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Sumner Redstone

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Sumner Redstone
Born
Sumner Murray Rothstein

(1923-05-27) 27 May 1923 (age 103)
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Died11 August 2020(2020-08-11) (aged 97)
Occupation(s)Entrepreneur, media magnate
Known forChairman of Viacom, CBS Corporation, National Amusements; majority owner of ViacomCBS

Sumner Murray Redstone (born Rothstein; May 27, 1923 – August 11, 2020) was an American billionaire entrepreneur and prominent media magnate. He established and led the second iteration of Viacom, held the position of chairman at CBS Corporation (both entities merged in 2019), and was the majority owner and chairman of the theater chain National Amusements.

Up until his passing, Redstone maintained majority voting control over the media conglomerate ViacomCBS, which oversees Paramount Pictures, the CBS television network, and various cable channels.

As reported by Forbes in April 2020, his estimated net worth stood at US$2.6 billion.

Previously, Redstone occupied the role of executive chairman for both CBS and Viacom. In February 2016, at 92 years old, he stepped down from these posts following a court-mandated geriatric psychiatric assessment. His successors were Les Moonves at CBS and Philippe Dauman at Viacom.

Early life and education

Sumner Redstone was born Sumner Murray Rothstein in 1923 in Boston to parents Belle (née Ostrovsky) and Michael Rothstein. His family traced their lineage to Galician Jews from the region now known as Ukraine. In 1940, the family altered their surname from "Rothstein" to "Redstone," a direct translation of the original Yiddish name. Michael Rothstein owned the Northeast Theater Corporation located in Dedham, Massachusetts, which eventually evolved into National Amusements, and managed the Boston division of the Latin Quarter Nightclub. During summers, Sumner gained experience working in his father’s theaters but harbored ambitions beyond that scope.

He graduated at the top of his class from the Boston Latin School in 1940 and received a scholarship to attend Harvard College. At Harvard, he studied Japanese under Professor Edwin O. Reischauer, subsequently joining him in a U.S. Army Signal Corps training program during World War II. Enlisting in the United States Army, Redstone attained the rank of first lieutenant and contributed to decrypting Japanese communications with the Signals Intelligence Service. Although his military service interrupted his academic progress, Harvard awarded him a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1944 with concentrations in classics and government.

Following his military service, Redstone enrolled at Georgetown University Law Center before transferring to Harvard Law School, where he earned his Bachelor of Laws degree in 1947.

Legal career

Upon completing law school, Redstone served as a clerk for the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in San Francisco, earning $43 per week, while also teaching labor law courses during evenings at the University of San Francisco School of Law. In 1948, he joined the staff of the United States Department of Justice Tax Division as an attorney amid intensified government efforts targeting anti-competitive practices among major studios such as Paramount Pictures.

After two years with the Justice Department, Redstone transitioned to private legal practice in 1950. By 1951, he became a partner at Ford, Bergson, Adams, Borkland, & Redstone alongside former Justice Department officials including Deputy Attorney General Peyton Ford. In the 1954 Supreme Court case Holland v. United States, he defended hotel proprietors convicted on charges of tax evasion. Although the convictions were upheld, Redstone’s arguments concerning the government's burden of proof influenced subsequent policies adopted by the Internal Revenue Service.

Northeast Theatre Corporation (later National Amusements)

In 1954, Redstone became involved with his father's theater business, Northeast Theatre Corporation, which at that time managed fourteen drive-in theaters across five states. The family business reorganized as National Amusements in 1959 to facilitate capital raising for growth initiatives; Redstone contributed nearly $18,000 and assumed the role of vice president. By 1964, he was elected president of the Theater Owners of America and, a year later, took on the chairmanship of its successor organization, the National Association of Theatre Owners.

Redstone was appointed CEO of National Amusements in 1967. At that point, the company operated 93 screens—comprising 52 drive-ins and 41 indoor theaters—and within ten years expanded its footprint to nearly 250 screens. After viewing the original Star Wars in 1977, Redstone guided National Amusements to acquire a five percent ownership stake in 20th Century Studios, the film’s distributor. The company purchased Fox shares at $8 each and later sold them for $60 following acquisition by Marvin Davis. Early 1980s investments in Columbia Pictures, Orion Pictures, and Paramount Pictures also generated substantial profits.

Viacom

To counteract sluggish growth in the movie theater sector, Redstone initiated stock purchases in Viacom International starting in 1985. Viacom had separated from CBS in 1971 due to an FCC regulation prohibiting television networks from syndicating their own programming. Initially, Viacom syndicated CBS programs such as Gunsmoke, Hawaii Five-O, and I Love Lucy.

Viacom owned MTV Networks (previously Warner-AMEX Satellite Entertainment), which included channels like MTV and Nickelodeon, along with premium cable services Showtime and The Movie Channel. The company acquired MTV Networks in 1985 for $550 million from Steve Ross's Warner Communications.

