Leslie Moonves is a media mogul who currently serves as CBS Corporation’s CEO and President. Prior to this, he served as Viacom Inc.’s Co-President and Co-COO. He is also known for his acting career, which lasted only a short time before he transitioned to the business side of television.
Quick Facts
| Celebrated Name: | Leslie Moonves |
|---|---|
| Real Name/Full Name: | Leslie Roy Moonves |
| Gender: | Male |
| Age: | 73 years old |
| Birth Date: | 6 October 1949 |
| Birth Place: | New York, New York, United States |
| Nationality: | American |
| Height: | 1.80 m |
| Weight: | 77 kg |
| Sexual Orientation: | Straight |
| Marital Status: | Married |
| Wife/Spouse (Name): | Julie Chen (m. 2004), Nancy Wiesenfeld (m. 1978–2004) |
| Children: | Yes (Adam Moonves, Charlie Moonves, Sara Moonves, Michael Moonves) |
| Profession: | Media executive |
| Net Worth: | $450 million |
Leslie Moonves Biography
Leslie Moonves was born Leslie Roy Moonves on October 6, 1949, in Valley Stream, New York City to Josephine Schleifer and Herman Moonves. His mother was a nurse, and he has two siblings: Melissa Moonves Colon, a sister, and Jonathan Moonves, a brother.
After graduating from Valley Stream Central High School, Leslie enrolled at Bucknell University, earning a bachelor’s degree in Spanish in 1971. His love of acting led him to The Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in New York City, where he had the opportunity to perform in a number of plays.
After graduation, he moved to Manhattan to pursue acting as a career. Still, he soon found himself behind the camera, dissatisfied with the series of ordinary roles that came his way (such as in ‘Canon’ and ‘The Six Million Dollar Man).
Leslie Moonves Age, Height, Weight
Leslie Moonves was born on October 6, 1949; He is 73 years old. His height is 1.80 m, and he weighs 77 kg.
Career
After realizing that acting was not his true calling, Leslie Moonves turned his attention to the business side of the entertainment industry, landing a job at ’20th Century Fox Television.’ He was initially in charge of pay/cable and first-run syndication programming before being promoted to Vice-President for the mini-series and movies department.
Following that, he was Vice-President of Development at Saul Ilson Productions. Leslie has worked for ‘Catalina Productions’ and ‘Lorimar Television’ as the Development Executive and Executive in charge of the mini-series and movies wing, respectively.
After a series of promotions, he was named President of Lorimar in 1988. In July 1993, when Lorimar and Warner Bros. Television merged, he was named CEO of Warner Bros. This was the time in his career when he checked the box for shows like ‘Friends’ and ‘ER,’ which went on to become huge television hits.
In July 1995, he left Warner Bros. for another major television network, CBS Entertainment, where he was named President. From 1998 to 2003, he was the president and CEO of CBS Television, and in February 2016, he was named the Chairman of CBS.
Leslie was the one who ended the ‘Star Trek Enterprise revival streak of 18 years in February 2005. It was also revealed that Leslie Moonves was the one who negotiated the deal between CBS and Warner Bros. that resulted in the launch of the ‘CW Network’ in January 2006.
Leslie Moonves Achievements and Awards
• In 2012 and 2013, he was the second-highest-paid director ($58.8 million and $65.4 million, respectively).
• Inducted into the Television Hall of Fame (2013).
• Appointed as CBS Chairman (2016).
Leslie Moonves’s Net Worth in 2024
Leslie Moonves has a staggering fortune of approximately $450 million as of February 2024, thanks to his enormously successful career as a media mogul.
Leslie Moonves has always had a business mind, which has made him a better manager than an actor. He has achieved tremendous success in show business due to his unwavering dedication and passion.
Leslie Moonves Wife, Marriage
Leslie Moonves married Nancy Wiesenfeld on the 17th of December 1978, and the couple went on to have three children together. They divorced in 2004, and Leslie later married ‘The Early Show’ reporter Julie Chen, whom he was already dating at the time of his divorce. He and she have a son named Charlie Moonves. Leslie Moonves currently resides in Beverly Hills.
