John de Mol
Encyclopedia
Johannes "John" Hendrikus Hubert de Mol (born April 24, 1955) is a Dutch
media
tycoon
. In 2005, Forbes
magazine named him as one of the 500 richest people in the world. De Mol is one of the men behind production companies Endemol
and Talpa
.
, acquired his fortune producing television programmes. In 1997-1999 he developed the highly popular reality television
series Big Brother
with his own production company John de Mol Produkties. In 1994 his company merged with Joop van den Ende TV-Producties
into Endemol
, but it still functioned on its own. He also produced Love Letters, 1 vs. 100
and Deal or No Deal
(Miljoenenjacht
) for Endemol. De Mol sold his share of Endemol in 2000 to Telefonica
, but continued to serve as creative director until 2004.
In May 2007 De Mol returned as one of the main share holders of Endemol together with the Italian
company Mediaset
of Silvio Berlusconi
in a 2.6 billion Euro deal.
In 2010 a new Reality Sing Audition Show, The Voice of Holland
, was launched by de Mol. It was an incredible success in the Netherlands and the formula was sold to several other countries around the globe. The Voice
(of America) launched on April 27th 2011, with NBC and with John de Mol and Mark Burnett as Executive Producers. In the Voice, the singing auditions are 'blind': the jury is turned with their back to the competitors. Once 'selected' (by pushing a button), the juror turns towards the competitor. This concept, co-product of John de Mol and Dutch singing star Roel van Velzen, makes is 'All about the Voice'. After these Blind Auditions, the coaches will train their 8 competitors through knock-out battles and public voting rounds until there is one competitor left, who will be 'The Voice'.
In the original Dutch series the four judges in the jury were: singer Angela Groothuizen
, singer Roel van Velzen, singers Nick & Simon
(acting as 1 judge) and singer Jeroen van der Boom
. First winner in the Netherland: Ben Saunders, was chosen by all jurors during the Blind Audition. It took Ben seven words into his song, before three of the four judges selected him, pushed their button and had their chairs turn towards him.
In 'The Voice' (USA), the four judges are singers Christina Aguilera
, Cee Lo Green, Adam Levine
(lead singer of Maroon 5) and country music
artist Blake Shelton
. The US premiere of 'The Voice', the Blind Auditions, turned out to be the best NBC New Program Launch in over three years, with 12 million people watching.
. The actor Johnny de Mol
is their son.
From 1979 to 1982, he was romantically involved with Marga Scheide
, member of the girl group
Luv'
.
Outside of television, De Mol controls large private equity fund which owned significant shares of auto manufacturer Spyker Cars
and telecommunications company Versatel
.
John's sister, actress Linda de Mol
, appears in and presents some of his programmes, including the original Dutch version of Deal or No Deal
, Miljoenenjacht
(Hunt for Millions). She also presented one of Endemol's first productions, The DJ Kat Show
.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
media
Mass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
tycoon
Business magnate
A business magnate, sometimes referred to as a capitalist, czar, mogul, tycoon, baron, oligarch, or industrialist, is an informal term used to refer to an entrepreneur who has reached prominence and derived a notable amount of wealth from a particular industry .-Etymology:The word magnate itself...
. In 2005, Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
magazine named him as one of the 500 richest people in the world. De Mol is one of the men behind production companies Endemol
Endemol
Endemol is an international television production and distribution company based in the Netherlands, with subsidiaries and joint ventures in 23 countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, France, Mexico, Spain, Italy, Germany, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Dominican Republic, Poland,...
and Talpa
Talpa (TV)
Tien , previously known as Talpa, was the name of a commercial television channel in the Netherlands. Tien opened on August 13, 2005 as Talpa, following a name dispute with SBS Broadcasting. SBS owned the trademark TV10 and objected to the use of the word Tien...
.
Endemol
De Mol, a well known personality in the NetherlandsNetherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, acquired his fortune producing television programmes. In 1997-1999 he developed the highly popular reality television
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
series Big Brother
Big Brother (TV series)
Big Brother is a television show in which a group of people live together in a large house, isolated from the outside world but continuously watched by television cameras. Each series lasts for around three months, and there are usually fewer than 15 participants. The housemates try to win a cash...
with his own production company John de Mol Produkties. In 1994 his company merged with Joop van den Ende TV-Producties
Joop van den Ende
Johannes "Joop" Adrianus van den Ende is a Dutch media tycoon, theatrical producer, co-founder of Endemol and founder/owner of Stage Entertainment....
into Endemol
Endemol
Endemol is an international television production and distribution company based in the Netherlands, with subsidiaries and joint ventures in 23 countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, France, Mexico, Spain, Italy, Germany, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Dominican Republic, Poland,...
