Freddie Gershon
Encyclopedia
Freddie Gershon was an entertainment attorney, lecturer in entertainment law
, published author of Sweetie, Baby, Cookie, Honey, a hugely successful roman a clef
novel about the music industry of 1960s thru 1980s, and former COO of the Stigwood Group of companies and current co-owner (with Sir Cameron Mackintosh
) of and CEO Chairman of Music Theatre International
, largest secondary rights of dramatic performing rights organizations in the world. (Les Misérables
, Fiddler on the Roof
, Annie
, Guys and Dolls, The Music Man
and 250 other titles)
Gershon’s career (initially he was a classical musician who studied at The Juilliard School
for 8 years) started after he graduated from Columbia Law School
in 1964. Some of his early accomplishments include representing film directors Michael Ritchie
, stage director choreographer Ron Field
, playwright Tom Eyen, and the rock band Chicago
. In 1971, Gershon became counsel to The Robert Stigwood Group Ltd.
and represented them on landmark concert tours, including the Broadway production and film Jesus Christ Superstar
as well as Blind Faith
, Derek & the Dominoes, Eric Clapton
, The Bee Gees
and the financing of Tommy
the film. He also represented RSO Records
and later partnered with CBS Records
and Allan Carr with producing a breakthrough album for Plácido Domingo
, Goya...A Life in Song. He has been active in charities such as the arts connection and served as vice chairman of the Development Committee for NYU's Tisch School of the Arts
.
Freddie Gershon, as the Chairman/CEO of Music Theatre International
(MTI) has, since 1994, been working on the development of MTI's Broadway Junior Program, which is designed to bring art, theater, dance and music to children. Gershon is also co-chairman of The SESAC, a 75 year old small performing rights organization. He lives in New York City with his wife, Myrna.
Entertainment law
Entertainment law or media law is a term for a mix of more traditional categories of law with a focus on providing legal services to the entertainment industry. The principal areas of Entertainment Law overlap substantially with the well-known and conventional field of intellectual property law...
, published author of Sweetie, Baby, Cookie, Honey, a hugely successful roman a clef
Roman à clef
Roman à clef or roman à clé , French for "novel with a key", is a phrase used to describe a novel about real life, overlaid with a façade of fiction. The fictitious names in the novel represent real people, and the "key" is the relationship between the nonfiction and the fiction...
novel about the music industry of 1960s thru 1980s, and former COO of the Stigwood Group of companies and current co-owner (with Sir Cameron Mackintosh
Cameron Mackintosh
Sir Cameron Anthony Mackintosh is a British theatrical producer notable for his association with many commercially successful musicals. At the height of his success in 1990, he was described as being "the most successful, influential and powerful theatrical producer in the world" by the New York...
) of and CEO Chairman of Music Theatre International
Music Theatre International
Music Theatre International, often abbreviated MTI, is a theatrical licensing agency based in New York City. The League of American Theatres and Producers calls MTI "A leader in the theatrical licensing industry."-Description:...
, largest secondary rights of dramatic performing rights organizations in the world. (Les Misérables
Les Misérables (musical)
Les Misérables , colloquially known as Les Mis or Les Miz , is a musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg, based on the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo....
, Fiddler on the Roof
Fiddler on the Roof
Fiddler on the Roof is a musical with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and book by Joseph Stein, set in Tsarist Russia in 1905. It is based on Tevye and his Daughters by Sholem Aleichem...
, Annie
Annie (musical)
Annie is a Broadway musical based upon the popular Harold Gray comic strip Little Orphan Annie, with music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin, and the book by Thomas Meehan. The original Broadway production opened in 1977 and ran for nearly six years with a blonde Annie as the poster...
