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EXCLUSIVE UPDATE: I’m told that Jon Hamm is going “nowhere right now. He’s finishing up Mad Men and then will take [agency] meetings in early December.”
PREVIOUS: The leadership of ICM Partners made a calculated – and now clearly foolish – risk when it decided not to offer longtime agent Carol Bodie a partnerership during its management buyout completed last May. Last week the agency exited Bodie. And today its marquee client, AMC’s Mad Men star Jon Hamm, followed her out ICM’s door after a decade there. So did Bodie’s Lincoln and Jack Reacher actor David Oyelowo. It’s not clear yet whether the 41-year-old Hamm will stick with Bodie and/or sign with another agency. But what Hamm’s departure does spotlight is that ICM partners’ ruling duo Chris Silbermann and Rick Levy couldn’t hang on to one of the agency’s highest profile actors who has a long career ahead of him as a high-earning movie and/or TV star. But his movie career has been thwarted by the shooting schedule of Mad Men. Once the Lionsgate show ends, then the versatile Hamm who is equally adept at comedy and drama will have the luxury of choosing from a broader array of film roles to no doubt become a movie superstar – as well as keep his hand in TV if that’s what he desires. It’s like watching prestige depart through the tenpercentery door – not to mention dollars that ICM Partners desperately need to keep funding its financial restructuring. (The agency keeps lagging WME, CAA, UTA in new scripted TV packages at recent upfronts.) Bad news travels fast in Hollywood, and this client loss was kept under wraps for Friday’s end along with an agent shuffle.
Related: ICM’s Andrew Francis Joins UTA Licensing
Related: Longtime Agent Carol Bodie Leaving ICM
Related: Jeff Berg Leaving ICM To Start Own Agency In Month’s Time
Related: ICM Management Buyout Complete
Also expected to leave ICM are Al Pacino, Roman Polanski, and other Jeff Berg clients now that the longtime Chairman took a buyout and is setting up his own boutique agency. Hamm has received 5 Emmy nominations playing Don Draper on AMC’s Mad Men. His other recent TV credits include comic turns on 30 Rock and Saturday Night Live and his recent film credits include The Town, Bridesmaids, and Friends With Kids.
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Does this come as a surprise? Chris SIlbermann and Rick LEvy can’t even sign their own names, let alone hold onto movie stars. Let the poaching begin!
Just when you thought things couldn’t get any worse for these guys, this happens. The “braintrust” at ICM really needs to sit down and think about what their strategy is before they make rash decisions. A once stellar agency will soon be nothing more than an afterthought.
“A once stellar agency will soon be nothing more than an afterthought.”
Already there…
The agency was probably upside down on keeping Bodie. Hamm as a movie star is like David Caruso at one point in time. Who the hell knows… I’m sure Carol wasn’t inexpensive.
Um… no. At the time Caruso was blowing up, he had an ego that far outweighed his talent. I’m glad he found a show where histrionics are celebrated, but he is a one note actor who only goes to 11.
Jon Hamm’s range between comedy and drama means he’ll be swimming in offers for a long time to come. Add to that his reputation for being a genuinely nice guy to work with and you can see the scales tipping in his favor on projects more often then not.
yet to be seen…
not defending ICM Partners at all … even writing that word sticks in my throat…. but its been out there for so long that carol bodie was on the chopping block, so much so that everyone wondered how in the world she could stay, knowing that she wasnt wanted or liked. As a business decision, one client or two clients does not cover the overhead of an agent at this level….. What i feel bad about is iris grossman, who actually did the work for Jon. Sorry that she is losing a client and sorry that she doesnt get the respect due to her as a classy lady, hard worker, non diva, who just does a good job. Jon didnt leave ICM “partners” he left Iris and That for him is the mistake.
agree Iris did a hell of a job for him. She is a fantastic person and agent. Iris you deserve better from Connie and Vera as well as from Jon.
I agree 100%, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves: Iris Grossman is old school ICM and with Berg out the door, who knows whether she’ll stay or not. It’s hardly out of the realm of possibility for both her and Bodie to end up at the same place and Hamm along with them.
Who cares. Too bad he didn’t stay but that’s not what this is about. Icmp is making changes and there will be fallout.
Collateral damage. It’s a shame to lose Jon Hamm but carol bodie was not a team player and didn’t fit in in the new culture. They’ll sign better.
you are right, she was not a team player and didn’t deliver.. hey, sounds like the rest of icm partners.
