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UPDATE: Bill Butler is leaving Gersh to manage his client Melina Kanakaredes, who is moving to WME for agency representation. Also, Karen Forman — a talent agent at Metropolitan, APA and most recently Domain – is partnering with Danielle Del and Didi Rea at D2 Management.
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What does Butlers departure mean for the many many many talent agents in the NY office, of whom the only reason they were employed, was due to the money that he was bringing in. I can think of 3 talent agents there who have zero marquee names but all came off of Bill’s desk.
only 3?
Well, i guess this means that Jason Gutman will get the corner office, and Jason will immediately start cleaning house in that department….
In my opinion, this is one of the best parts of Deadline. When the agency folk hit the boards and just start talking MAD $hit about each other.
Very funny.
Guess Bill Butler will actually have to do work now! He won’t be able to rely on others to get stuff done. Chris Meloni will probably go with him too but does he have another series in him after SVU? Especially since Erwin More did that renegotiation for Mariska and Bill just rode on the coat tails for Chris. I bet Melina leaving CSI had to do with this move as well…it will be easy opening cash for Bill to place her right onto a new show.
Dear “interesting”[?]
As you can see from the outpouring below that has come out in support of Mr. Butler, you were careless to write what you did in a public forum. The truth is that:
1) Bill is far from lazy. He not only did the job of a regular agent very successfully, he also did all the administrative crap involved in running the New York office and keeping it successful, profitable, united and happy.
2) He does not take advantage of others. He has always shared and helped others succeed regardless of whether it meant a lost opportunity for himself. He is one of the most unselfish people I have ever met.
Manuel Negron
Unless you’re an attractive young guy who thinks he’s working with you, but he’s actually just trying to “work” you.
I hope Christopher Meloni will find a new agent.
I’ve known Bill Butler since he was an assistant working in the Talent Department at WMA. I also rose through the same system as Bill. I can tell you that do so is a rigorous and challenging professional path. Bill was recognized by the agency early on as a very talented man and rose quickly. His departure from WMA was certainly a lose for the firm. Not only did Bill evolve into a terrific agent but he also developed skills at managing people. He build a talent department for Gersh. In the talent business you need associates/agents that can cover the market place as no one agent can do that alone for an agency. Promoting agents and giving them responsibility is a key factor in such a venture. They all reported to Bill and with his advice the talent department did well. There are two ways of understanding and appreciating the art of agenting. One is from the inside and the other is from the outside. My friends at WMA use to say “As an agent you are always walking on thin water”.
All of us at Trident wish Bill the best as he continues his professional journey.
Robert Gottlieb
Chairman
Trident Media Group
http://www.tridentmediagroup.com
Sad thing is, these agents become managers, but they don’t change their own behavior. They’re still agents.
True managers behave much differently than agents, and it’s sad that these crossovers don’t even take that into consideration. They most often look at it as “Hey, I’ll do my job the same way, and now I can force myself on as a producer with my bigger clients. Winner winner chicken dinner!”
It’s agitating, and I wish that people took the management job seriously. It’s about career guidance, not just bookings and numbers. But I think that’s a forgotten idea for most.
Bernie Brillstein, you are missed. There was a manager who only took credits on things when his clients demanded he did. But he never wanted them. Few remain with those values.
Why would someone want to keep hustling a large list when U get to concentrate on <20? And keep them longer in most instances? And let's face it, somewhere like Gersh is hardly going to make people real equity partners. Interesting about Domain and Karen – they seem to be on a role and a significant boutique.
Have to work now?? Who do you think did all the work for his clients before? Gersh LA? Please.
He is a good agent and a good man. And no, I dont work with him or for him. Just a manager who had clients with him.
Clearly you were fooled. He had all his “minions” doing it all for him and he clearly has zero credibility in the feature world.
We become managers because we are able to “travel” with our clients as their film & TV needs increase.
