Making Presidents

For 50 years, Lew Wasserman ruled Hollywood from the shadows, a symbol of ruthless power in a dark suit, oversized eyeglasses, and a permanent tan. He oversaw seismic innovations in actors' earnings, in the rise of television, in blockbuster movies, in the transformation of film studios into theme parks. The mogul was a critical figure in ending the famed labor strikes of 1960 and 1981. Even more, Wasserman connected Hollywood to political power in a way that endures to this day. Every president from Kennedy to Clinton took his calls. And he was as comfortable dealing with gangsters as with politicians.

For 50 years, Lew Wasserman ruled Hollywood from the shadows, a symbol of ruthless power in a dark suit, oversized eyeglasses, and a permanent tan. He oversaw seismic innovations in actors' earnings, in the rise of television, in blockbuster movies, in the transformation of film studios into theme parks. The mogul was a critical figure in ending the famed labor strikes of 1960 and 1981. Even more, Wasserman connected Hollywood to political power in a way that endures to this day. Every president from Kennedy to Clinton took his calls. And he was as comfortable dealing with gangsters as with politicians.

For 50 years, Lew Wasserman ruled Hollywood from the shadows, a symbol of ruthless power in a dark suit, oversized eyeglasses, and a permanent tan. He oversaw seismic innovations in actors' earnings, in the rise of television, in blockbuster movies, in the transformation of film studios into theme parks. The mogul was a critical figure in ending the famed labor strikes of 1960 and 1981. Even more, Wasserman connected Hollywood to political power in a way that endures to this day. Every president from Kennedy to Clinton took his calls. And he was as comfortable dealing with gangsters as with politicians.

For 50 years, Lew Wasserman ruled Hollywood from the shadows, a symbol of ruthless power in a dark suit, oversized eyeglasses, and a permanent tan. He oversaw seismic innovations in actors' earnings, in the rise of television, in blockbuster movies, in the transformation of film studios into theme parks. The mogul was a critical figure in ending the famed labor strikes of 1960 and 1981. Even more, Wasserman connected Hollywood to political power in a way that endures to this day. Every president from Kennedy to Clinton took his calls. And he was as comfortable dealing with gangsters as with politicians.

In Glitter and Might, a new series exploring the intersection of show business and politics, bestselling author Shawn Levy unpacks the story of Lew Wasserman, the shadowy legend who lorded over Hollywood for half a century. He was a feared deal-maker, credited with breaking the impasse that ended the 1960 actors’ and writers’ strike. Wasserman oversaw seismic innovations in the entertainment business, but none as impressive as the way he connected it to Washington. Every president from Kennedy to Clinton took his calls. And he was as comfortable dealing with gangsters as with politicians.Through original research and interviews with Wasserman's associates and the journalists who observed him, we learn how this mystery man definitively ruled many worlds.