Michael Eisner

Michael Eisner is one of the most consequential executives in modern entertainment history. Born March 7, 1942, he graduated from Denison University in 1964 with a B.A. in English (after attending the Allen-Stevenson School and The Lawrenceville School). He began his career in television programming, moving through brief stints at NBC and CBS before Barry Diller hired him at ABC, where he rose to senior vice president overseeing programming and development.

From 1976 to 1984, Eisner served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Paramount Pictures under Diller, a period that produced hits such as *Saturday Night Fever*, *Grease*, *Raiders of the Lost Ark*, and *Beverly Hills Cop*, along with television successes including *Happy Days*, *Cheers*, and *Family Ties*. In September 1984 he became Chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company, a role he held for 21 years. He is credited with reviving Disney's animation studio (*The Little Mermaid*, *Beauty and the Beast*, *The Lion King*), expanding its theme parks globally, and acquiring ABC and ESPN. After the "Save Disney" shareholder campaign, he stepped down as CEO in 2005.

In 2005 Eisner founded The Tornante Company — named for the Italian word for a "hairpin turn" he spotted on a bicycling trip — as a privately held firm that invests in, acquires, and operates media and entertainment companies. Notable acquisitions include The Topps Company (bought in 2007, with its trading-card business sold to Fanatics in 2022 while Tornante retained the Bazooka candy brands) and English soccer club Portsmouth F.C. (acquired August 2017). Its in-house studio, Tornante Television, has produced acclaimed animated and live-action series.

Beyond Tornante, Eisner is an active philanthropist and public figure. He co-founded The Eisner Foundation with his wife, Jane, serves as a trustee of the Aspen Institute, has authored several books, and was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 2012.

• Operates less like a traditional VC and more as a long-term owner-operator: Tornante "invests in, acquires, and operates companies in media and Entertainment," ranging from minority stakes to outright control.
• Backs content and IP-driven businesses — television, animation, trading cards/collectibles, sports franchises, and streaming — where brand and storytelling create durable value.
• Also participates as an individual angel/seed investor in earlier-stage consumer and software startups, with a geographic lean toward the Western U.S.
• Values creative talent and repeat founders: Tornante's television arm is built around backing distinctive creators (e.g., long-running partnerships with *BoJack Horseman* creator Raphael Bob-Waksberg).
• Comfortable with patient, operationally intensive bets (e.g., turning around Portsmouth F.C. and rebuilding Topps into a sports-media brand) rather than quick flips.