Chris Albrecht
Encyclopedia
Chris Albrecht is an American
media executive. Albrecht is currently the President and CEO of Starz, LLC, Liberty Media Corp.'s pay cable and movie unit. Albrecht is the former Chairman and CEO of HBO. He founded Foresee Entertainment, an independent content creation, development and distribution company, in 2008. Albrecht was the president of IMG Global Media and IMG Entertainment, subsidiaries of the IMG
production company
, from September 2007 until August 2008. Albrecht was also a Special Limited Partner in Forstmann Little & Company
.
(ICM), where he was instrumental in signing such talent as Jim Carrey
, Keenen Ivory Wayans
, Billy Crystal
and Whoopi Goldberg
. From 1975 to 1980, he co-owned The Improvisation nightclub in New York City
, and also was a talent management consultant for ABC
in New York City.
Albrecht began working at HBO in June 1985 as senior vice president, original programming, West Coast. Before becoming Chairman in 2002, he spent seven years as president of HBO Original Programming, where he directed day-to-day operations of West and East Coast original programming for HBO, Cinemax
and HBO Independent Productions and also oversaw HBO Sports and HBO Film Programming. From 1990 to 1995, Albrecht was President of HBO Independent Productions and oversaw development and production of comedy series for distribution on HBO and the networks, including Martin
and Everybody Loves Raymond
. Under his leadership, HBO became the leader in innovative entertainment and sports programming with critically acclaimed series like Sex and the City
, The Sopranos
, Six Feet Under, Deadwood
, Band of Brothers, The Wire
and Entourage
among many others.
In September 2007, Albrecht signed a three-year deal with IMG in September to serve as head of IMG Global Media and a special limited partner in Forstmann Little & Company., the private equity firm headed by Ted Forstmann that owns IMG. Albrecht and Forstmann planned to raise a $250 million fund for investments in media and entertainment content. In a statement released by IMG on August 12, 2008, Albrecht’s departure was blamed on the firm’s inability to raise those funds.
On January 1, 2010 Albrecht joined Starz, LLC as its President and CEO. He will oversee all of the Starz entities, including Starz Entertainment, Overture Films, Anchor Bay Entertainment and Film Roman. Starz, LLC, is a controlled subsidiary that operates Starz Media and Starz Entertainment. Starz Entertainment, LLC, is a premium movie service provider operating in the United States with 16 movie channels including the flagship Starz and Encore brands with approximately 17.3 million and 30.7 million subscribers respectively.
The Los Angeles Times reported that in 1991, HBO paid a settlement of at least $400,000 to Sasha Emerson, a subordinate of Albrecht who had accused him of choking her during a confrontation in her office. In an email to HBO employees, Albrecht blamed his behaviour on alcoholism.
in New York. He has subsequently started the Chris Albrecht Endowed Scholarship for the School of Communications at his alma mater.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
media executive. Albrecht is currently the President and CEO of Starz, LLC, Liberty Media Corp.'s pay cable and movie unit. Albrecht is the former Chairman and CEO of HBO. He founded Foresee Entertainment, an independent content creation, development and distribution company, in 2008. Albrecht was the president of IMG Global Media and IMG Entertainment, subsidiaries of the IMG
IMG (business)
IMG, originally known as the International Management Group is a global sports and media business headquartered in New York City.-History:...
production company
Production company
A production company provides the physical basis for works in the realms of the performing arts, new media art, film, television, radio, and video.- Tasks and functions :...
, from September 2007 until August 2008. Albrecht was also a Special Limited Partner in Forstmann Little & Company
Forstmann Little & Company
Forstmann, Little & Company is a private equity firm, specializing in leveraged buyouts . At its peak in the late 1990s, Forstmann Little was among the largest private equity firms globally...
.
Work history
Before joining HBO, Albrecht worked for five years with the firm International Creative ManagementInternational Creative Management
International Creative Management is a talent and literary agency with offices in Los Angeles, New York, and London. ICM is a full-service agency representing creative and technical talent in the fields of motion pictures, television, fiction and nonfiction publishing, music, live performance,...
