Who Is Sumner Redstone? Age, Biography and Wiki
Sumner Redstone was born on May 27, 1923, and passed away in 2020 at the age of 96. His impact on the media industry, particularly through his leadership of Viacom and CBS, established him as one of the most powerful figures in American entertainment. Redstone's entrepreneurial spirit and savvy business strategies allowed him to spearhead expansive media conglomerates, ultimately changing the way content was consumed worldwide.
| Occupation | Billionaire |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | May 27, 1923 |
| Age | 97 Years |
| Birth Place | Boston, Massachusetts, US |
| Horoscope | Gemini |
| Country | U.S |
| Date of death | 11 August, 2020 |
| Died Place | Los Angeles, California, US |
Popularity
Sumner Redstone's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
Sumner Redstone was known for his robust stature at 5 feet 9 inches (175 cm) tall and maintained a weight of approximately 160 pounds (72 kg) during his prime. His physical stature contributed to his commanding presence in the boardroom.
Redstone replaced the team of Jonathan Dolgen and Sherry Lansing in 2004. After arriving at Paramount in 2005, chairman and chief executive officer Brad Grey led a return to fortune at the box office. He oversaw the creation or revitalization of several major franchises, including Transformers, Star Trek and Paranormal Activity.
Paramount also forged productive relationships with top-tier filmmakers and talent including J. J. Abrams, Michael Bay and Martin Scorsese. The 2010 Paramount slate achieved much success with Shutter Island and a True Grit remake, reaching the biggest box office totals in the storied careers of Martin Scorsese and the Coen Brothers, respectively.
In addition, during Grey's tenure, Paramount launched its own worldwide releasing arm, Paramount Pictures International, and has released acclaimed films such as An Inconvenient Truth, Up in the Air, and There Will Be Blood.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Throughout his life, Sumner Redstone had two marriages. He first married Phyllis George in 1947, but the couple divorced in 1975. He later married again to his second wife, Gail Redstone, in 1989. However, this marriage also ended in divorce in 2007. In the years leading to his passing, Redstone was known to have maintained a quality relationship with his family and focused on his legacy rather than romantic involvements.
In 1940, at Sumner's behest, his father changed the family surname from "Rothstein" to "Redstone"; although Sumner credited his father for the name change, friends of the family attribute it more to Sumner. "Red stone" is the translation of the Yiddish name Rothstein.
Michael Rothstein owned Northeast Theater Corporation in Dedham, Massachusetts, the forerunner of National Amusements, and the Boston branch of the Latin Quarter Nightclub. As a teenager, Sumner had summer jobs at his father's theaters but "had higher aspirations than the then-still-somewhat-déclassé world of theaters," wrote Keach Hagey.
Net Worth and Salary
At the time of his passing, Sumner Redstone was estimated to have a net worth of around $4 billion. His fortune was largely attributed to his ownership stakes in Viacom and CBS, which he navigated through various acquisitions and mergers over the decades. These ventures showcased his exceptional business acumen and foresight in the ever-evolving media landscape.
After two years with the Justice Department, Redstone followed his supervisors to private practice in 1950. Then in 1951, Redstone became a partner of the firm Ford, Bergson, Adams, Borkland, & Redstone with two of his former Justice Department supervisors Herbert Bergson and Herbert Borkland, along with former Deputy Attorney General Peyton Ford.
In the 1954 U.S. Supreme Court case Holland v. United States, Redstone represented the plaintiffs, a married couple of hotel owners convicted of tax evasion following a sudden rise in their net worth.
Although the court would uphold their conviction, Redstone's argument that the government had the burden of proof in proving tax evasion in unusual increases in net worth would later become Internal Revenue Service policy.
Career, Business and Investments
Sumner Redstone's career began in law and transitioned into the world of cinema when he took over his father's theater business, National Amusements. His strategic vision led him to gain control over Viacom, which would later merge with CBS, solidifying his status as a media powerhouse. Redstone was instrumental in the acquisition of major networks and studios, further expanding his influence within the industry. His investments across various platforms from television to digital media were crucial in adapting to changing consumer behavior.
Sumner Murray Redstone ( Rothstein; May 27, 1923 – August 11, 2020) was an American billionaire businessman and media magnate. He was the founder and chairman of the second incarnation of Viacom, chairman of CBS Corporation (both companies merged in 2019, a year before Redstone's death), and the majority owner and chairman of the National Amusements theater chain.
Social Network
Sumner Redstone maintained a notable presence in the business world and was often in the news for his corporate decisions and dealings. Despite his passing, the legacy of his impact on the media industry continues to be discussed across various social media platforms and business networks. Discussions around his life can still be found, particularly with regard to his management style and visionary outlook.
Redstone became CEO of National Amusements in 1967. The company had 93 theater screens (52 drive-ins and 41 indoor) when Redstone took office; within 10 years, National Amusements had nearly 250 screens.
After watching the first Star Wars film in 1977, Redstone directed National Amusements to buy a five percent stake in 20th Century Fox, distributor of Star Wars. Having bought Fox for $8 a share, National Amusements sold Fox at $60 after Marvin Davis bought the company.
National Amusements' other investments in Columbia Pictures, Orion Pictures, and Paramount Pictures also had large returns on investment in the early 1980s.
Education
Sumner Redstone was a well-educated individual, having earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Harvard College in 1944. He went on to receive a law degree from Harvard Law School, which paved the way for his initial foray into the business world as a lawyer and later as a savvy media executive.
Redstone attended the Boston Latin School, from which he graduated in 1940 first in his class, and was accepted to Harvard College on scholarship. Among his coursework at Harvard was a Japanese course taught by Professor Edwin O. Reischauer, recommended to him by college administrators based on his study of Latin and Greek in high school.
In 1943, Reischauer left Harvard to establish a United States Army Signal Corps training program at Arlington Hall for Japanese translators and cryptanalysts, positions in need during World War II; Redstone would be among Reischauer's students following the professor to Arlington Hall.
