One of the most extraordinary business and personal success stories of our time.
Barry Diller, one of America’s most successful businessmen, reveals himself here—his successes, failures, and struggles—with surprising candor and intimacy in a memoir rich in Hollywood lore and filled with business acumen.
Writing in his singular voice, Barry Diller delivers an astute business memoir, an unvarnished look at Hollywood, a primer on media, and a surprisingly frank coming-of-age story.
“I want to work in the mail room at William Morris.” So begins Diller’s show business life. Diller did not aspire to be an agent, nor was he a glove fit for William Morris, the legendary talent agency he describes as resembling a “Jewish Vatican.” But he was a good assistant and student and took it all in.
Before long, Diller was offered a job at ABC. His ascent was meteoric, launching ABC TV’s Movie of the Week at age twenty-seven, becoming CEO of Paramount Pictures at age thirty-two, and launching the Fox TV network at age forty-four. Along the way, Diller oversaw the production of classic films such as Saturday Night Fever, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Home Alone (a film he credits with saving Rupert Murdoch’s career) and hit TV shows such as The Simpsons, Married…with Children, and Cops. He programmed and developed by instinct—not by research or data.
Diller’s media savvy changed the course of American culture. His championing of Alex Haley’s Roots put long-form miniseries on the map. He was never cowed by the talent—actors, directors, and producers—and worked with them all. Indeed, throughout his career, Diller championed “creative conflict,” encouraging argument in every business he managed (“I’ve never thought decision-making should be peaceful,” he writes). Diller also recognized our digital future, founding IAC and growing it into a billion-dollar constellation of brands, including Match, Tinder, and Expedia.
Moving beyond business, Diller recounts his family life, personal struggles, and regrets, his joyful marriage to Diane von Furstenburg, and where he has found fulfillment.
Intimate, candid, and moving, Who Knew is a different kind of business memoir, one that holds nothing back.
“Propulsive…Gripping…. As a former editor, I’ve always felt that you can teach someone how to write a lead, but not how to notice the telling details. Diller notices the telling details.” Tina Brown
“Barry Diller Wrote One Hell Of A Mogul Memoir With Who Knew; Great Boardroom Tales Abound.” Deadline
“Diller is a good narrator of his own life.” The New Yorker
“An inspiring, must-read memoir offering a compelling look into a life marked by both extraordinary success and personal struggle.” Library Journal (starred)
“Well-crafted memoir by the noted media mogul… one of the better show-biz memoirs to appear in recent years. Highly instructive for would-be tycoons, with plenty of entertaining interludes.” Kirkus Reviews
“One of the defining figures of the ongoing media revolution.” Rolling Stone
“Because he is a taskmaster and a visionary and a billionaire, people in Hollywood and Silicon Valley pay close attention when he speaks.” The New York Times
“Over the past 55 years, as Diller’s magnificent, swashbuckling career has taken him from deckhand to mutineer to admiral, he’s navigated upheavals in media and technology while at the same time making big bets ahead of (and sometimes counter to) almost every major trend.” Forbes
“In today’s era of data-driven talent management, Diller’s ongoing success offers a reminder of the power of intuition.” Fast Company
“Forget F. Scott Fitzgerald’s line about there being no second acts in American lives: Diller is on his fourth or fifth.” Financial Times
Barry Diller’s business career has ranged from the end of the golden age of Hollywood to the frontiers of media and technology. He began his career at ABC in the 1960s, where he invented the Movie of the Week format, revolutionizing television programming. Diller later became the CEO of Paramount Pictures from 1974 to 1984, where he oversaw the production of classic films such as Saturday Night Fever, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Grease. In 1984, Diller joined 20th Century Fox, where he launched the Fox Broadcasting Company, introducing hit shows such as The Simpsons, Married…with Children, and Cops. In 1995, Diller founded IAC, a conglomerate focused on e-commerce, media, and internet companies. Under Diller’s leadership, IAC has grown into a digital powerhouse, owning brands such as Vimeo, Angi, and the Match Group (Tinder, Hinge, and OkCupid). Diller also chairs Expedia Group, one of the world’s largest travel companies. He is married to fashion designer and businesswoman Diane von Furstenberg and lives in New York City.
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