Biography
David Geffen – A Busness Tycoon, Producer, Film Studio Executive, and Philanthropist, Who Established a Vast Hollywood-Based Empire

Inside This Article:
Who is David Geffen?
David Geffen is a big name in America. He is well-known as a business tycoon, producer, film studio executive as well as a philanthropist. He has gained fame founding several record companies and managing them as a record executive. David has co-created Asylum Records in 1971, along with Elliot Roberts. Then, in 1980 he found Geffen Records and DGC Records in 1990. Also, he created DreamWorks SKG in 1994. Furthermore, David is famous for his art collection in New York and California in addition to the 453-foot yacht Rising Sun. Besides, he has donated to many educational and research institutes, including David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, as a philanthropist.
Quick Info | |
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Celebrated Name | David Geffen |
Profession | business tycoon, producer, film studio executive, philanthropist |
Birth Date | February 21, 1943 |
Birth Place | New York City, US |
Full Name | David Lawrence Geffen |
Star Sign | Pisces |
Parents | Father: Abraham Geffen Mother: Batya Volovskaya |
Siblings | 3 |
Nationality | American |
Ethnicity | Jewish |
Height | 1.74m |
Weight | 80 kg |
Sexual Orientation | Gay |
Net Worth | $8 billion |
Bio
David Geffen was born on February 21, 1943, as the name David Lawrence Geffen, in New York City, United States. He was born to his father Abraham Geffen and his mother, Batya Volovskaya. Batya had her own clothing store named Borough Park. He grew up along with his older brother Mitchell Geffen, born in 1993 and died in 2006. Mitchell had two daughters, who are now the David’s closest relatives surviving.
Furthermore, he holds an American nationality, and as per ethnicity, he belongs to Jewish. He has the star sign of Pisces. Standing height of 1.74m and weigh about 80 kg, he has been able to maintain his body fit and healthy.
Personal Life
David’s sexual orientation is gay. However, he was not always a gay man. Previously, he has hooked up with a woman named Cher. In 1992, he came out to be gay.
Education of David Geffen
For schooling, David firstly attended New Utrecht High School, located in Brooklyn. The school served from grades 9 to 12. He became certified by the school in 1960. Then, he joined the University of Texas, located in Austin. He studied there for a semester and then transferred to Brooklyn College, located in Brooklyn, New York City. However, he again left the college without being certified.
Meanwhile, he moved to Los Angeles, California to pursue his career in the entertainment business. Also, he joined the Santa Monica College, located in Santa Monta, California. However, he left the college briefly.
Career
David Geffen started his career with a job in the mailroom in 1964 in the William Morris Agency (WMA). He earned $55 a week sorting the letters. Promptly, he became a talent agent then. He worked after that his brief appearance in the film “The Explosive Generation” in 1961. Eventually, he managed the career of the famous singer, songwriter Laura Nyro. Then, he became introduced to the other to be stars like Joni Mitchell, Stills, Janos Joplin, and many others.
In 1970, David, along with Elliot Roberts, founded Asylum Records. He signed some of the hottest rock and roll acts in the early 1970s. David had a contract with Linda Ronstadt, The Eagles, and Jackson Browne. In 1971, he sold the Assylum Records to Warner Communication, which also had been the largest deal in the music industry then. Eventually, in 1975, he became offered for the job of vice chairman of the Warner Brothers Pictures.
More About Career
David retired in 1977 as he had been informed he had cancer, which in 1980 revealed that there had been an error in the diagnosis, and he has clean health. Then, he returned to the music business. Subsequently, he found Geffen Records and started discovering new talents like John Lennon, Donna Summer, and Elton John. Also, in1982, they launched a new company Geffen Film Company.
The company released its first comedy “Risky Business” in 1983, which became a huge hit. In 1984, David extended his deal with Warner and had an equal share in the company. Moreover, the albums “Guns N’ Roses” had been sold over 14 million copies. Then, in March 1990, Dabid sold his recording operation to the Music Corporation of Amerca worth $6.13 million and $50 million in stock options.
Subsequently, in 1994, he co-founded the company “DreamWorks,” along with the director Steven Spielberg and a Disney executive Jeffrey Katzenberg. DreamWorks is an entertainment production company, as well as a movie studio. In 1997, the company released its first film, “Amistad,” which gained great critical acclaim. Likewise, other projects are “Spin City,” “Saving Private Ryan,” “Antz,” “In Dreams,” and “Ink,” including many others.
Net Worth of David Geffen
David has been the first openly gay man who became a billionaire in the world. Also, we can say him as the world’s wealthiest gay man. From his professional career, he earned massive popularity along with making a fortune. His net worth is estimated to be more than $8 billion as of 2020.
Furthermore, in February 2020, David Geffen sold his most expensive property, the Warner Estate in Beverly Hills of Los Angeles, to the Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos worth $165 million. $165 million in the eight percent of Jeff Bezos’s net worth as he has an estimated net worth of $131.9 billion.