(CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — Five months after being named head of Paramount Pictures, Brad Grey has relinquished sole ownership of management and television production business Brillstein-Grey Entertainment to longtime executives Cynthia Pett-Dante and Jon Liebman, who will run the company as co-presidents.
Since Grey’s departure, the company has regained substantial forward motion, bringing in talent managers Aleen Keshishian, JoAnne Colonna and Mary Putnam Green from The Firm. The company also completed a deal with the Walt Disney Co.’s Touchstone Television, according to Variety.
The company would not reveal the purchase price, but detailed that Grey, who has been 100% owner of the company since buying out partner Bernie Brillstein in 1996, has set up an arrangement to be paid a portion of revenue for a number of years.
In the move, Grey retains a significant ownership of HBO’s “The Sopranos” and a passive financial interest in other shows originated during his tenure, including ABC’s “According to Jim” and “Jake in Progress” and HBO’s “Real Time With Bill Maher.” Grey will also retain a share of the syndicated series “Just Shoot Me” and “Newsradio.”
He will not share in the profits of any shows created since his March 1 departure, including Comedy Central’s “The Showbiz Show With David Spade” and “Mind of Mencia,” or any shows produced under the firm’s Touchstone Television deal.
The new principal owners, Pett-Dante and Liebman, will be joined by a number of partners including longtime BGE reps Marc Gurvitz and Sandy Wernick.
Brillstein-Grey Television continues to be run by president Peter Traugott, executive VP Becky Clements and development director Mike Marks.
“The way Cynthia and I look at it, the great thing about the company is that while we are injecting new blood into the company, there is continuity because we are still working with the people who built the company, from Bernie to Sandy and Marc,” Liebman told Variety.
Pett-Dante and Liebman said Brillstein-Grey may re-establish its own film production operation, which ceased when the Grey sold his share of Plan B, a company co-owned by Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston. –by CelebrityAccess Staff Writers
Provident VP Launches Patton House Entertainment
(CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — Andrew Patton, VP of national promotions for Provident Label Group, has announced that he is transitioning from his post at the label group to move into a new phase of his career in Christian music.
Patton has long been interested in artist management and will be opening Patton House Entertainment to focus on management. He will continue to work PLG artists through Oct. 14 and assist the promotions team and label through its transition. No replacement has been named yet.
“PLG has an incredibly talented promotions team and I look forward to watching them grow and flourish in the coming months,” comments Patton.
“Over the past 16 years, I’ve experienced radio from both sides of the microphone, working almost 10 years for industry leading Christian radio stations and the past six for major labels,” he adds. “I’ve gained a unique understanding of the power of radio and promotions, and am thankful for the long term friendships I’ve been able to develop with the most influential leaders in this industry. I appreciate Provident’s support as I transition into this exciting new phase of my career.”
Andrew Patton can be contacted at pattonmanagement@aol.com. –by CelebrityAccess Staff Writers
