Corporate
March 11, 2010
Merv Adelson To Serve As Executive Advisor And Consultant To Warner Bros. Entertainment
(March 11, 2010 – Burbank, CA) - Businessman and entrepreneur Merv Adelson has been retained to serve as an executive advisor and consultant to Warner Bros. Entertainment and its businesses in the areas of new media start-ups and other early development companies that may not necessarily come to Warner Bros.’ attention through its normal business development activities.
“Throughout his career, Merv has been defined by his innovative forward thinking, which has yielded numerous initiatives and ventures that have defined their business sectors,” said Barry Meyer, Chairman & CEO, Warner Bros. “We look forward to exploring the opportunities he’ll to bring to the Studio.”
“Warner Bros. is a great company with a wealth of executive talent and resources,” said Adelson. “I’m looking forward to working with its senior management team to explore how we can fully realize and maximize the company’s entrepreneurial potential across all facets of the entertainment industry.”
Adelson’s career spans more than 60 years, and he currently serves as an in-demand consultant and lecturer. In the 1950s, he and business partner Irwin Molasky changed the face and landscape of Las Vegas through strategic real estate development, which included the city’s first major shopping mall, high-rise office building, major hospital and ABC television affiliate. In the 1960s, he became the leader of a group that put together 6,000 acres of land in the southern part of San Diego County and then proceeded to build the world famous La Costa Resort and Spa. Today, the resort offers more than 600 rooms, and the 6,000 acres is almost fully developed with homes, condos, shopping boutiques, specialized stores and office buildings.
Adelson was one of the founders and later Chairman and CEO of Lorimar Television, which quickly established a reputation for quality production of comedy, drama and reality programming, as well as made-for-television movies and mini-series for network, first-run syndication and pay/cable. Beginning with its multi-Emmy Award-winning series “The Waltons,” Lorimar went on to produce television's first mini-series, “The Blue Knight,” in 1972 and also presented the first primetime serial and forerunner of all primetime soap operas, “Dallas.” Along with “Dallas,” Lorimar produced several more of television's longest-running series, including “Knots Landing,” “Falcon Crest,” “Eight is Enough,” “Full House,” “Perfect Strangers,” “Step by Step” and “Family Matters.” Lorimar was acquired by Warner Communications in 1989. Following the acquisition, Adelson served on the board of Time Warner and was also its Vice Chairman for a time. # # #