LEE GABLER,
1940-2024

Lee Gabler, a famed TV agent who served as co-chair of CAA, died from a brain injury on 6/3. He was 84.

Gabler’s career began in the early ’60s in the mailroom at NYC’s Ashley Steiner Famous Artists agency, where he worked in the variety-show department covering The Ed Sullivan Show. In 1970, after Ashley Famous had morphed into ICM, Gabler had risen to EVP of the television department.

Twelve years later, In 1982, he made the move to CAA’s TV department, which he transformed into one of the most powerful talent departments in Hollywood, reaching a record 52 TV shows on air in one year.

Gabler was named co-chairman and managing partner of CAA in 1996. He closed out his quarter-century tenure at CAA in 2007 to consult with Worldwide Pants, the production company founded by David Letterman, whose 1993 move from NBC to CBS Gabler had orchestrated.

Along with Letterman’s The Late Show, Gabler helped bring to fruition The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The West Wing, House, CSI, Band of Brothers, Mad Men, 24, Everybody Loves Raymond, ER and American Idol, among many others.

Gabler is survived by his wife of 35 years, Elizabeth, the president of Sony’s 3000 Pictures; his sister, Melina; daughters Annalise and Jennifer; and four grandchildren.