Following a hostile takeover lasting four months, Redstone secured controlling voting interest in Viacom for $3.4 billion on March 4, 1987.

Paramount Pictures

In 1994, Redstone successfully acquired Paramount Communications (formerly known as Gulf+Western), which owned Paramount Pictures, after competing against bids from QVC president Barry Diller and TCI president John Malone. The final offer increased from $7.5 billion to $10.1 billion. Although some analysts viewed this as an excessive expenditure, anticipating nearly $10 billion in debt for Viacom, subsequent asset divestitures—such as selling Madison Square Garden to Cablevision and offloading Simon & Schuster for $4.6 billion to Pearson PLC—strengthened Viacom’s financial position and helped its stock approach a near-record price close to $60 by 1998. Under Redstone’s direction, Paramount produced major box office hits including Saving Private Ryan, Titanic, Braveheart, Forrest Gump, and Mission: Impossible.

In 2004, Redstone replaced the existing executive leadership of Jonathan Dolgen and Sherry Lansing. Chairman and CEO Brad Grey, appointed in 2005, reinvigorated Paramount’s theatrical success by developing franchises such as Transformers, Star Trek, and Paranormal Activity. Paramount also enhanced collaborations with prominent filmmakers including J. J. Abrams, Michael Bay, and Martin Scorsese. The studio’s 2010 lineup featured hits like Shutter Island and the remake of True Grit, achieving career-high box office results for both Scorsese and the Coen Brothers. Additionally, Paramount established its own international distribution division, releasing critically acclaimed films such as An Inconvenient Truth, Up in the Air, and There Will Be Blood.

Redstone also acquired Blockbuster Entertainment, which included Aaron Spelling's production company along with an extensive film library; much of this content was integrated into Paramount's assets before Blockbuster was eventually spun off as an independent company. In 2000, he purchased CBS Corporation and subsequently spun it off in 2005, transferring all Paramount television content and catalogs to CBS.

In December 2005, Paramount agreed to purchase DreamWorks SKG for roughly $1.6 billion, finalizing the transaction by February 1, 2006. Later financing arrangements reduced Viacom’s stake to $700 million. Although the animation division, DreamWorks Animation, had been independent since 2004, Paramount retained distribution rights until 2013.

On June 1, 2012, Paramount Pictures honored Redstone’s influence by dedicating its Administration Building as the Sumner Redstone Building.

CBS

Among Redstone's most significant acquisitions was the former parent company of Viacom, CBS. Following the FCC's relaxation of ownership regulations in 1999, Mel Karmazin—then president of CBS and ex-COO of Viacom—proposed a merger with Redstone. On September 7, 1999, Viacom declared its intention to acquire CBS for $37.3 billion, establishing the largest media merger of the twentieth century and forming the second biggest media conglomerate after Time Warner. Viacom's portfolio encompassed the CBS and UPN broadcast networks; cable channels including MTV, VH1, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, and BET; the premium channel Showtime; radio operations via Infinity Broadcasting (notably producing Howard Stern’s shows); as well as film and television production units such as Paramount Pictures, Paramount Television, and King World Productions.

Following the 2005 division of CBS and Viacom, Redstone maintained his role as chairman for both firms while appointing separate chief executives: Les Moonves took the helm at CBS Corporation, and Tom Freston led Viacom.

In 2007, Dan Rather, former anchor of the CBS Evening News, initiated legal action against CBS and Redstone over non-renewal of his contract related to a controversy surrounding a 60 Minutes II report on President George W. Bush’s military record; this lawsuit was dismissed in 2009.

Succession

Redstone’s trusts named his daughter Shari Redstone—serving as vice-chairwoman of both Viacom and CBS and president of National Amusements—as his designated successor. Nevertheless, by 2006 he reportedly reconsidered her succession role amid public disagreements concerning corporate governance and strategies for the cinema chain.

It was disclosed through documents that Redstone’s shares were held in irrevocable trusts benefiting his grandchildren. In 2010, he confirmed that ownership of all stock would ultimately pass to his five grandchildren.

Redstone intended to resign as Viacom CEO in 2006. After Mel Karmazin stepped down in 2004, two potential successors emerged: Les Moonves (former Warner Bros. Television head), serving as Co-President/Co-COO for CBS, and Tom Freston (an MTV Networks veteran), holding the same titles at Viacom. Post-split in 2005, Moonves assumed leadership of CBS Corporation while Freston managed Viacom.

On September 5, 2006, Redstone appointed Philippe Dauman—a director and former legal counsel—as Viacom CEO, replacing Freston due to concerns about Freston’s insufficient emphasis on digital innovation, investor relations, and declining performance at MTV Networks. Additionally, former CFO Tom Dooley returned to the company.

