Barry Charles Diller (born February 2, 1942) is an American businessman, who currently serves as the Chairman and Senior Executive of IAC/InterActiveCorp and Expedia, Inc. and the media executive responsible for the creation of Fox Broadcasting Company and USA Broadcasting. Diller is a member of the Television Hall of Fame, having been inducted in 1994.
Early life
Diller was born into a Jewish household in San Francisco, California, and is the son of Reva (née Addison) and Michael Diller.
Career
Diller began his career through a family connection in the mailroom of the William Morris Agency after dropping out of UCLA after one semester. He was hired as an assistant by Elton Rule, then west coast head of ABC who was promoted to network President at the same time Diller went to work for him in 1964, taking him on to New York City, and Diller was soon placed in charge of negotiating broadcast rights to feature films. He was promoted to Vice President of Development in 1965. In this position, Diller created the ABC Movie of the Week, pioneering the concept of the made-for-television movie through a regular series of 90-minute films produced exclusively for television.
Paramount
Diller served for ten years as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Paramount Pictures Corporation starting in 1974. With Diller at the helm, the studio produced hit television programs such as Laverne & Shirley (1976), Taxi (1978), and Cheers (1982) and films that include Saturday Night Fever (1977), Grease (1978), Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) and sequel Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984), Terms of Endearment (1983), and Beverly Hills Cop (1984).
Fox
From October 1984 to April 1992, Diller held the positions of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Fox, Inc, the parent company of Fox network and 20th Century Fox, where he greenlighted megahit shows such as Married…with Children and The Simpsons. Diller quit 20th Century Fox in 1992 and purchased a $25 million stake in QVC teleshopping network. Diller then launched a bid to purchase Paramount Communications, but lost it to Viacom. Diller resigned from QVC in 1995.
Summary
| Barry Diller | |
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Diller at the 2009 premiere of the Metropolitan Opera
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| Born | Barry Charles Diller February 2, 1942 San Francisco, California |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Media executive |
| Years active | 1964–present |
| Net worth |  US$2.6 billion (October 2015) |
| Spouse(s) | Diane von Fürstenberg (2001–present) |
| Children | Prince Alexander von Fürstenberg, Princess Tatiana von Fürstenberg (both step-children) |
- Barry Diller founded internet and media conglomerate IAC in 1995 where he’s senior executive and chairman.
- Diller is also chairman of travel tech company Expedia which spun off from IAC in 2005. He has a 3.4% stake in Expedia.
- Prior to founding IAC, he worked at ABC, Paramount and Fox and oversaw launches of hit TV shows including “Cheers” and “The Simpsons.”
- Through a majority stake in the online company Match Group, IAC controls popular dating platforms like Tinder, OkCupid and Match.com.
- In 2011, Diller and Furstenberg donated $20 million through their family foundation to help complete the High Line Park in New York City.
- He is married to designer Diane Von Furstenberg and owns an estimated third of her eponymous fashion company.
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