Ted Ashley
| Ted Ashley | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Theodore Assofsky Brooklyn |
| Died | August 24, 2002 (aged 80) |
| Nationality | United States |
| Occupation | Media executive |
| Known for | chairman of the Warner Bros. |
| Spouse(s) | Page Ashley |
| Children | Fran Ashley Dubin Diane Ashley Kim Ashley Balin Ba-nhi Ashley Sinclair |
Ted Ashley (August 3, 1922 – August 24, 2002) was the chairman of the Warner Bros. film studio from 1969 to 1980.
Ashley was born to a Jewish family in Brooklyn as Theodore Assofsky. At the age of 20 he started out as a William Morris agent (He changed his name at that time). In 1951, he started his own talent agency, Ashley-Famous, which was acquired by Kinney National Company in 1967 in exchange for 12,750,000 in Warner's stock. Ashley made the sale for personal reasons, indicating that he did not want to be an agent anymore. In an interview, Ashley quotes, “There’s something undermining to one’s sense of one’s self about that whole relationship” (referencing the agent and client partnership).
In 1969, Kinney head Steve Ross acquired the cash-stripped film company Warner Bros.-Seven Arts at Ashley's suggestion. The purchase was made and Ashley was appointed CEO of the movie studio where he served until 1981. Beginning with the unexpected success of the concert documentary (1970), the company started scoring box office hits again, reestablishing Warner Bros. as a major studio. He then became vice chairman of Warner Communications until his retirement in 1988.
Ashley was married to Page Ashley; and has four daughters, Fran Dubin, Diane Ashley, Kim Balin and Ba-nhi Sinclair. He died aged 80 in New York of leukemia, after a long illness.
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