Small-Minded: Hollywood Comes Up Short

Not since the making of The Wizard of Oz has Hollywood been so focused on midgets. Technically, six-foot-three-inch Michael Eisner was referring to moguls, not munchkins, in last week’s trial-testimony slighting of Jeffrey Katzenberg. The public at large already knows that stars are short. But inside the industry, it’s a distinct advantage for the suits to have small statures to go with those big egos. While many showbiz leaders claim to measure up to the national average (five feet eight for men), their dirty little secret is a missing inch or two – or more. Some of Hollywood’s Napoleons: Warner Bros.’ Bob Daly and Terry Semel; Universal’s Ron Meyer; DreamWorks’ David Geffen; producers Mark Canton and Ray Stark; William Morris Agency’s Norman Brokaw and Walt Zifkin; United Artists’ Jeff Kleeman; managers Brad Grey, Erwin Stoff, and Michael Ovitz; and MPAA’s Jack Valenti. Now we know why Eisner’s been hiring Randy Newman for Disney soundtracks.

Small-Minded: Hollywood Comes Up Short