But then, a year later, Iger jettisoned studio boss Rich Ross, who had alienated many of those around him, and put Horn in charge.

“He is now retired.”īelieving his time atop the Hollywood ziggurat had expired, Horn was devastated, according to one close friend. So good for him,” says Horn, with a dismissive wave of his hand. “I was in partnership with him running the place for almost 12 years, then he went on alone. Horn hesitates to dwell much on the loss of his job as Warner president and chief operating officer but recalls it as “painful” and “hurtful.” In a rare break from his usual reserve, he even betrays how the episode estranged him from his longtime colleague, former Warner Bros. as a dominant force in the ferociously competitive film business, Time Warner boss Jeff Bewkes sent him packing in 2011, for no apparent reason other than his age. Then, after a dozen years Horn spent cementing Warner Bros. The man now celebrated as the rare Hollywood executive who is both successful and beloved almost got run off in his first foray into the creative side of the business more than 30 years ago. Though Horn is too circumspect to say it, the exhilaration at his achievements must be heightened because of the long and (briefly) fraught path that brought him to this place. The event, priced at $33,400 per couple, drew heavyweights including Julia Roberts, Gwyneth Paltrow and Horn’s boss, Walt Disney Co.

culture was evident as recently as April 7, when he hosted President Obama at a lavish fundraiser at his Bel Air home. The humble trappings belie the status of one of the most powerful figures in media.

Thats no orc horn