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UPDATE: Don Buchwald President Tim Angle Exits In Fallout From Merger With Fortitude
EXCLUSIVE: Don Buchwald & Associates, the agency best known for repping Sirius XM Radio’s signature star Howard Stern, is joining forces with West Coast based talent agency Fortitude. Fortitude founders/partners Ben Press and Michael McConnell and DB&A executive vice president Julia Buchwald will serves as co-heads of Don Buchwald & Associates/Fortitude. The consolidated companies will operate out of DB&A’s existing space at 6500 Wilshire Blvd.
DB&A will remain in its Gotham offices, where it has its broadcast, commercial, voiceover, theater, legal and business affairs departments and talent and lit departments. Formed four years ago, Fortitude has lit and talent clients that include Joss Stone, Angela Lansbury, Peter Iliff, Julia Jones, Crispin Glover, Daisy Lowe, Mario Van Peebles, Elle Macpherson, Cymphonique Miller, Cybill Shepherd, Jordan Bridges, Sean Patrick Flanery, Loren Dean, Lolita Davidovich, Romeo Miller and Kathleen Quinlan.
DB&A, which is 35 years old, has a talent list that includes Ethan Suplee, Ralph Macchio, Paz de la Huerta, Norman Reedus, Fairuza Balk, Kathleen Turner and Shannen Doherty. Don Buchwald remains CEO/President, and continues to be the exclusive agent for Stern, who just re-upped at Sirius XM.
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and Osama’s dead. Which is the bigger story?
So, now there are 2 agencies that don’t rep ANYONE who is relevant or has been in 15 years. Way to go!
Angela Lansbury and Howard Stern are very much relevant.
I actually erased to comments I wrote as it just felt to easy and sad to comment on this.
“two comments”
how about “too sad”? @OMG used “to” three times in a single sentence, and only one use was correct. now that’s sad!
i feel so bad for Howard. I didn’t think his reputation could get any worse. But having Michael McConnell on his team? Now Howard will truly be vilified. McConnell is the worst person in this town.
Julia is one of the greatest agents I’ve ever dealt with.
Great fit. Happy for all
Love Ben Press. Sounds like a good match
Heard Fortitude was desperate to merge with anyone
who would take them and give them office space. Surprised
that Buchwald is willing to bring these guys in to their fold. Just sayin.
i heard the same thing. McConnell managed that place into the ground and alienated every casting person and exec around town. Ben is well-regarded but spent all his time apologizing for Michael’s abusive behavior and the young clients couldn’t even get auditions and started to walk. Feel bad for Ben.
Well, who says DB&A will keep all their new partners long term?
This is dumber than the Paradigm/W&A merger.
it is about as useless as paradigm/writers and artists and means about the same=nothing
Howard Stern and Michael McConnell. Now that Bin Laden is dead, the two most hated people alive. Match made in Hell. I guess Howard’s career is really dead if McConnell is involved. The rest of that Fortitude list is like the Career In Memorium list. RIP Howard.
Since 2007, Angela Lansbury has played lead roles in 3 Broadway shows, received a Tony nomination for everyone of them and won one (her 5th). All of those shows have recouped their initial investments. Her latest movie starring Jim Carrey Mr. Popper’s Penguins is gonna open in a month, another one is currently in pre-production. She’s also set to appear in yet another B’way show next year. Not bad for a ”Career In Memorium list”.
I wonder where you are gonna be at age 85?
She is awesome – for EIGHTY FRIGGIN FIVE. Truly Awesome.
But she ain’t gettin any younger. Best to sign some other
folks who can bring in a little green.
I stand corrected. The blazing, white-hot career of Angela Lansbury. There must have been a bidding war for the treasure chest that is Fortitude. I hear CAA and WME wanted Fortitude to be the final jewel in their crown; the one that would have tipped the scales of the entertainment business. But, alas, Don Buchwald snaked them all.
Will, you are a moron.
(Michael, you should at least put your name on your own posts. Thought you were such a tough guy.)
The F-rated most hated jerks for casting and their mostly former clients to deal with, and their arrogant older brother. The large combined ego should cause an implosion in less than 24 hours. Michael & Michael – can’t imagine 2 guys who deserve each other more.
Happy for their news. Dealing with DBA is a true joy compared to many agencies we have to endure. Congrats to Julia Buchwald, Tony Burton & DBA.
Julia Buchwald is a decent person. She returns phone calls. Is willing to talk to people who might not yet have huge client lists. That’s more than can be said for most.
Ben Press. No. There is a reason this company was failing.
Typical of the business that this trade represents, noone ever has anything good to say about anyone unless they are doing something for them. Vile business which promotes lowest common denominator principles. Congratulations to Fortitude and to Buckwald for building a strong team. Wishing you great success!
WEAK MERGER
1) Why is this a “merger”? DBA HIRED McConnell and Press. There is nothing to “merge”.
2) No way this lasts. McConnell and/or Press will be out in less than a year.
INDEED – This is not really a “merger”, but it was presented
as such so the Fortitude guys can save face. They were hired
by DBA. That truth said – the Fortitude part of the new name
will be phased out in eighteen months.
People can talk as much crap as they want, the reality is that both of these companies have clients that work and have stayed afloat while many others have had to close their doors. DBAF is going to be stronger than the sum of its parts. They need to add someone very likable to shut everyone up, although when did that become important in Hollywood??
Michael McConnell is a monster and that’s saying something in Hollywood. It takes a lot to earn that rep but he has by leaps and bounds. Wonder how long it’ll be till he’s shown the door that many of his clients have already walked out of. Most people wont even take his calls any longer so good luck finding another job.
Stern is the greatest comic talent of the last 20 years. Entire businesses were / are built off his content (see CBS radio, Sirius – XM merger, etc.).
Where he leads, millions follow.
Very true. Bottom line is that business is business and with all the people that have either lost their jobs or gone out of business, these guys are still standing strong – and are now even better positioned. Not every talent management company needs to focus on the major players, but last time I checked Howard Stern’s $500 million contract was pretty major. What about all the other actors out there that have perfectly legitimate and viable careers that need representation. This is called a niche, and last time I checked, there are a lot of niche businesses that have done quite well (read the Long Tail for more insight.) Results and revenue speak for themselves, and as long as these guys are producing both, everything else is just noise. You can’t dispute results, but what people can do is stop being jealous and conniving and acknowledge a deal that was consummated on the backs of a lot of hard work and perseverance over the years.
Huh?
Fortitude flopped. Can’t we admit it people?
Those guys thought they were big shots. They don’t understand business. If Jeffrey Katzenberg can return a call why can’t Ben? His reputation is solidified as average. These guys were hired by Buchwald. They had no other job opportunities.
Sorry.
Let’s get real Mr. Harris – This IS Scott isn’t it?