CAA Promotes 15 To Agent Or Executive

Los Angeles police have charged a photographer with sexually assaulting three young men aspiring to be models.

Stephanie Leifer, a former programming executive who worked a combined 28 years at ABC Signature and ABC before leaving the company in 2022, died Thursday of cancer. She was 56.

EXCLUSIVE: Gersh announced on Thursday that Catherine Benoit Masraff has been hired as Head of Human Resources. The agency has also promoted Kenji Shishido to the role of agent in the Below the Line/Production department, as well as nine others to coordinator in various departments.

Cynthia Littleton Business Editor Tom Van Amburg, a broadcast TV executive known for his keen eye for talent and skill at developing local programming during his tenure as the leader of KABC-TV Los Angeles and other ABC O&O stations, died June 24 at his home in Los Angeles. He was 83. Van Amburg was the father of Zack Van Amburg, co-head of worldwide video for Apple, and entertainment marketing executive Chris Van Amburg.

Tom Van Amburg died yesterday in Los Angeles after a short illness. He was 83.

Fresh off the success of her Star Wars series, The Acolyte, director Leslye Headland has found new agents as she has signed with CAA for representation.

The cast of Kinds of Kindness is keeping busy in New York City.

Selena Kuznikov Jonathan Axelrod, a studio and network executive and television producer and writer, died June 13 in Los Angeles. His ex-wife, television director Katy Garretson, reported his death.

Lionsgate and Lionsgate Studios has upped Chase Brisbin to EVP, International SVOD Sales and Head of Global Channels.

CAA said Tuesday that Elizabeth A. Morrison has joined the agency as Global Head of Inclusion, Recruiting, and Development.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Lionsgate has upped Chase Brisbin to exec VP of international SVOD sales and head of global channels. The news was announced Tuesday by Lionsgate’s worldwide TV distribution prexy Jim Packer.

Katcy Stephan Orbital Studios, a film and television production studio specializing in end-to-end virtual production services, has signed with CAA. Orbital Studios leverages cutting-edge technology to create dynamic virtual environments that blend with real-world performance.

Scott Feinstein, a veteran film publicist at 42West and fixture in indie film circles, has been promoted to President, Entertainment Marketing Division (EMD). Previously Executive Vice President, Feinstein will now work jointly with Presidents Tom Piechura in New York and Annalee Paulo in Los Angeles to oversee the department’s operational functions, manage staff and collaborate in the overall growth of the division.

EXCLUSIVE: Words + Pictures, the documentary production company founded by former ESPN exec Connor Schell and backed by Peter Chernin’s The North Road Company, has promoted two of its senior leaders.

Alex Ritman CAA has signed Cash Carraway, the Irish-English writer, director and exec producer best known for creating the HBO series “Rain Dogs.” Carraway’s first TV production, “Rain Dogs” — a bleak British dramedy about an unconventional relationship between a working-class single mother, her young daughter and a privileged gay man — was met with critical acclaim when it aired in March 2023. The eight-part series starred Daisy May Cooper, Jack Farthing, Ronkẹ Adékoluẹjo and Fleur Tashjian, and later earned a Gotham Award nomination for best breakthrough series, while Carraway was named a BAFTA Breakthrough.

Gersh‘s Digital department has appointed Meg Chemburkar to the new position of Head of Affiliate Marketing, the first such role established at a major agency, also promoting seven.

post reads. “Come join us all month to celebrate heterosexuals, for without them, none of us would be here!”A post shared by Old State Saloon (@oldstatesaloon)Old State’s offers include a Monday drink special in which every man dressed like a “heterosexual male” — whatever that means — will get a free pint of beer.A Wednesday deal gives heterosexual couples 15% off their total.And on Thursdays, heterosexual women get happy hour pricing all day, which seems like your basic, garden-variety “Ladies’ Night.”Oh, and the bar is selling branded merchandise, including a T-shirt with the phrase “Beers for Breeders.”The post received backlash from the LGBTQ community and its allies, who flooded Old State Saloon’s Facebook page with negative comments, some laced with profanity, to which Old State clutched its holier-than-thou pearls.“It seems as though people who are against Heterosexual Awesomeness Month have a hard time commenting without using horrific words, expletives, using the name of the Lord in vain, etc.,” the bar posted on Facebook.“Make an intelligent comment and stay.

If Sage Steele ever does drop by, it’s going to be pretty awkward the next time the former ESPN host goes to visit CAA.

EXCLUSIVE: Ross Raphael is joining CAA Sports.

Warner Music Group (WMG) has elected Michael Ryan-Southern to the newly created position of executive vice president of corporate development. Ryan-Southern, who will assume the role starting Aug.