Michael Eisner

Worked his way up from an mid-level manager to the VP of Prime Time Production at ABC (1966-1976).

As a top programming executive at ABC in the 1970s, he was instrumental in taking the network from its usual third place to the top through programming like "Happy Days" (1974).

When Barry Diller brough Eisner to Paramount in 1976, the company was firmly in sixth place (out of six) in the movie industry, without a single release in the box-office top ten. Two years later, half of the top box-office were Paramount productions, and Paramount was the top movie studio.

President and COO of Paramount Pictures (1976-1984).

While he was an executive at Paramount, he said the best script he ever read was Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981).

CEO and Chairman of the Board of Walt Disney Co. (1984-2005).

Under his leadership, Disney was transformed from a film studio and theme park company to one of the largest media powerhouses in the world. The company's market capitalization grew from $2 billion in 1984 to $61 billion in 2001. The company is now worth $50 billion.

His favorite film is Hayao Miyazaki's Tonari no Totoro (1988). The film became Disney property in 2004; it was previously owned by Fox and Troma.

In the early 1990s, after he cashed out some of the options he enjoyed which were tied to the performance of the Walt Disney Co., he walked away with over $100 million in cash.

Underwent open heart surgery in 1996.

After receiving an unprecedented rebuke from shareholders in 2004 with 43% of shares being withheld for his re-election, he stepped down as the Chairman of the Board, and continued to hold the position of CEO.