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Disney names studio chief
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February 15, 2002: 6:25 p.m. ET
Company picks Disney veteran Richard Cook to chair its movie unit.
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NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Disney Co. on Friday promoted veteran Richard Cook to chairman of its film studio, filling a post whose long time vacancy had raised eyebrows among investors concerned about Disney's direction.
Cook, 51, will take the top spot overseeing production for the Walt Disney, Touchstone and Hollywood Pictures banners.
The movie chief job had been vacant since June 2001, when Peter Schneider left after 18 months in the post.
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Walt Disney Co. names Richard Cook as chairman of its film studio. | |
After Schneider's departure, Chairman and Chief Executive Michael Eisner took a greater role in Walt Disney Studios, sitting in on film script and development meetings with production chief Nina Jacobson.
Eisner's hands-on approach had raised concern on Wall Street as Disney shares sunk to annual lows last fall. Some Disney watchers thought Eisner may be devoting too much time to Hollywood moviemaking and not enough to the other businesses.
But Cook said his boss' involvement at the studio was needed and welcome, citing Eisner's roots in film and TV production. Eisner once held top programming and production jobs at ABC and Paramount Pictures before joining Disney (DIS: Research, Estimates).
Burbank, Calif.-based Disney is among the world's largest media concerns with Walt Disney World and Disneyland theme parks, ABC and ESPN TV networks, and the movie studio.
Cook -- who began with Disney 31 years ago as a ride operator at its Disney Land amusement park -- has been marketing and distribution chief for the movie business for the past six years. 
-- from staff and wire reports
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