Sidney Jay Sheinberg (January 14, 1935 â€" March 7, 2019) was an
American lawyer and entertainment executive. He served as President
and CEO of MCA Inc. and Universal Studios for over 40 years.Sheinberg,
the son of Jewish immigrants, a Ukrainian mother, Tillie (Grossman),
and a Polish father, Harry Sheinberg, grew up in Corpus Christi, Texas
where he was born on January 14, 1935. In 1955, Sheinberg graduated
from Columbia University and subsequently attended Columbia Law
School, as both a Harlan Fiske Stone and James Kent Scholar, where he
obtained his JD. Sheinberg was a recipient of Columbia Law School's
highest honors awarded to alumni: the Medal of Excellence and the John
Jay Award.In the summer of 1958, Sheinberg arrived in California where
he accepted a teaching position at UCLA School of Law. In 1959 while
awaiting the results of his California Bar Examination, he joined the
legal department of Revue Productions, the former television
subsidiary of MCA Inc., and the predecessor of Universal Television,
and began his career in the entertainment industry. In the late 1960s,
Sheinberg had seen Steven Spielberg's first short film, Amblin, and
signed the director, then 20, to a contract. Sheinberg gave Steven
Spielberg his first job in 1968. Having the benefit of being guided by
Lew Wasserman, Sheinberg acknowledged that an essential part of being
a mentor is having confidence in the people you're guiding and
mentoring. Together they transformed Universal from a second-string
studio, dependent on its television productions, into a major player.
American lawyer and entertainment executive. He served as President
and CEO of MCA Inc. and Universal Studios for over 40 years.Sheinberg,
the son of Jewish immigrants, a Ukrainian mother, Tillie (Grossman),
and a Polish father, Harry Sheinberg, grew up in Corpus Christi, Texas
where he was born on January 14, 1935. In 1955, Sheinberg graduated
from Columbia University and subsequently attended Columbia Law
School, as both a Harlan Fiske Stone and James Kent Scholar, where he
obtained his JD. Sheinberg was a recipient of Columbia Law School's
highest honors awarded to alumni: the Medal of Excellence and the John
Jay Award.In the summer of 1958, Sheinberg arrived in California where
he accepted a teaching position at UCLA School of Law. In 1959 while
awaiting the results of his California Bar Examination, he joined the
legal department of Revue Productions, the former television
subsidiary of MCA Inc., and the predecessor of Universal Television,
and began his career in the entertainment industry. In the late 1960s,
Sheinberg had seen Steven Spielberg's first short film, Amblin, and
signed the director, then 20, to a contract. Sheinberg gave Steven
Spielberg his first job in 1968. Having the benefit of being guided by
Lew Wasserman, Sheinberg acknowledged that an essential part of being
a mentor is having confidence in the people you're guiding and
mentoring. Together they transformed Universal from a second-string
studio, dependent on its television productions, into a major player.
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