The Secrets of Hollywood Agency Mailrooms

Michael Ovitz began his career in the William Morris Agency mailroom, paying his entertainment industry dues like many others before him.  Within a year he was promoted, becoming a highly successful television agent before founding Creative Artists Agency (CAA). 

This 'pay your dues' ethos still persists in Hollywood; the most recent class captured in photographs and this article by The Hollywood Reporter.  

The culture of professionalism created by Ovitz and his partners to extend throughout the company continues to this day:  

"The agency... stil requires strict attention to detail, as well as the traditional suit and tie (or business attire for women, who now join the mailroom in almost equal numbers). And the program is open-ended, meaning you get out when you're good enough.  The competition is so stiff that trainees must work as an assistant for a year before even starting the program."

Read the entire article to discover the next generation of Hollywood players.