, Guys and Dolls, The Music Man
The Music Man
The Music Man is a musical with book, music, and lyrics by Meredith Willson, based on a story by Willson and Franklin Lacey. The plot concerns con man Harold Hill, who poses as a boys' band organizer and leader and sells band instruments and uniforms to naive townsfolk before skipping town with...
and 250 other titles)
Gershon’s career (initially he was a classical musician who studied at The Juilliard School
Juilliard School
The Juilliard School, located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, United States, is a performing arts conservatory which was established in 1905...
for 8 years) started after he graduated from Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School, founded in 1858, is one of the oldest and most prestigious law schools in the United States. A member of the Ivy League, Columbia Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Columbia University in New York City. It offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in...
in 1964. Some of his early accomplishments include representing film directors Michael Ritchie
Michael Ritchie
Michael Ritchie may refer to:*Michael Ritchie , film director*Michael Ritchie , artistic director of Center Theatre Group...
, stage director choreographer Ron Field
Ron Field
Ronald Field was an American choreographer, director, and dancer.-Biography:Field was born in New York City, New York where he made his Broadway debut as a child in Lady in the Dark with Gertrude Lawrence...
, playwright Tom Eyen, and the rock band Chicago
Chicago (band)
Chicago is an American rock band formed in 1967 in Chicago, Illinois. The self-described "rock and roll band with horns" began as a politically charged, sometimes experimental, rock band and later moved to a predominantly softer sound, becoming famous for producing a number of hit ballads. They had...
. In 1971, Gershon became counsel to The Robert Stigwood Group Ltd.
Robert Stigwood
Robert Stigwood is an impresario and entertainment entrepreneur who relocated to England in 1954...
and represented them on landmark concert tours, including the Broadway production and film Jesus Christ Superstar
Jesus Christ Superstar
Jesus Christ Superstar is a rock opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber, with lyrics by Tim Rice. The musical started off as a rock opera concept recording before its first staging on Broadway in 1971...
as well as Blind Faith
Blind Faith
Blind Faith were an English blues-rock band that consisted of Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, Steve Winwood and Ric Grech. The band, which was one of the first "super-groups", released their only album, Blind Faith, in August 1969...
, Derek & the Dominoes, Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
, The Bee Gees
Bee Gees
The Bee Gees are a musical group that originally comprised three brothers: Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio was successful for most of their 40-plus years of recording music, but they had two distinct periods of exceptional success: as a pop act in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and as a...
and the financing of Tommy
Tommy (film)
Tommy is a 1975 British musical film based upon The Who's 1969 rock opera album musical Tommy. It was directed by Ken Russell and featured a star-studded cast, including the band members themselves...
the film. He also represented RSO Records
RSO Records
RSO Records was a record label, formed by rock and roll and musical theatre impresario Robert Stigwood in 1973. The "RSO" stands for the Robert Stigwood Organisation. The company's main headquarters were at 67 Brook Street, in London's Mayfair...
and later partnered with CBS Records
CBS Records
CBS Records is a record label founded by CBS Corporation in 2006 to take advantage of music from its entertainment properties owned by CBS Television Studios. The initial label roster consisted of only three artists; rock band Señor Happy and singer/songwriters Will Dailey and P.J...
and Allan Carr with producing a breakthrough album for Plácido Domingo
Plácido Domingo
Plácido Domingo KBE , born José Plácido Domingo Embil, is a Spanish tenor and conductor known for his versatile and strong voice, possessing a ringing and dramatic tone throughout its range...
, Goya...A Life in Song. He has been active in charities such as the arts connection and served as vice chairman of the Development Committee for NYU's Tisch School of the Arts
Tisch School of the Arts
Tisch School of the Arts is one of the 15 schools that make up New York University ....
.
Freddie Gershon, as the Chairman/CEO of Music Theatre International
Music Theatre International
Music Theatre International, often abbreviated MTI, is a theatrical licensing agency based in New York City. The League of American Theatres and Producers calls MTI "A leader in the theatrical licensing industry."-Description:...
(MTI) has, since 1994, been working on the development of MTI's Broadway Junior Program, which is designed to bring art, theater, dance and music to children. Gershon is also co-chairman of The SESAC, a 75 year old small performing rights organization. He lives in New York City with his wife, Myrna.