, but it still functioned on its own. He also produced Love Letters, 1 vs. 100
1 vs. 100
1 vs. 100 is a game show created by Endemol that is aired in several countries. The game pits one person against 100 others for a chance to win a large cash prize. The game first aired in the Netherlands as Eén tegen 100, sponsored by the Nationale Postcode Loterij .- General format :In all...
and Deal or No Deal
Deal or No Deal
Deal or No Deal is the name of several closely related television game shows, the first of which was the Dutch Miljoenenjacht produced by Dutch producer Endemol. It is played with up to 26 cases with certain sums of money...
(Miljoenenjacht
Miljoenenjacht (Netherlands)
Miljoenenjacht , officially Postcode Loterij Miljoenenjacht, is a Dutch game show, sponsored by the country's postcode lottery, where a contestant and at-home viewer could win up to €5,000,000 or as little as €0.01. The show is broadcast at various times, spanning across six episodes for each set...
) for Endemol. De Mol sold his share of Endemol in 2000 to Telefonica
Telefónica
Telefónica, S.A. is a Spanish broadband and telecommunications provider in Europe and Latin America. Operating globally, it is the third largest provider in the world...
, but continued to serve as creative director until 2004.
In May 2007 De Mol returned as one of the main share holders of Endemol together with the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
company Mediaset
Mediaset
Mediaset S.p.A., known as Gruppo Mediaset in Italian, is an Italian-based media company which is the largest commercial broadcaster in the country...
of Silvio Berlusconi
Silvio Berlusconi
Silvio Berlusconi , also known as Il Cavaliere – from knighthood to the Order of Merit for Labour which he received in 1977 – is an Italian politician and businessman who served three terms as Prime Minister of Italy, from 1994 to 1995, 2001 to 2006, and 2008 to 2011. Berlusconi is also the...
in a 2.6 billion Euro deal.
In 2010 a new Reality Sing Audition Show, The Voice of Holland
The Voice of Holland
The Voice of Holland is a Dutch reality singing competition, created by media tycoon John de Mol, and currently airing on RTL4 in the Netherlands. Hosted by Martijn Krabbé and Wendy van Dijk it is currently the number 1 show in the Netherlands, with increasing ratings from 1.6 to 3.0 million viewers...
, was launched by de Mol. It was an incredible success in the Netherlands and the formula was sold to several other countries around the globe. The Voice
The Voice (U.S. TV series)
The Voice is an American reality talent show that premiered on April 26, 2011 on the NBC television network. Based on the reality singing competition The Voice of Holland, the series was created by Dutch television producer John de Mol. It is part of an international series...
(of America) launched on April 27th 2011, with NBC and with John de Mol and Mark Burnett as Executive Producers. In the Voice, the singing auditions are 'blind': the jury is turned with their back to the competitors. Once 'selected' (by pushing a button), the juror turns towards the competitor. This concept, co-product of John de Mol and Dutch singing star Roel van Velzen, makes is 'All about the Voice'. After these Blind Auditions, the coaches will train their 8 competitors through knock-out battles and public voting rounds until there is one competitor left, who will be 'The Voice'.
In the original Dutch series the four judges in the jury were: singer Angela Groothuizen
Angela Groothuizen
Angela Groothuizen is a Dutch singer, artist and television personality.-Biography:Groothuizen rose to fame as a member of the Dutch Dance/Pop girl group Dolly Dots, which achieved popularity inside and outside the Netherlands, and scored hits between 1979 and 1988...
, singer Roel van Velzen, singers Nick & Simon
Nick & Simon
Nick & Simon is a Dutch singer-songwriter duo composed of: Simon Keizer and Nick Schilder . They gained lots of succes in their home country the Netherlands in 2006. Their latest album "Luister" went double platinum in 4 months...
(acting as 1 judge) and singer Jeroen van der Boom
Jeroen van der Boom
Jeroen van der Boom is a Dutch singer who rose to fame in 2007 with his #1 hit single Jij bent zo.-Biography:...
. First winner in the Netherland: Ben Saunders, was chosen by all jurors during the Blind Audition. It took Ben seven words into his song, before three of the four judges selected him, pushed their button and had their chairs turn towards him.
In 'The Voice' (USA), the four judges are singers Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera
Christina María Aguilera is an American recording artist and actress. Aguilera first appeared on national television in 1990 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The Mickey Mouse Club from 1993–1994...
, Cee Lo Green, Adam Levine
Adam Levine
Adam Noah Levine is an American singer-songwriter and musician, best known as the front man and guitarist for the pop rock band Maroon 5. He is also a coach on the American talent show The Voice.-Early life:...
(lead singer of Maroon 5) and country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
artist Blake Shelton
Blake Shelton
Blake Tollison Shelton is an American country music artist. In 2001, he made his debut with the single "Austin". Released as the lead-off single from his self-titled debut album, "Austin" went on to spend five weeks at Number One on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts...
. The US premiere of 'The Voice', the Blind Auditions, turned out to be the best NBC New Program Launch in over three years, with 12 million people watching.
Private life
De Mol was formerly married to singer and actress Willeke AlbertiWilleke Alberti
Willeke Alberti is a Dutch singer and actress, the daughter of entertainer and singer Willy Alberti.-Biography:...
. The actor Johnny de Mol
Johnny de Mol
John Carel de Mol , known as Johnny de Mol, is a Dutch actor and presenter. He is the son of John de Mol and Willeke Alberti.-Filmography:*Oysters at Nam Kee's *Boy Ecury...
is their son.
From 1979 to 1982, he was romantically involved with Marga Scheide
Marga Scheide
Marga Scheide is a Dutch former model and a singer. She is a member of the girl group Luv'....
, member of the girl group
Girl group
A girl group is a popular music act featuring several young female singers who generally harmonise together.Girl groups emerged in the late 1950s as groups of young singers teamed up with behind-the-scenes songwriters and music producers to create hit singles, often featuring glossy production...
Luv'
Luv'
Luv is a Dutch pop girl group that scored a string of hit records in Continental Europe as well as South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Mexico in the late 1970s and early 1980s. In 1979, Luv' was "Holland's best export act" and thus received the "Conamus Export Prize"...
.
Outside of television, De Mol controls large private equity fund which owned significant shares of auto manufacturer Spyker Cars
Spyker Cars
Spyker Cars is a Dutch sports car marque. The modern Spyker Cars only has the legal right to the brand name. The company's motto is "Nulla tenaci invia est via", which is Latin for "For the tenacious, no road is impassable". The marque's logo displays the piston engine of an airplane, a reference...
and telecommunications company Versatel
Versatel
Tele2 Netherlands Holding N.V. is a listed telecommunications company operating on the Dutch and Belgian market. It has more than 1,900 employees and over 1 million customers...
.
John's sister, actress Linda de Mol
Linda de Mol
Linda Margaretha de Mol , known as Linda de Mol, is a Dutch actress and television presenter in the Netherlands and in Germany. She is the sister of Endemol founder John de Mol...
, appears in and presents some of his programmes, including the original Dutch version of Deal or No Deal
Deal or No Deal
Deal or No Deal is the name of several closely related television game shows, the first of which was the Dutch Miljoenenjacht produced by Dutch producer Endemol. It is played with up to 26 cases with certain sums of money...
, Miljoenenjacht
Miljoenenjacht (Netherlands)
Miljoenenjacht , officially Postcode Loterij Miljoenenjacht, is a Dutch game show, sponsored by the country's postcode lottery, where a contestant and at-home viewer could win up to €5,000,000 or as little as €0.01. The show is broadcast at various times, spanning across six episodes for each set...
(Hunt for Millions). She also presented one of Endemol's first productions, The DJ Kat Show
The DJ Kat Show
The DJ Kat show was a children's television programme presented by the puppet DJ Kat and his friend Linda de Mol, the sister of Endemol founder John de Mol, which ran from 1986 to 1995. The show was first broadcast to Europe on satellite and cable channel Sky Channel and later on Sky One and Sky...
.