David Geffen
The music and film mogul who co-founded DreamWorks SKG alongside Spielberg and Katzenberg.
David Geffen co-founded DreamWorks SKG with Steven Spielberg and Jeffrey Katzenberg in 1994. While Spielberg and Katzenberg brought creative and animation expertise, Geffen contributed decades of experience from founding Asylum Records, Geffen Records, and the Geffen Film Company. His role provided the financial foundation and industry connections that allowed the new studio to challenge established players from the start.
Quick Facts
- Birth name
- David Lawrence Geffen
- Born
- 21 February 1943
- Birthplace
- New York City, U.S.
- Occupation
- Entrepreneur
- record executive
- film producer
- media proprietor
Lore & Background
Geffen's path to DreamWorks began long before 1994. After starting his entertainment career in 1964 as a mailroom clerk at the William Morris Agency, he quickly became a talent agent. He co-founded Asylum Records in 1971 with Elliot Roberts, launching the label that signed the Eagles, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, and Tom Waits. In 1980, he founded Geffen Records, signing John Lennon for Double Fantasy just before Lennon's murder in December 1980. The label later released recordings by Guns N' Roses, Nirvana, Aerosmith, and Elton John. In film, his Geffen Film Company produced Risky Business (1983), Little Shop of Horrors (1986), and Beetlejuice (1988). When he co-founded DreamWorks SKG in 1994, Geffen brought this track record of identifying talent and building successful entertainment ventures. In 1995, DreamWorks signed a $100 million deal with ABC. Geffen left DreamWorks in 2008.
Reader's Guide
David Geffen co-founded DreamWorks SKG in 1994 with Steven Spielberg and Jeffrey Katzenberg. His background included founding Geffen Records in 1980 and the Geffen Film Company in 1982, which produced films like Risky Business (1983) and Beetlejuice (1988). At DreamWorks, Geffen's experience in both music and film production helped diversify the studio's early portfolio. The studio signed a $100 million deal with ABC in 1995. Geffen left DreamWorks in 2008. According to Forbes, Geffen is the wealthiest person in the global entertainment industry, with an estimated net worth of US$9 billion as of 2024.
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