Edgar Bronfman, Jr.
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Edgar Miles Bronfman, Jr. (born May 16, 1955) is the son of Edgar Miles Bronfman and the grandson of Samuel Bronfman, one of the most wealthy and influential Jewish families in Canada.
The Bronfman family gained its fortunes through the Seagram Company, an alcohol distilling company, but Edgar Jr. ("Efer" to friends) has gained his reputation by expanding and later divesting ownership of the Seagram company, as well as for pursuing more creative activities as a Broadway and film producer and songwriter.
Early life
Although the headquarters of the family's Seagram Company was located in Montreal, Quebec, Bronfman's father moved the family to New York City shortly after Edgar Jr.'s birth to run the American arm of the business. In order to ensure his son had proper citizenship, Edgar Sr. arranged for his then-wife, Ann Loeb Bronfman, to give birth to Edgar Jr. at Manhattan's Lenox Hill Hospital. The family returned to Montreal for several months before moving permanently to New York City; this accounts for numerous records claiming Edgar Jr. was born in Montreal. He holds dual US/Canada citizenship.Edgar Jr. is the second of five children, and was indicated by his grandfather in 1971 as being suitable as the heir to the Seagram Company.
Education
Edgar Jr. lived most of his life in the United States, except for two short stints in London. He was educated at The Collegiate School, a prep school in New York, but did not attend college.In his early days, Bronfman's interest in the arts was apparent. He was particularly active in school theatre, an interest his parents supported by donating to construct The Ann and Edgar Bronfman Theatre during a 1967 expansion at Collegiate. Edgar Jr. and his classmates created a documentary film of the school that spawned the Collegiate Film Festival, an event that gained positive press in The Los Angeles Times and The Village Voice.
In the summer before his junior year in high school, Bronfman went to London to work on a feature film, arranged partly through his father's connections at MGM.
Career
Bronfman proceeded to a brief career in entertainment in the 1970s as a film and Broadway producer. The summer before his final year of high school, in 1972, he was a credited producer on the film, The Blockhouse. Despite his inexperience, Bronfman's involvement was accepted because of his connections and access to financing. In return, he learned many of the tricks of the trade by watching his more experienced peers.In 1973, Bronfman began a songwriting career under the pseudonyms Junior Miles and Sam Roman. He often collaborated with Bruce Roberts on songs like "Whisper in the Dark", which he gave to Dionne Warwick to record in thanks for introducing him to his first wife, Sherry.
His Efer Productions company was signed by Universal Studios in 1977 to a three-year movie production contract. He produced the film The Border, which starred Jack Nicholson.
In 1982, Bronfman returned to the Seagram Company, spending three months learning the ropes before moving to London to become managing director of Seagram Europe.In 1984, Bronfman returned to New York as President of the House of Seagram, the company's U.S. marketing division. By 1994 he worked his way up to Chief Executive Officer, where he led a diversification away from the traditional liquor business into music, through Polygram, and film entertainment, through MCA, and Universal Pictures. He then led Seagram into a disastrous all-stock acquisition by French conglomerate Vivendi in 2000.
In December 2001, Bronfman announced he was stepping down from an executive capacity at Vivendi Universal, but remaining as vice chair of the board.
On February 27, 2004, Bronfman finalized the acquisition of Warner Music and he has served as Chairman and CEO of the music company since that time.
In recent years, he has continued to dabble in songwriting and penned the hit song "To Love You More", which was recorded by Celine Dion, and Barbra Streisand's "If I Didn't Love You".
Personal life
Bronfman married his first wife, Sherry, in 1979 in New Orleans. In 1993, he married second wife Clarissa Alcock, the Roman Catholic "daughter of a Venezuela oil tycoon" (see [link]). They have three children.Bronfman's son, who is known as Benjamin Brewer, is the guitar player and vocalist for the New York-based alternative rock band The Exit. The band's first mass-released recording was the song "Susan" on the soundtrack of American Pie 2. The soundtrack was released on MCA, at the time part of the Vivendi Universal empire.
See also
References
- 2004: The Icarus Factor: The Rise and Fall of Edgar Bronfman Jr. by Rod McQueen (ISBN 0-385-65995-4)
External links
- ["Edgar Bronfman Jr." in Hollywood Celebs]
- [The Unmaking of a Dynasty by Brian Milner, Cigar Aficionado Magazine]
- [Edgar Bronfman, Edgar Bronfman: Overrated father, misunderstood son (article in Slate)]
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