 | David Geffen: Encyclopedia - David Geffen
David Geffen
David Geffen (born February 21, 1943) is a Jewish American record executive, film and theatrical producer, and philanthropist.
Born to a Jewish family in New York, Geffen attended the University of Texas at Austin but soon dropped out.
He began his entertainment career in the mailroom at the William Morris Agency, quickly becoming an agent and promoting the careers of Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt and the Eagles, among others. The lyrics of Joni Mitchell's "Free Man in Paris" (1975) were drawn from things Geffen, a close friend in the early 1970s, told her.
He moved on to Warner Brothers, then his own Geffen Records, which included among its artists Cher, Aerosmith Guns N' Roses and Nirvana . Famed group Weezer has their works on his label as well. In the 1980s, he signed Neil Young to his record label with an offer of greater artistic control. Young subsequently produced his most experimental albums, as well as his least popular and critically successful music, all allegedly to the horror of Geffen. Young eventually returned to Reprise Records.
Through the Geffen Film Company, he produced dark-tinged comedies such as (the 1986 version of) Little Shop of Horrors and Beetlejuice. Geffen was the Broadway backer for the musicals Dreamgirls and Cats. In 1994, Geffen co-founded the DreamWorks SKG studio with Steven Spielberg and Jeffrey Katzenberg.
Geffen, who is openly gay, was the subject of a persistent but false 1990s rumor that he had married actor Keanu Reeves.
Geffen is a prominent philanthropist, renowned for his support to medical research, AIDS organizations, the arts and theatre.
According to Forbes Magazine ("The 400 Richest Americans of 2004") and other sources, Geffen has pledged to give whatever money he makes from now on to charity (although he has not specified specific charities or the manner of his giving). In 2002, he announced a $200 million unrestricted endowment for UCLA Medical School.
Geffen's Malibu home on the Pacific Coast Highway has been a battlefront in an ongoing struggle between property owners and beachgoers over access to public beaches in front of private residences. In 2002, Geffen sued to block access to the public beach in front of his home. In 2005, facing a rising tide of anger, Geffen relented and allowed access through a non-profit group.
See also
Other related archives1943, AIDS, Aerosmith, Beetlejuice, Cats, Cher, DreamWorks SKG, Dreamgirls, February 21, Forbes Magazine, Free Man in Paris, Geffen Records, Guns N' Roses, Jackson Browne, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Jewish, Jewish American, Joni Mitchell, Keanu Reeves, Linda Ronstadt, List of billionaires, Little Shop of Horrors, Malibu, Neil Young, Nirvana, Pacific Coast Highway, Reprise Records, Steven Spielberg, UCLA Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, Warner Brothers, Weezer, William Morris Agency, arts, film, gay, married, medical research, philanthropist, the Eagles, theatre, theatrical producer
 Adapted from the Wikipedia article "David Geffen", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki |
