida. ... This article is about the British city. ... For other uses, see Shanghai (disambiguation). ...

The Agency represents clients in all segments of the entertainment industry, including film, television, music and personal appearances, broadway theatre and theatrical touring, publishing, commercial endorsements, sports marketing and corporate consulting.

WMA has more than 600 employees.

History

In 1898, in New York City, a young German Jewish immigrant went into business as "William Morris, Vaudeville Agent." (The cross-hatch trademark - four X's, representing a W superimposed on an M - dates back to that time.) Incorporated in New York State on January 31, 1918, Morris was joined by son William, Jr., and former office boy Abe Lastfogel as directors of the company. 1898 (MDCCCXCVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Nickname: The Big Apple Official website: City of New York Government Counties (Boroughs) Bronx (The Bronx) New York (Manhattan) Queens (Queens) Kings (Brooklyn) Richmond (Staten Island) Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Geographical characteristics Area Total 468. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... Abraham Isaac Abe Lastfogel (1898-1984) was one of the first employees and a long-time President of the William Morris Agency, a large diverisified talent agency. ...

As silent film grew in popularity, Morris encouraged his performing clients to experiment in the new medium. Stars such as Al Jolson, the Marx Brothers, Mae West and Charlie Chaplin helped build the Agency's position in these new media. During the 1920s, clients included such luminaries as George Jessel. Al Jolson (born Asa Yoelson - the original family name was Hesselson - in Seredzius, Lithuania on May 26, 1886 – October 23, 1950) was an American singer and the son of Jewish immigrants. ... The Marx Brothers were a team of sibling comedians that appeared in vaudeville, stage plays, film and television. ... MAE-West is a major Internet peering point located in San Jose, California. ... Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin, Jr, KBE, (April 16, 1889–December 25, 1977), known as Charlie Chaplin, was a British actor, the most famous actor in early to mid Hollywood cinema era, and also a notable director. ... George Jessel (April 3, 1898–May 23, 1981) was a U.S. actor, singer, songwriter, and movie producer. ...

By 1930, Morris passed leadership of the agency to his son and Lastfogel. With Morris, Jr. heading a new office in Los Angeles and Lastfogel managing the operation in New York City, the Agency featured clients, such as Jimmy Cagney, Louis Armstrong and Will Rogers. During this time, the Los Angeles office moved from Hollywood and Vine to Canon Drive in Beverly Hills. 1930 (MCMXXX) is a common year starting on Wednesday. ... Abraham Isaac Abe Lastfogel (1898-1984) was one of the first employees and a long-time President of the William Morris Agency, a large diverisified talent agency. ... This article is about the largest city in California. ... Abraham Isaac Abe Lastfogel (1898-1984) was one of the first employees and a long-time President of the William Morris Agency, a large diverisified talent agency. ... Nickname: The Big Apple Official website: City of New York Government Counties (Boroughs) Bronx (The Bronx) New York (Manhattan) Queens (Queens) Kings (Brooklyn) Richmond (Staten Island) Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Geographical characteristics Area Total 468. ... Jimmy Cagney was part of the Legends of Hollywood USPS stamp series. ... Louis Armstrongs stage personality matched his flashy trumpet as captured in this photo by William P. Gottlieb. ... Will Rogers. ... This article is about the largest city in California. ... For other uses, see: Beverly Hills (disambiguation). ...

In 1949, WMA acquired the Berg-Allenberg Agency, combining clients such as Frank Capra, Clark Gable and Judy Garland, with a roster that already included Sammy Davis, Jr., Milton Berle and Rita Hayworth. 1949 (MCMXLIX) is a common year starting on Saturday. ... Frank Capra Frank Capra (May 18, 1897 – September 3, 1991) was an American film director and a major creative force behind a number of highly popular films. ... Clark Gable with 8th AF in Britain, 1943 Clark Gable (February 1, 1901–November 16, 1960) was an American film actor and the biggest box office star of the early sound film era. ... Judy Garland (June 10, 1922 – June 22, 1969), born Frances Ethel Gumm, was an American film actress considered by many to be one of the greatest singing stars of Hollywoods Golden Era of musical film. ... Sammy Davis, Jr. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Gilda DVD cover Rita Hayworth (October 17, 1918 – May 14, 1987), was an American actress of Spanish and English descent who reached fame during the 1940s as the eras leading sex symbol. ...

