Lee Gabler Dies: Former CAA Co-Chair And Legendary Talent Agent Was 84

Lee Gabler, the talent agent and former co-chairman and managing partner at Creative Artists Agency who orchestrated pioneering television deals, died June 3 in Los Angeles of a brain injury. He was 84 years old.

Gabler’s began his career in the early 1960s in the mailroom at Ashley Steiner Famous Artists in New York, and soon after was promoted to talent agent under the mentorship of agency founder Ted Ashley. One of Gabler’s first assignments in the Variety Show department was covering The Ed Sullivan Show.

The agency eventually evolved into ICM (International Creative Management) and by 1970 Gabler had risen through the ranks to executive vice president. He transferred to the Los Angeles office and became head of the worldwide Television Department, representing clients such as Weinberger-Daniels-Brooks, MTM, and Bruce Paltrow. He helped to establish co-financing with MTM for his client Jim Brooks, which enabled the Oscar winning film Terms of Endearment to be greenlit.

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