Les Moonves Biography
Les Moonves (born Leslie Roy Moonves) is an American media executive who served as the chairman and CEO of CBS Corporation from 2003 to 2018 when he left after being accused of harassment, assault, and abuse of numerous women.
Les Moonves is a name that will go down in history for many reasons. He began his career in television in the 70s and rose to become one of the most powerful figures in the entertainment industry. As the former chairman and CEO of CBS Corporation, he transformed CBS into America’s most watched network and was named one of the “100 Most Powerful People in Show Business” by Entertainment Weekly magazine. His accomplishments changed not only the business landscape, but also the entire media landscape.
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Les Moonves Age
How old is Les? He is 73 years old as of 2022. He was born Leslie Roy Moonves on 6 October in 1949 in New York, New York, United States.
Les Moonves Education
In 1971, he graduated from Valley Stream Central High School as well as Bucknell University. In his sophomore year, he changed his major from pre-medical to Spanish (a subject he found far more enjoyable) and performed in a few plays; after graduation in 1971, he moved to Manhattan to pursue an acting career, eventually graduating from the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre.
Les Moonves Height and Weight
Moonves stands at a height of 5 feet 7 inches (1.7 meters) and weighs 77 kg. ALSO READ: Kelly Killoren Bensimon
Les Moonves Family and Parents
He was born to Josephine (Schleifer) and Herman Moonves in Brooklyn, New York, and raised in Valley Stream, New York. His mother worked as a nurse. His sister is Melissa Moonves Colon, and he has two brothers, including entertainment attorney Jonathan Moonves.
Les Moonves Wife
Les Moonves is a well-known media mogul and has been married twice in his life. His first marriage was to Nancy Wiesenfeld in 1978, with whom he stayed together until 2004. During that time, the couple produced three children who are now adults. Together, Les and Nancy worked hard to create a life for their family and enjoyed many years of happiness.
Les is currently married to his second wife Julie Chen with whom he’s been partnered since 2004. This union has also brought much joy into his life, both professionally and personally as the duo have created an impressive network of friends and acquaintances in their powerful positions within the industry. Together they continue to work on important projects, philanthropic causes and support each other through thick and thin. It’s evident that Les’ two marriages have brought him true love and fulfillment throughout the years – something truly remarkable!
He’s had a long and successful career in television, but much less is known about his wife, Julie Chen Moonves.
Chen Moonves has had a successful career of her own in the entertainment industry, working as a news anchor, talk show host and reality TV star. She’s best known for her roles on Big Brother and The Talk, both CBS productions. The couple met at an industry event in 2004 and married two years later in Mexico.
The couple have one son together named Charlie, born in 2009 via surrogate due to fertility issues Chen Moonves experienced because of her age at the time.
Les Moonves Children
Les Moonves, the former CEO of CBS Corporation, has four children from two marriages. His oldest three children are from his first marriage to NancyWiesenfeld and include Adam, Michael, and Sara. His youngest child is from his second marriage to Julie Chen — Charlie
Les Moonves’s Net Worth
Les Moonves Career
His first career was in acting before quitting. He worked in Lorimar Television and Warner Bros. Television from 1985 to 1995 as head of creative affairs and president respectively. Subsequently, he joined CBS in 1995 as the president of entertainment before being promoted to president and chief executive officer of CBS television in 1998. Moonves supported the #MeToo movement during his time at CBS, calling it a “watershed moment” in the workplace.
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He joined CBS in July 1995 as President of CBS Entertainment. From April 1998 until 2003, he was president and chief executive officer at CBS Television, then was promoted to chairman and CEO of CBS in 2003. CBS had six of the ten most-watched primetime shows in the final quarter of 2005: CSI, Without a Trace, CSI: Miami, Survivor: Guatemala, NCIS, and Cold Case.
In February 2005, Moonves was identified as the executive directly responsible for ordering the cancellation of UPN’s Star Trek: Enterprise and the ending of the 18-year revival of the Star Trek television franchise. In January 2006, Moonves helped make the deal that brought together the CBS-owned United Paramount Network (UPN) with The WB Television Network to form The CW Television Network that fall.
He also served on the Commission on Sexual Harassment and Advancement of Equality in the Workplace as a founding member. In a first-person piece published in May 2019, advice writer E. Jean Carroll claimed that Moonves sexually assaulted her in an elevator in the mid-1990s after she interviewed him for a story. Moonves was discovered to have been obsessed with damaging R&B singer-songwriter Janet Jackson’s career after he was fired from CBS. His actions were in response to the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy, commonly known as Nipplegate, which occurred on February 1, 2004. Jackson’s left breast, which was adorned with a nipple silver sun protection, had been purposefully exposed for 9/16ths of a second by ex-NSYNC (‘N Sync) frontman Justin Timberlake.
Moonves played himself in an episode of The Practice on April 7, 2003. Moonves appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman on a regular basis from early 2004 until it ended in May 2015. One of these came when Letterman expressed outrage that CBS featured his late-night rival Jay Leno in an ad for the People’s Choice Awards telecast. Letterman joked that the “CBS stooge in the control room” should call his buddies “before things get ugly,” which Moonves did. Later appearances followed the same format, with Letterman and the CEO of CBS discussing current events and the CBS network. Moonves portrayed himself as CBS’s CEO on the March 23, 2015, premiere episode of The Late Late Show with James Corden.
Les Moonves Accusations
In recent years, numerous allegations have been made against Les Moonves, the former chairman and CEO of CBS Corporation. The accusations of sexual harassment and misconduct leveled against him are serious and wide-ranging, with a dozen women coming forward to share their stories. While Moonves denies all claims of non-consensual relations, he has been forced to step down from his role as CBS Corporation’s chairman and CEO.
The news of Les Moonves’ sexual misconduct has been reverberating throughout the entertainment industry. As the former chairman and CEO of CBS Corporation, Moonves was once a powerful figure in Hollywood, but his alleged actions have called that power into question.
Les Moonves, Conclusion
Moonves’ impact on the entertainment industry is undeniable. From his early career as an actor to his long tenure as CEO at CBS, he has left an indelible mark on the world of television. His legacy will remain even as he faces consequences for his alleged misconduct. As a result of this scandal, it is crucial that we continue to engage in conversations about issues of power and consent in the workplace. We must make sure that our culture supports accountability and respect.