William Morris Agency

The William Morris Agency (WMA) was originally founded as a talent agency for vaudeville performers in 1898. The agency provides international representation for clients in the entertainment industry as well as for individuals in publishing, sports and politics.Official Site: Overview and History

On April 27, 2009, William Morris announced it would merge with the Beverly Hills-based Endeavor Talent Agency, and that the new entity will be called William Morris Endeavor Entertainment. The merger must be approved by the appropriate state and federal regulatory divisions before it can be finalized.NY Times: Two Top Hollywood Agencies to Join Forces (April 27, 2009)

• Endeavor, co-founded by Ari Emanuel, was a 14-year-old agency when the merger with the William Morris Agency was announced on April 27, 2009. Ari Emanuel is the brother to White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel and was also the inspiration behind the character Ari Gold on HBO's Entourage.

• The CEO of William Morris, James A. Wiatt, will be the chairman of the new company. Emanuel will have have "substantial authority" as a co-chief executive. Patrick Whitesell, from Endeavor, and David Wirtschafter, from William Morris have also been named co-chief executives.

The new firm is expected to have more than 300 agents, though lay-offs of current agents and support staff are likely as management is restructured.NY Times: Two Top Hollywood Agencies to Join Forces (April 27, 2009)

When her appointment as Secretary of State ended in January of 2009, the William Morris Agency announced that they had signed Condoleeza Rice as a client. According to the contract, WMA will represent Rice in the areas of publishing, public appearances, philanthropic endeavors and business initiatives.Reuters: Condoleezza Rice signs with William Morris Agency (January 22, 2009)

Past and present clients of the William Morris agency include Paul Thomas Anderson, Jackie Chan, Kanye West, Michael Bay, Mattel, General Motors, Anheuser-Busch, MySpace, Starbucks, The Rolling Stones, Eminem, Bill Cosby, Frank Sinatra, and Elvis Presley.Variety: Anderson, Chan join WMA (April 27, 2008) bNet: WMA going West as rapper returns (October, 2006) Variety: Hollywood's Toy Ploy (June 8, 2007) Variety: Mark Sacks joins William Morris (August 28, 2007) Anchorage Daily News: Palin publicity blitz: No signs of slowing (November 18, 2008)

• Variety: Eco buildings: Warners, WMA set a green example (November 30, 2006)