American business magnate Barry Charles Diller now holds the positions of chairman and senior executive of Expedia Inc. and IAC/InterActiveCorp. In addition, he helped launch the Fox TV network. He was raised in San Francisco, California, and attended the University of California, Los Angeles for one term before quitting to work at the Hollywood-based William Morris Agency, a talent agency. He finally attained the position of vice president. He greatly popularized the ideas of TV movies and TV miniseries and is regarded as a pioneer in the television industry. He built up his own media empire over the years, which includes a few cable channels and internet businesses, in addition to becoming associated with several media enterprises. He collaborated in the creation of the Fox Television network after joining Twentieth Century Fox. With programs like “Married with Children” and “The Simpsons,” Diller worked to diversify television viewership in the 1980s, which was primarily made up of females. Diller is well known for his charitable endeavors in addition to his commercial ventures. He is an outspoken opponent of US President Donald Trump and a member of the Democratic Party.
Early Childhood & Life
On February 2, 1942, a Jewish family in San Francisco, California, welcomed Barry Charles Diller into the world. Michael Diller and Reva Diller were his parents.
He attended Beverley High School despite having little interest in studies. He subsequently enrolled at the University of California but left after just one semester.
Career of Barry Diller
Barry Diller began his professional career as an assistant at the William Morris Agency, a Hollywood-based talent agency. He soon attained the status of a full-fledged talent agency and was given control over feature film broadcasting rights. Eventually, he was elevated to the position of vice president inside the company. He developed and promoted the ideas of TV movies and TV miniseries at this time.
He worked with the William Morris Agency for a successful period of time before joining Paramount Pictures Corporation, one of the most renowned Hollywood film studios. He held the positions of chairman and CEO for ten years. Under his leadership, the studio created numerous successful TV shows and motion pictures, including “Taxi” (1978), “Grease,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “Cheers,” and “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” (1984).
He was the Chairman and CEO of Fox Inc., the holding company for 20th Century Fox and Fox Network, starting in October 1984. He popularized a number of TV shows and was a co-founder of the Fox Network. He left the business in 1992 and spent $25 million on a stake in the QVC teleshopping network. He lost his offers to buy CBS and Paramount Communications, while also making them. He quit his job at QVC in 1995 as well.
Barry Diller gradually began establishing his own media empire. He took over as chairman of the Home Shopping Network and also bought the Sci-Fi channel and USA Network. He acquired a stake in Ticketmaster and combined its online business with Citysearch, a company that offered regional online city directories. As a result, Citysearch was changed into an online business called Ticketmaster Online-Citysearch, which went public in 1999. Along with these endeavors, he also bought Silver King Broadcasting’s holdings.
He was appointed Chairman of Expedia and Chairman and CEO of IAC/InterActiveCorp in the 2000s. IAC is a conglomeration of businesses that is the parent of a number of firms, including Ask.com, Vimeo.com, and homeadvisor.com. Until December 2010, Diller served as IAC/Interactive Corp.’s CEO. He has served on the Coca-Cola board since 2002.
Those Pesky Dillers
Barry Diller served as a mentor to a number of individuals who went on to become prominent media executives, earning them the moniker “The Killer Dillers” in the press. Michael Eisner, formerly the President of Paramount Pictures and then the Chairman and CEO of the Walt Disney Company, is one such “Killer Diller.”
Dawn Steel, a Paramount employee who worked under him, was also a protégé of his. She was one of the first women to lead a significant film studio when she eventually became the head of Columbia Pictures.
Other “Killer Dillers” include Don Simpson, the owner of the production business, and Jeffrey Katzenberg, the former head of Walt Disney Studios and the current head of DreamWorks Animation.
Recognition & Achievements
The Directors Guild of America presented Barry Diller with an honorary award in 1990.
Individual Life of Barry Diller
In 2001, Barry Diller wed Diane von Furstenberg. She is the mother of Prince Alexander von Furstenberg and Princess Tatiana von Furstenberg and the former spouse of German prince Egon von Furstenberg.
He belongs to the Democratic Party and is well known for his vociferous criticism of US President Donald Trump.
Charitable works of Barry Diller
Barry Diller is well renowned for his charitable endeavors as well. Diller established the Diller-von Furstenberg Family Foundation with his wife and contributed $20 million to help a Manhattan park project be completed.
He gave $30 million to the Hollywood Fund, which provides health and social services to those who have left the film and television industries.
Additionally, Diller and his wife have agreed to donate $113 million toward the construction of a floating park and performance venue on a pier in the Hudson River.
Barry Diller’s Net Worth
A $5 billion businessman from the United States is named Barry Diller. He made his fortune as the company’s founder, chairman, and senior executive (IAC). He previously worked at Paramount Studios as a highly successful media executive, where he was instrumental in founding the Fox Broadcasting Company and USA Broadcasting.