(ICM), where he was instrumental in signing such talent as Jim Carrey
Jim Carrey
James Eugene "Jim" Carrey is a Canadian-American actor and comedian. He has received two Golden Globe Awards and has also been nominated on four occasions. Carrey began comedy in 1979, performing at Yuk Yuk's in Toronto, Ontario...
, Keenen Ivory Wayans
Keenen Ivory Wayans
Keenen Ivory Wayans is an American actor, comedian, director and writer known as the host and creator of the FOX sketch comedy series In Living Color, which also starred Jim Carrey, Jamie Foxx, brothers Damon Wayans, Shawn Wayans and Marlon Wayans, sister Kim Wayans, David Alan Grier, Tommy...
, Billy Crystal
Billy Crystal
William Edward "Billy" Crystal is an American actor, writer, producer, comedian and film director. He gained prominence in the 1970s for playing Jodie Dallas on the ABC sitcom Soap and became a Hollywood film star during the late 1980s and 1990s, appearing in the critical and box office successes...
and Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg is an American comedian, actress, singer-songwriter, political activist, author and talk show host.Goldberg made her film debut in The Color Purple playing Celie, a mistreated black woman in the Deep South. She received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress and won...
. From 1975 to 1980, he co-owned The Improvisation nightclub in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, and also was a talent management consultant for ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
in New York City.
Albrecht began working at HBO in June 1985 as senior vice president, original programming, West Coast. Before becoming Chairman in 2002, he spent seven years as president of HBO Original Programming, where he directed day-to-day operations of West and East Coast original programming for HBO, Cinemax
Cinemax
Cinemax, sometimes abbreviated as simply "Max", is a collection of premium television networks that broadcasts primarily feature films, along with softcore erotica, original action series, documentaries and special behind-the-scenes features. Cinemax is operated by Home Box Office, Inc., a...
and HBO Independent Productions and also oversaw HBO Sports and HBO Film Programming. From 1990 to 1995, Albrecht was President of HBO Independent Productions and oversaw development and production of comedy series for distribution on HBO and the networks, including Martin
Martin (TV series)
Martin is an American sitcom produced by HBO Independent Productions that aired for five seasons, from August 27, 1992 to May 1, 1997 on Fox...
and Everybody Loves Raymond
Everybody Loves Raymond
Everybody Loves Raymond is an American television sitcom that originally ran on CBS from September 13, 1996, to May 16, 2005. Many of the situations from the show are based on the real-life experiences of lead actor Ray Romano, creator/producer Phil Rosenthal and the show's writing staff...
. Under his leadership, HBO became the leader in innovative entertainment and sports programming with critically acclaimed series like Sex and the City
Sex and the City
Sex and the City is an American television comedy-drama series created by Darren Star and produced by HBO. Broadcast from 1998 until 2004, the original run of the show had a total of ninety-four episodes...
, The Sopranos
The Sopranos
The Sopranos is an American television drama series created by David Chase that revolves around the New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the often conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organization he heads...
, Six Feet Under, Deadwood
Deadwood (TV series)
Deadwood is an American Western drama television series created, produced and largely written by David Milch. The series aired on the premium cable network HBO from March 21, 2004, to August 27, 2006, spanning three 12-episode seasons. The show is set in the 1870s in Deadwood, South Dakota, before...
, Band of Brothers, The Wire
The WIRE
the WIRE is the student-run College radio station at the University of Oklahoma, broadcasting in a freeform format. The WIRE serves the University of Oklahoma and surrounding communities, and is staffed by student DJs. The WIRE broadcasts at 1710 kHz AM in Norman, Oklahoma...
and Entourage
Entourage (TV series)
Entourage is an American comedy-drama television series that premiered on HBO on July 18, 2004 and concluded on September 11, 2011, after eight seasons...
among many others.
In September 2007, Albrecht signed a three-year deal with IMG in September to serve as head of IMG Global Media and a special limited partner in Forstmann Little & Company., the private equity firm headed by Ted Forstmann that owns IMG. Albrecht and Forstmann planned to raise a $250 million fund for investments in media and entertainment content. In a statement released by IMG on August 12, 2008, Albrecht’s departure was blamed on the firm’s inability to raise those funds.