Wow, it’s like a Mad Men episode!
Isn’t there a show in the works based on an ICM style agency? Could work…
Hamm headlines a well-regarded show hardly anyone actually watches. There’s no evidence he’ll ever have the mass appeal to open a movie. He has a future of Chris Noth–type television roles ahead of him. He’s a special guest star or an unexpectedly funny supporting role, at most.
Exactly.
I’m so glad someone finally stated the obvious. I don’t get his appeal. Outside Mad Men he has not really done much. He was in The Town and played supporting roles in films. But as it has been stated nothing to point to him putting asses in the seats of a theater. I think he should have left Mad Men some time ago. He is mostly associated with that character. And when he is not in that character he looks and sounds very average. I think the problem he and others like him have is they think because some women go on line and go all apeshit over you means they can propel you into stardom. NOPE doesn’t happen. Like I said.. he doesn’t have that “thing” for the big screen.
I disagree with everything you say. I can’t understand how anyone could not see the outstanding talent and huge appeal of Jon Hamm. Oh, and the Chris Noth comparison is ABSURD. Jon Hamm is a huge deal, whether you want to admit it or not. He is also an excellent actor and by all accounts a very nice guy.
Chris Noth? Seriously? Give Hamm a little more credit. He’s done solid guest spots on 30 Rock and SNL and he killed it in the opening scene of Bridesmaids. Hamm is a rare talent with dramatic and comedic chops. Oh, and he could do voice work the rest of his life.
+1. I don’t see Hamm doing a piece about the Titanic any time soon wearing a ridiculous fake mustache…
You obviously have not seen him on 30 Rock-funny and shlubby and perfectly imperfect. He has the ability to change his physicality from leading man to regular guy, in the way that Jeff Bridges does. Check out his 30 Rock episodes. You are in for an eye opener. His is the anti Don Draper.
It’s better for an actor to be in a hip show no one watches than to be in a popular hit that no one talks about. what’s the highest rated hour long on tv? NCIS? don’t see a lot of movie stars coming out of there. And I don’t remember Chris Noth hosting SNL three times, or co-starring in hit movies with Kristen Wiig and Ben Affleck.
Jesus, I’m starting to sound like his agent (if he had one). I’ll stop now.
I have to agree, Hamm has not impressed in his film work so far. He was forgettable in The Town and actually could’ve had his role cut even more, he was disposable in Bridesmaids, and now he’s going to be playing an older version of Daniel Radcliffe (?!!) in some random BBC film. However, when he does other TV work, particularly comedy, he really shines and I do think that will be his future–although, I doubt he wants it to be.
karma’s a fing biotch
are berg and brodie even connected? i thought it was just a coincidence that they left on the same day or it was announced on the same day… by association, actually, she never looked so good, so i hope for him, he isn’t planning on including her in his plans. not that it matters much…
If the agency just continues hiring guys like Bart Walker; agents with young, up and coming clients, they’ll be alright. They should be angling to merge with a boutique management firm and absorb some commerce for the day to day. Chris has been at this for a couple of years now and you have to give him credit for taking body blows and still standing. They may not get to the CAA / WME level that most tout as being premiere in a short window, but they’ll get there. Ironically, their television bench of agents is pretty mediocre considering Chris and Ted have made a fortune in that space. Movie stars are over-rated at a time when the movies themselves are the stars. No one can open a movie anymore. Just look at what Jason Blum has proved. I think the agency is smply creating its own character and its been. Long haul getting rid of the pillars of stone that were so many of the ICM dinosaurs.
You know who else can take body blows like that? Homer Simpson. Actually, I don’t think that’s where the similarities stop (fat, bald, inept, only around because Jeff Berg allowed it to happen)…
I love how they spin Bodie as a non team player! Chris Silberman was on Hamm’s team…he certainly took him to enough Laker’s games and dinners, Carol Goll and Karen Sellars worked with him in commercials, Iris Grossman was his TV agent, Todd Hoffman and Doug MacLaren were his lit agents…how can they say that with a straight face?? She shared clients with Limato, Hart, Newman, NanJo, Tanya Lopez all who left the agency….she continues to share her business with Wechter, Deanda, etc…who does Eddy Yablans share clients with?
while i dont agree with your assessment, i do agree with your opinion of eddy yablans. he shares with no one.