I agree with smartman. Bill Butler is a good agent. This is a good move. I hope everything goes well for him and Melina Kanakaredes. I doubt he’ll be taking Chris Meloni with him. This is probably Chris’s last season on SVU and I doubt he has another series left in him.
Well, to go off another post, of the elephant in the room, can we talk about the fact with this story that has not been mentioned that Butler is the head of the NY office- he is leaving to be a manager and taking one of his biggest clients to WME- not keeping them at Gersh- what does that say in terms of his faith in Gersh- and more importantly, what does it say in terms of the NY office- its biggest earner is gone… this after its other biggest earner, John Buzzetti left for WME last year (hmmm… synergy)… .This is a much bigger story than people realize
good point but he did work at WMA for years…
Rumor is Melina was leaving with or without bill and this was his way to stay working with her.
But the bigger question is loyalty- Butlers is what almost 20 year veteran and partner in the company and he leaves for 1 client (who will maybe bring in $5mil a year?) is she promising him a producing gig on this new show. It just doesn’t feel right…
you could say it’s “Titanic”
loved bill when i worked at gersh. great energy and very kind to all assistants, etc. with advice and time. but the ny office jumped the shark when buzzetti left. actually surprised that bill was there that long — speaks to his loyalty and inherent leadership in that office. it’s all up to rhonda now!
4 senior partners gone in 2 years.
lorrie bartlett – icm
chuck james – icm
john buzzetti – wme
bill butler – mgmt
I have never lowered myself to respond to inane comments on any blog in my entire life, but after reading some of the ill-informed misdirected vitriol directed at my agent of 18 years, I had to chime in…
Bill Butler is the salt of the earth. He has been the kind of agent that many actors dream of and never find. He’s passionate, engaged and supportive to excess. He fights for who he believes in to the death. Through thick and thin, ups and downs, he’s been there for me and many, many others.
Everyone’s entitled to their own opinion, however – some opinions are just WRONG!!!
‘Nuff said.
Now, I gotta get off of this thing before I start cussing!!!
The loyalty Bill Butler’s clients have to him is unprecedented. He’s had Jane Krakowski, Chris Meloni and Melinda from the beginning of their careers…at a mid-sized agency mind you…when all the bigger agencies were after them hard. It’s a testament to how good an agent he is. You don’t get that kind of loyalty by having other people do your work for you. I personally wondered why it took so long for him to make this move…bravo to Bill and his clients.
I worked with Bill as an agent at Gersh. I can honestly say, while I didn’t always see eye to eye with him, he has a fierce loyalty from all his clients and was a great agent for them. He has the television business down well which is why he was always able to make a large income. The few that left him it seems were deeply pained over the decision and left as a result of the company but not Bill. I think the bigger conversation was alluded to earlier in this posting…4 senior partners leaving Gersh within the last two years…I guess that means that Gersh will always be a family business and never play with the big boys.
And the new York office would benefit from having Rhonda solely in control- she has heart and intelligence and lack of fear- something all of the remaining agents inthat office can use more of-
Even before Bill Butler made a name for himself in the talent department at the WMA, he was my assistant in the voice-over department at J. Michael Bloom. As young as he was, Bill knew exactly what he wanted: he had an eye for talent, he knew whom he wanted to respresent, and he had an ambition that served him well. Bill saw the dreams ahead of him, mapped out his journey, and made it a reality. How lucky for everyone who was a part of this vision. Well done, Bill! I wish you the very best.
Has Bill actually, under the radar, gone to william morris? suddenly, his employer on imdb lists that…
http://pro.imdb.com/name/nm2251026/
that was quietly done!
Does anyone know who Chris Meloni has gone with as an agent as I’m assuming he has left Gersh as a result of Bill’s move?
Good catch, Anthony. Wonder if this is the case. Can’t imagine it is.
Bill Butler was always a decent guy at WMA. People who worked for him like him a lot. That is the true test of the type of person he is.
Good luck, Bill.
Gersh as an agency is terrible. Simply a mess in my book