On January 1, 2010 Albrecht joined Starz, LLC as its President and CEO. He will oversee all of the Starz entities, including Starz Entertainment, Overture Films, Anchor Bay Entertainment and Film Roman. Starz, LLC, is a controlled subsidiary that operates Starz Media and Starz Entertainment. Starz Entertainment, LLC, is a premium movie service provider operating in the United States with 16 movie channels including the flagship Starz and Encore brands with approximately 17.3 million and 30.7 million subscribers respectively.
History of assault
In 2007, Time Warner, the parent company of HBO, requested for Albrecht's resignation, after he was charged and arrested for assaulting a woman in a Las Vegas parking lot. Albrecht complied, amidst accusations of a history of domestic abuse stretching back to the early 90s.The Los Angeles Times reported that in 1991, HBO paid a settlement of at least $400,000 to Sasha Emerson, a subordinate of Albrecht who had accused him of choking her during a confrontation in her office. In an email to HBO employees, Albrecht blamed his behaviour on alcoholism.
Philanthropy
- Albrecht co-founded Comic ReliefComic Relief USAComic Relief, Inc. is a non-profit charity organization whose mission is to raise funds to help those in need—particularly America's homeless. It has raised and distributed nearly US$50 million toward providing assistance—including health care services—to homeless people throughout the United States...
, which in its 25 years has raised more than $50 million to benefit the homeless, indluding those displaced by Hurricane KatrinaHurricane KatrinaHurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
. For a decade, he raised funds for the Los Angeles’ Shelter Partnership by enlisting celebrities like George CarlinGeorge CarlinGeorge Denis Patrick Carlin was an American stand-up comedian, social critic, actor and author, who won five Grammy Awards for his comedy albums....
, Bill MaherBill MaherWilliam "Bill" Maher, Jr. is an American stand-up comedian, television host, political commentator, author and actor. Before his current role as the host of HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher, Maher hosted a similar late-night talk show called Politically Incorrect originally on Comedy Central and...
and Lewis BlackLewis BlackLewis Niles Black is an American stand-up comedian, author, playwright, social critic and actor. He is known for his comedy style, which often includes simulating a mental breakdown, or an increasingly angry rant, ridiculing history, politics, religion, trends and cultural phenomena...
.
- Albrecht founded and chaired the Rally to Save Ahmanson Ranch, 3000 acres (12.1 km²) of California wilderness formerly threatened by commercial development. In partnership with the NRDC, Heal the Bay, The Sierra ClubSierra ClubThe Sierra Club is the oldest, largest, and most influential grassroots environmental organization in the United States. It was founded on May 28, 1892, in San Francisco, California, by the conservationist and preservationist John Muir, who became its first president...
and other organizations, this effort succeeded in preventing development and turned the land into a State Park. Heal the Bay honored Albrecht with its Walk the Talk Award for his leadership in saving Ahmanson Ranch.
- Currently, Albrecht co-chairs a $250 million fundraising campaign for Children's Hospital Los AngelesChildren's Hospital Los AngelesChildren's Hospital Los Angeles, formerly Childrens Hospital Society, is a private, non-profit teaching hospital in Los Angeles. The hospital provides multidisciplinary care to over 93,000 children each year, with physician expertise in over 100 pediatric specialties and subspecialties.The hospital...
along with Mary Hart.
Awards
- In 2001, the International Cinematographers Guild presented Albrecht with the Television Showmanship Award.
- In 2003, VarietyVariety (magazine)Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
magazine named Albrecht "Showman of the Year".
- In 2006, Albrecht was inducted into the Broadcasting & CableBroadcasting & CableBroadcasting & Cable magazine is a television industry trade magazine published by NewBay Media. Previous names included Broadcasting/Telecasting, Broadcasting and Broadcast Advertising, and Broadcasting...
Hall of Fame.
Education
Albrecht holds a BA degree in dramatic literature from Hofstra UniversityHofstra University
Hofstra University is a private, nonsectarian institution of higher learning located in the Village of Hempstead, New York, United States, about east of New York City: less than an hour away by train or car...
in New York. He has subsequently started the Chris Albrecht Endowed Scholarship for the School of Communications at his alma mater.