Agreed. Yablans is as “old ICM” as they come…”I Call Me” mentality, selfish, disloyal, and vindictive. Yet ICM keeps him on because of the Ellen business. Mark my words, as soon as Ellen is through (or she realizes that Eric Gold is the only rep she really needs), Yablans will be knocking on his daddy’s door for a job.
I take it you’ve never worked in a commercial/branding department, but those are completely different in terms of share/not share. Everyone shares with the endorsement group because it’s essentially found money. They aren’t going to try and insert themselves into clients’ entertainment careers for the most part and there aren’t the same kinds of egos surrounding that part of the biz. In fact, there are a lot of talent out there who are non-exclusive in commercials or who even have different commercial representation than theatrical.
Just look at Karen’s list and you’ll see some fairly big names that ICM hasn’t repped for film or TV in a while. Wouldn’t even shock me if Connie continued letting her bring stuff to Hamm, particularly during the transition. As an aside, not sure why Goll is even mentioned as a member of Hamm’s “team”, she’s useless.
Silbermann and Levy knew exactly what the potential fallout was when they made their decisions regarding Berg and Bodie. They are the two of the smartest guys in the agency business; and two of the most realistic and strategic players in the business.
Clearly they knew what the potential fallout might be, and they were prepared to make a well-thought-through move to benefit the partnership.
It is Hamm’s loss because Silbermann and Grossman have done for Hamm and Madmen more than anyone will ever know.
They made a brilliant strategic move earlier this week by brining Bart Walker and Christine Bazdekis of Cinetic Media into the fold, with their stellar client list. Now that’s a perfect fit for the new partnership.
Onward and upward for ICM Partners.
nice job rick, but no one believes this post. go back up silbermann’s behind or return sam gores’ call..
The only Mad Men are the partners at ICM
Carol is smarter and classier than anyone else there…who could she share clients with that would add value to her work? Don’t blame her for not being part of that team!
Smart move, Hamm!
I’d bet on team Bodie over team ICM any day!
That’s like saying you’d bet on the Titanic over the Challenger…
When did they announce Mad Men would wrap after Season 6? I haven’t seen that reported anywhere.
Silbermann thinks taking someone to a game and getting drunk with them means they will stay. a joke.
wait, that doesn’t work?
icm is a joke. and silbermann is an even bigger one. he tried to keep another hot actor from an AMC show by “showing him a good time” and that blew up in his pudgy face.
I heard Silbermann calling Connie Tavel today and yelling at her…he was really upset that Jon left…he totally believed Jon would stay with him…so delusional! Most if not all of the female assistants look up to Carol…she was the only agent we wanted to be like…i miss her already.
That is the problem with Chris. He doesn’t think two steps ahead and relies and schmucks like levy and Chervin.
thank u, chervin is king schmuck.
CB is a class act that’s hard to follow.
David Oyelowo is our generations Sydney Poitier….Huge loss for ICM…
Wow if anyones delusional its you. Silbermann and Connie have a great relationship and Hamm leaving ICM was obviously something they knew could happen once Carol was let go. Keeping a “movie star” of Hamms caliber did not outweigh the baggage that Carol brought with her. You should get your facts straight, Carol did nothing for him it was all Iris Grossman. Carol was nothing but a cancer at ICM, she couldn’t keep an assistant for more than 2 months and her ice queen mentality was nothing to look up to.
TRUTH aka JR
Let’s get the facts straight, she treats her assistants like partners to her business and keeps them forever: Daniel was her assistant for 3 or 4 years! Robyn Holt 1-2 years, Maddy 2 years, get your facts right! She keeps competent smart assistants and doesn’t put up with the losers…If anyone is a cancer it’s Chris Silbermann…look at the ICM client list when he took over the presidency 7 years ago compared to today! I know TRUTH is probably written by one of Chris’ boys….are you getting him a table tonight at the usual club?
JR got exposed once again. Silbermann’s puppet.
That’s a whole lotta untruth Mr. Truth. All CB’s clients and assistants love her!
To the Partners of ICM: It’s hard to fix a problem when you are the problem.
While it was a well known fact that Carol would eventually be leaving, she was not part of the problem. She was an ignored part of an easy solution. I wish her the best of luck and look forward to working with her in the future. It comes as no surprise that Hamm and Oyelowo felt the same way.