Phil Berg (talent agent) explained

Phil Berg
Birth Name:Phillip Jay Berg
Birth Date:February 15, 1902
Birth Place:New York City, U.S.
Death Date:February 1, 1983 (age 80)
Education:B.A. University of Pennsylvania
Known For:co-founding the Berg-Allenberg talent agency.

Philip Jay Berg (February 15, 1902 – February 1, 1983) was an American talent agent who co-founded, with Bert Allenberg, the Berg-Allenberg talent agency, he was known for his movie package deals, a concept that changed Hollywood in the 1930s, he represented an empire of dozens of actors, directors and writers.

Biography

Berg was born in New York City on February 15, 1902.[1] He was of Jewish descent.[2] He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania.[1] In 1924, he moved to Los Angeles where he worked as a talent agent, becoming a millionaire by the age of 26.[3] In 1927, he partnered with Bert Allenberg to form the Berg-Allenberg talent agency.[1] Berg created the concept of the "package deal" where he would find a script, a writer, actors, and a director; and then sold the entire package to a producer.[4] He represented such stars as Clark Gable, Judy Garland, Joan Crawford,[4] Lucille Ball, Wallace Beery, Walter Brennan, Olivia de Havilland, Joan Fontaine,[5] [6] Melvyn Douglas, Walter Huston, Buster Keaton, Alan Ladd, Charles Laughton, and Edward G. Robinson; directors Frank Capra, Victor Fleming, Vincente Minnelli, Jean Renoir, and William Wellman; and writers Michael Arlen, James Hilton, Dalton Trumbo, and Rodgers and Hart.[1] He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II.[3] He retired in 1947[4] to pursue his passion in archaeology.[3] In December 1949, the Berg-Allenberg Agency was acquired by the William Morris Agency.

Personal life

In 1927, he married actress Leila Hyams who predeceased him.[1] He remarried to Joan Hartley.[4] At age 80 in 1983, he died from heart failure, leaving his artifacts and fine art collection (valued at $1.5 million in 1969) to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.[1]

Notes and References

  1. News: Phil Berg, a pioneer talent agent who represented such Hollywood stars as Clark Gable, Judy Garland and Joan Crawford, died Tuesday of heart failure. He was 80 . United Press International. February 3, 1983 .
  2. Book: Gabler, Neil. An Empire of Their Own: How the Jews Invented Hollywood. 276 . Anchor Books. September 8, 1989. 978-0385265577.
  3. News: He's One Man Who Quit Hollywood . Daytona Beach Morning Journal. May 12, 1953 .
  4. News: Phil Berg, 80, Talent Agent, Pioneered Movie Packages . The New York Times. February 4, 1983.
  5. [iarchive:filmdaily94wids|"U's Feldman Demurrer Is Sustained by Judge", ''The Film Daily'' July 2nd 1948 p2]
  6. [iarchive:filmdaily93wids|"Hollywood", ''The Film Daily'' March 4th 1948 p2]