Redstone was born in a Boston tenement to a father who changed the family name from Rothstein to Redstone and built a regional movie-theater chain. After a short career as an attorney (he graduated from Harvard and Harvard Law), Redstone joined his father's company, National Amusements, in 1954. He became CEO in 1967 and steadily grew the company with profitable investments in studios.
"Tony Bennett is a good friend," says Redstone. "He credits me with saving his career. I put him on MTV when everyone said he was over. And he was a hit. I remade his life."
Redstone on his relationship with Tom Cruise: "I fired him, and I hired him. When he deserved to be fired, I fired him. When he deserved to be hired, I hired him."
Redstone and longtime girlfriend Sydney Holland in October.
Redstone, when asked if Moonves would report to Viacom president and CEO Philippe Dauman: "Why would you ask me that? Why should they? They run their companies. Les runs CBS; Philippe runs Viacom. Why should they report to each other? No reason."
Redstone (left) calls Moonves "a miracle worker."
Grey (left) and Redstone at 2005’s War of the Worlds premiere. "I think Paramount is the best studio in the world," says Redstone. "And Brad [Grey] is the best studio leader in the world, in my opinion. I hired him!"
Redstone with then-wife Phyllis Gloria Raphael and his grandchildren in 1998.
Redstone on who his friends are: "Philippe and Les, of course. Others: Jon Voight, Tom Dooley, Tom Cruise, a lot of people. Arnold Kopelson and Anne, Wendy and Leonard Goldberg, they're all my friends. Brad Grey, Brian Grazer. Netanyahu. He's been to my house twice."
Dan Tana's in West Hollywood is one of Redstone's favorite restaurants. Some of his other favorite things? Book: The Brothers Karamazov by Dostoyevsky and Tolstoy’s War and Peace. City: Los Angeles.
Sumner Redstone's two companies, Viacom and CBS, outperformed all the major media conglomerates — Walt Disney, Time Warner, Comcast, Sony, 21st Century Fox and News Corp — as revenue for CBS surged 68 percent amid rising Nielsen ratings and carriage fees.
In 2013, Viacom and CBS stock saw growth of 68 percent and 69 percent, respectively. It could be difficult to duplicate the hefty stock gains in 2014, but analysts remain bullish on both companies. At Viacom, Paramount is expected to continue to lower costs even while offering a new Transformers film, and its cable networks should remain consistent cash cows that are highly attractive to investors.
Viacom president and CEO Philippe Dauman with his wife, Deborah. In October 2012 Redstone attempted to clarify in The Wall Street Journal comments he'd made in The New York Times. Having initially indicated in the Times that the buttoned-down lawyer Dauman, now 59, was almost certainly his successor, he then insisted to WSJ that his 59-year-old daughter, Shari, vice chairman of Viacom Inc. and CBS Corp., remained in the running. (Meanwhile, Les Moonves, 64, in 2012 extended his contract through 2017 with provisions that he report only to his board after Redstone's death.)
At this stage, says Redstone, he offers advice on how to steer the businesses to his top executives, CBS president and CEO Leslie Moonves and Viacom president and CEO Philippe Dauman, but only when it is sought. Still, he keeps close tabs on both. "I'm very busy," he says. "I talk to Philippe and Les every day. I'm very busy every day."
Redstone now spends his days at his 15,300-square-foot mansion. As executive chairman of both Viacom, which includes Paramount and several cable networks, and CBS, home of the broadcast network, a TV production unit and Showtime, he watches the stock of his two media giants "second by second," he says. And right now he is happy with what he sees: Both skyrocketed more than 65 percent in 2013, and in September, Forbes estimated his personal net worth at $5.8 billion.
Redstone’s friend Herzer, who was with him during his interview with THR.