CAA Founder Michael Rosenfeld Dies

LOS ANGELES (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — Michael Rosenfeld, one of the partners who founded Creative Artists Agency, died on March 25th of of respiratory failure in Los Angeles after a long illness. He was 75.

Originally from Philadelphia, Rosenfeld got his start in the industry working in the mailroom at William Morris in 1957, transferring to the company's Los Angeles office two years later.

In 1975, he co-founded CAA with Michael Ovitz, Bill Haber, Rowland Perkins and Ron Meyer. While still employed at WMA, the five men met over dinner and discovered a mutual interest in launching their own agency. However, before they could secure adequate funding, their planned defection was discovered by management at WMA and all five men were fired, forcing them to launch CAA early and on a shoestring.

Primarily a film agent, Rosenfeld repped actors such as Ann-Margret, Eva Marie Saint and Dyan Cannon, as well as behind the camera talent such as William Link and Richard Levinson, the creative team behind television shows such as "Columbo," and "Mannix." He also launched CAA's literary department and cultivated relationships with key industry figures such as with ABC's Michael Eisner.

After leaving CAA in the 1980s, Rosenfeld took a turn at film production, helping to produce movies such as the 1986 skateboarding cult favorite "Thrashin'" "Flowers in the Attic" (1987).

Rosenfeld is survived by his son Michael and daughter-in-law Sonya, both agents at CAA as well as his sons Maxwell and Jackson; daughter Molly; his daughter-in-law Glenele; his grandchildren Casey, Willy and Hannah; and his aunt Gertrude Mandell. – CelebrityAccess Staff Writers