In February 2016, at age 92 and after undergoing a court-mandated geriatric evaluation (with results not publicly disclosed), Redstone stepped down from chairmanships at CBS in favor of Moonves and at Viacom in favor of Dauman. Although a lawsuit challenging Redstone’s mental competency was later dismissed by the court, it acknowledged he experienced mild to moderate dementia. His speech difficulties stemmed from aspiration pneumonia contracted in 2014. Further competency-related legal actions were subsequently filed in Massachusetts.

Holdings

At the time of his passing, Redstone held more than seventy percent of the voting power in ViacomCBS through National Amusements. In December 2008, he divested his 89 percent stake in Midway Games.

Books

Redstone's 2001 memoir, A Passion to Win, co-authored with Peter Knobler and published by Simon & Schuster under Viacom's umbrella, narrates his journey from a Boston upbringing to becoming a media titan. It explores his arduous acquisitions of Viacom, Blockbuster Video, and Paramount Pictures, as well as the CBS merger—where Viacom, initially a CBS offshoot, ultimately took control of its former parent company. This work served as an inspiration for Jesse Armstrong, creator of Succession.

At the time of the autobiography’s publication, Viacom’s broadcasting portfolio comprised several radio outlets and two television stations: WBZ CBS 4, a CBS owned-and-operated station following its merger with Westinghouse, and WSBK UPN 38, located in Redstone’s native Boston.

In 2023, Cornerstone Press (a division of Penguin Books) released Unscripted: The Epic Battle for a Hollywood Media Empire, authored by James B. Stewart and Rachel Abrams, which details the media empire built by the Redstone family.

Political views

Though historically a Democratic donor supporting figures such as Ted Kennedy, John Kerry, and Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, Redstone sparked controversy by endorsing Republican George W. Bush over Kerry in the 2004 presidential race. He reportedly believed Bush’s policies would better benefit his business interests and the broader economy. Notably, he had also contributed to Kerry’s campaign during the primary elections.

Philanthropy

Redstone’s charitable donations exceeded $150 million.

  • In April 2007, he pledged $105 million in grants aimed at advancing research and patient care for cancer and burn recovery through organizations including FasterCures/The Center for Accelerating Medical Solutions, Cedars-Sinai Prostate Cancer Center, and Massachusetts General Hospital; each received $35 million disbursed over five years.
  • By 2012, he had given $1.5 million to support the Global Poverty Project.
  • His contributions to the Cambodian Children’s Fund facilitated the creation of the Sumner M. Redstone Child Rescue Center in Phnom Penh, aiding at-risk youth; his backing continued in subsequent years.
  • Early in 2010, Redstone committed $1 million to Autism Speaks for autism research focused on causes and treatments, bringing his total donations to the organization to $1.7 million by 2011.
  • In July 2010, he donated $24 million to USC’s Keck School of Medicine specifically for cancer research initiatives.
  • September 2012 saw an $18 million gift to Boston University School of Law that funded the Sumner M. Redstone Building, which opened two years later.
  • Since October 2012, he contributed $350,000 to the Go Campaign, supporting programs assisting orphans and disadvantaged children across 21 countries.
  • In May 2013, his foundation provided $1 million to Literacy Inc., a nonprofit based in New York dedicated to improving literacy.
  • January 2014 marked a $10 million donation from Redstone’s foundation to Harvard Law School for public interest fellowships—the largest gift ever made there for public service—supporting graduates pursuing careers in public-interest law.

Personal life

On July 4, 1947, Redstone wed Phyllis Gloria Raphael; together they had two children: Brent Redstone and Shari Redstone. Their marriage ended in divorce in 1999 after Raphael filed a $3 billion lawsuit alleging adultery and cruelty on Redstone’s part. At that time, he was involved with Hollywood producer Christine Peters, with whom he later developed a relationship in Los Angeles. Subsequently, he married Paula Fortunato—a former elementary school teacher nearly four decades younger—but filed for divorce in 2008; it was finalized the following year. Among his properties was a Beverly Park residence in Los Angeles purchased in 2002 for $14.5 million.

In 1979, Redstone survived severe burns sustained in a hotel fire in Boston and underwent extensive surgical treatment. Despite medical warnings about his recovery prospects, he resumed an active lifestyle and launched a hostile takeover bid for Viacom eight years later—a testament to his resilience.

In July 2010, recordings captured Redstone attempting to uncover an internal leak at MTV involving the band Electric Barbarellas. He offered financial incentives and protection to a journalist for revealing the source but later admitted this approach was misguided. A Viacom insider remarked on Redstone’s strong desire to maintain influence and visibility.

In August 2015, he ended a five-year partnership with live-in girlfriend Sydney Holland. By January 2019, legal disputes with former companion Manuela Herzer were resolved when she agreed to return $3.25 million worth of gifts amid ongoing estate and healthcare litigation involving Redstone’s family.

Redstone passed away at his Los Angeles residence on August 11, 2020, aged 97; no cause of death was publicly disclosed.

The film Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is dedicated to his memory.

Additional resources

External links

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