# Michael Eisner

> Michael Eisner is an American entertainment executive, investor and author who led Disney from 1984 to 2005. He championed the creation of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, founded Tornante after leaving Disney, and became chairman of Portsmouth Football Club. His career connects television programming, films, theme parks, sports ownership and intergenerational philanthropy.

- **Role:** Founder of The Tornante Company; Chairman of Portsmouth Football Club
- **Organizations:** The Tornante Company, Portsmouth Football Club, The Eisner Foundation, The Walt Disney Company (former), Paramount Pictures (former), ABC (former), Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (former NHL governor)
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** Secondary school graduation, The Lawrenceville School, BA in English literature and theater, Denison University
- **Known for:** Led Disney through an animation revival and international theme park expansion., Championed the creation of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and served as their NHL governor., Oversaw Disney’s Capital Cities/ABC acquisition.

## Career timeline

- **1964** — Graduated from Denison University.
- **1976** — Became president of Paramount Pictures.
- **1984** — Became Disney chairman and chief executive.
- **1993** — Became governor of the newly named Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.
- **1995-1996** — Disney announced and completed the Capital Cities/ABC acquisition.
- **1996** — Established The Eisner Foundation with Jane Eisner.
- **2004** — Disney separated the chairman and CEO positions after a shareholder protest.
- **2005** — Left Disney and founded Tornante; published Camp.
- **2010** — Published Working Together.
- **2012** — Inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame.
- **2017** — Tornante acquired Portsmouth FC.
- **2025** — Expanded twentieth-anniversary edition of Camp published.

## Achievements

- Led Disney through an animation revival and international theme park expansion.
- Championed the creation of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and served as their NHL governor.
- Oversaw Disney’s Capital Cities/ABC acquisition.
- Founded Tornante, whose television business produced BoJack Horseman and Long Story Short.
- Inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 2012.

## Latest updates

- **2026-05** — Moderated a Skirball conversation about Long Story Short with its creator and cast on May 26.
- **2026-02** — A Graham Bensinger interview about buying and rebuilding Portsmouth FC was published on February 15.
- **2025-08** — Tornante Television’s Long Story Short premiered on Netflix on August 22.
- **2025-04** — Expanded twentieth-anniversary edition of Camp published April 15.

## Links

- Website: https://www.michaeleisner.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeldeisner
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/Michael_Eisner

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/michael-eisner
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-14