With the arrival of television, WMA recognized opportunities to package stars, producers, writers and show concepts to the corporate sponsors who controlled television's early development. During the 1950s and 1960s, WMA represented Steve McQueen, Frank Sinatra, Andy Griffith, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Katharine Hepburn, Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, Kim Novak, Dick Van Dyke and Bill Cosby. This article is about the actor Steve McQueen. ... Francis Albert Sinatra (December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer who is one of the highest acclaimed male popular song vocalists of all time. ... Griffith as Andy Taylor on The Andy Griffith Show Andy Samuel Griffith (born June 1, 1926) is an American actor, singer, writer and producer from Mount Airy, North Carolina. ... Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe (born Norma Jeane Mortensen, June 1, 1926 – August 5, 1962) is the twentieth-centurys most famous movie star, sex symbol and pop icon. ... Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), also known as The King of Rock n Roll was an American singer, music producer and actor, a giant in the modern entertainment industry. ... Hepburn, in a publicity shot for Song of Love Katharine Houghton Hepburn (May 12, 1907 – June 29, 2003) was an iconic four-time Academy Award-winning American star of film, television and stage, widely recognized for her sharp wit, New England gentility and fierce independence. ... Jack Lemmon John Uhler Lemmon III (February 8, 1925 – June 27, 2001), better known as Jack Lemmon, was a Hollywood movie star and one of the most award-winning American actors of his generation. ... Walter Matthau Walter Matthau (October 1, 1920 – July 1, 2000) was a Jewish American comedy actor. ... Kim Novak (born February 13, 1933) is an American actress. ... Richard Wayne Van Dyke (born December 13, 1925 in West Plains, Missouri), usually credited as Dick Van Dyke, is a noted American television and movie actor. ... Bill Cosby as Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable on The Cosby Show William Henry Bill Cosby, Jr. ...

By 1965, WMA had also emerged as a music industry player, representing the Rolling Stones, the Byrds, the Beach Boys and Sonny & Cher. In 1973, WMA established a Nashville office, extending the agency's reach into country music and beyond. 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). ... This article is about the rock band. ... L-R: David Crosby, Gene Clark, Michael Clarke, Chris Hillman, Roger McGuinn The Byrds were an American rock music group founded in Los Angeles, California in 1964 by singers and guitarists Jim McGuinn (he later changed his name to Roger McGuinn), Gene Clark, and David Crosby. ... The Beach Boys 1976 album 15 big ones The Beach Boys are a pop music group formed in Hawthorne, California in 1961, whose popularity has lasted into the twenty-first century. ... Sonny and Cher were an American rock and roll duo, made up of husband and wife team Sonny Bono and Cher in the 60s and 70s. ... 1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday. ... For other cities named Nashville, see Nashville (disambiguation). ...

The 1960s also saw many future media industry leaders emerge from the famed William Morris mailroom, including Barry Diller, founder of the Fox Broadcasting Company and current Chairman and CEO of IAC, Helen Gurley Brown and David Geffen, founder of Geffen Records and Dreamworks Studio. These ambitious talents often clashed, sometimes in public, as when, in 1975, Michael Ovitz and four other agents left WMA to form Creative Artists Agency. Barry Diller at the Web 2. ... The Fox Broadcasting Company, usually referred to as just Fox (the company itself prefers the capitalized version FOX), but rarely as FBC, is a television network in the United States. ... IAC has several meanings: The Instituto de Astrofísica de Canariasis an astrophysical research institute based in Canary Islands, Spain. ... Helen Gurley Brown (b. ... David Lawrence Geffen (born February 21, 1943) is a record executive, film and theatrical producer, and philanthropist. ... 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1975 calendar). ... Michael Ovitz (born December 14, 1946), talent agent and Hollywood powerhouse, served as the head of the Creative Artists Agency from 1975 to 1995. ... Creative Artists Agency (CAA) is perhaps the most powerful talent and literary agency in American show business. ...

In the 1980s, the William Morris Plaza was constructed, located at 150 El Camino Drive, directly across the street from its main building at 151 El Camino.

In 1992, the Agency acquired Triad Artists, and fifty Triad agents joined WMA, the largest talent agency acquisition in history. 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ...

In 1993, WMA created the Corporate Advisory/New Media Department, which evolved into William Morris Consulting (WMC). WMC now operates in a several industry segments, including telecommunications, technology, lodging, gaming, publishing, retail, consumer products, apparel and cosmetics. 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ...

In August of 1999, Jim Wiatt, one of Hollywood's leading talent agents and Vice-Chairman of ICM, joined William Morris as President and Co-CEO. 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... ICM can refer to A program for molecular modeling Internal Coordinate Mechanics A company, International Creative Management. ...

References

• William Morris Corporate Site - http://www.wma.com/

William Morris is (not was) one of the world's largest agencies.