Richard Plepler
Richard Plepler & Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, May 2012
Born1958 (age 65–66)
Manchester, Connecticut
OccupationMedia Executive
Known forFormer Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of HBO
SpouseLisa Ruchlamer
Children1
AwardsInternational Emmy Directorate Award

Richard Plepler (born 1958)[1] is an American media executive, who is said to have ushered in the second golden age of television,[2] and former chairman and chief executive officer of Home Box Office, Inc. (HBO) a subsidiary of Time Warner Inc,[3] and AT&T's WarnerMedia.[4][5] After 28 years, on February 28, 2019, it was announced that Plepler was leaving HBO, eight months after the AT&T Time Warner merger.[6][7][8]

In 2020, Plepler launched EDEN Productions and announced a five-year production deal with Apple TV+ to make television series, documentaries, and feature films.[9][10]

Biography

Plepler was born in Manchester, Connecticut, to a Jewish family.[11][12] He is the elder of two brothers raised in Manchester.[1][13] His parents were active in Democratic politics.[1] His father was a trial lawyer.[14] He attended the Loomis Chaffee School[15][16] but ultimately graduated from the Watkinson School in Hartford in 1976 before attending and graduating from Franklin & Marshall College.[17][18]

Early career

Plepler studied government in college and then moved to Washington in 1981 where he worked for Connecticut Senator Christopher Dodd.[14]

In 1984, Plepler moved to New York City, where he opened a public relations firm and produced a series of interviews for The Atlantic magazine and a documentary on Israel and the Palestinian conflict.[1]

Plepler joined HBO in 1992 as an Executive Vice President,[1] at a time when the channel was known for showing movies and premium sporting events. He began his career as head of communications and rose through the ranks, In 2007, he was appointed and served as co-president of HBO from 2007 to 2013 (under Chairman & CEO Bill Nelson) responsible for overseeing all of HBO’s original programming as well as other areas.

Chairman and CEO at HBO

Plepler was appointed chairman and CEO of HBO in 2013 and held his position until 2019, culminating 28 years at the company.[18] During that time, HBO launched Emmy Award winning series including Game of Thrones, True Blood, Boardwalk Empire, Veep, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, The Newsroom, and Big Little Lies.[19]

Under Plepler's leadership, the network's series won more than 160 Emmys;[20] subscribership for HBO and sister channel Cinemax grew by nearly 40 million; and the HBO channels' revenue increased by $2 billion, a 40% increase.[21] Plepler led the launch of HBO on digital platforms such as Amazon and Hulu.[21][22][23][24]

Richard Plepler was known as the “ultimate deal maker” at HBO,[25] known for building a culture of collaboration with executives and celebrities alike.[26] He was a strong advocate of nurturing a health culture at the company, often saying “Culture eats strategy for breakfast”[26] and emphasizing that at regular lectures he gave to students at Stanford, Columbia and Harvard business schools.[27]

On February 28, 2019, it was announced that Plepler was leaving HBO. In his resignation memo, Plepler stated, "hard as it is to think about leaving the company I love, and the people I love in it, it is the right time for me to do so".[citation needed]

EDEN Productions

In January 2020, Plepler announced that he has started a production company called EDEN Productions, and that he and the company has signed a five-year deal with Apple TV+ to exclusively produce content for the streaming service.[28]

The Problem with Jon Stewart

Jon Stewart’s new bi-weekly current-affairs series, The Problem with Jon Stewart, premiered on September 30, 2021, on Apple TV+.[29]

Black Bird

Black Bird, a six-part limited series, came to Apple TV+ on July 8, 2022, starring Taron Egerton, Paul Walter Hauser, Ray Liotta, Greg Kinnear and Sepadoh Moafi.[30] Written by novelist Dennis Lehane and executive produced by Plepler, the series is based on the 2010 autobiographical novel In with the Devil: a Fallen Hero, a Serial, and a Dangerous Bargain for Redemption by James Keene and Hillel Levin.[31][32]

Franklin

In February 2022, Apple announced an eight-episode drama series Franklin based on the life of founding father Benjamin Franklin.[33] Michael Douglas stars in this series based on Pulitzer Prize winner Stacy Shiff’s book “A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France and the Birth of America.”[33][34] Filmed in France,[35] the drama is directed by Tim Van Patten who serves as Executive Producer alongside Douglas, Plepler and Tony Krantz. Kirk Elis wrote the teleplay.

Lincoln's Dilemma

Lincoln's Dilemma is a four-part documentary series from Peter Kunhardt and EDEN Productions based on historian David S. Reynold's book Abe: Abraham Lincoln in His Times.[36] The documentary series was released on Apple TV+ in February 2022 and includes insights from a panel of educators, scholars and journalists, all of whom provided a nuanced look at the life of Abraham Lincoln.[37] Award-winning actor Jeffrey Wright narrates with Bill Camp and Leslie Odom Jr. voicing Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, respectively.[36] The Daily Beast wrote that "Lincoln’s Dilemma should be required viewing for every American."[38]

Awards and honors

In 2014 Plepler was named Media Person of the Year by Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity[39] and in 2013 was inducted into Broadcasting and Cable Magazine's Hall of Fame. He was awarded the International Emmy Directorate Award for his impact on the industry from the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in 2015. That year, he also earned the prestigious 'Driver of Change' Award at the FT ArcelorMittal Boldness in Business Awards.

In 2016, Fast Company welcomed Plepler to their list of Most Creative People in Business and he won the Variety Vanguard Award for contribution to the TV business in 2017.[40] Plepler was inducted into the Cable Hall of Fame in 2018.[41]

TV mentions

His name has been used in two HBO series as a gesture of respect from show runners David Chase (The Sopranos) and Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm).[42] After being shot, Tony Soprano is overseen by a doctor whom Chase names Dr. Lior Plepler.[43] Larry David’s character invoked Plepler’s name in reference to an expensive painting on his wall. He says, “It’s a Plepler!”[42]

Philanthropy

Plepler sits on the board of directors of the Council on Foreign Relations[44] and serves on the board of trustees for the New York Public Library.[45]

Personal life

In 2002, Plepler married Lisa Ruchlamer;[46] they have one daughter.[citation needed]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e New York Times: "There’s Something About Richard - Richard Plepler of HBO Stands Tall in New York’s Cultural Elite" by Laura M. Holson September 21, 2012
  2. ^ Koblin, John; Lee, Edmund (2019-02-28). "HBO's C.E.O., an Emmy Magnet, Steps Down". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
  3. ^ "Richard Plepler, Home Box Office Inc: Profile & Biography - Bloomberg". Bloomberg. Retrieved March 5, 2017.
  4. ^ "Richard Plepler". Time Warner. Retrieved March 5, 2017.
  5. ^ "Richard Plepler addresses the future at DealBook". Cnbc.com. 10 November 2016. Retrieved March 5, 2017.
  6. ^ ""People Are Shocked": Inside HBO Adonis Richard Plepler's Mic Drop". Vanity Fair. March 2019.
  7. ^ "Richard Plepler Departing HBO After Three Decades at Cable Giant". The Hollywood Reporter. 28 February 2019.
  8. ^ Koblin, John (2020-01-02). "Apple Deal Returns Former HBO Boss Richard Plepler to Spotlight". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-05-09.
  9. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (2020-11-05). "Richard Plepler's Eden Productions Hires Ashley Underwood As Development Executive". Deadline. Retrieved 2021-05-09.
  10. ^ "ICM's Heather Karpas Joins Richard Plepler's Eden Productions". TheWrap. 2020-02-14. Retrieved 2021-05-09.
  11. ^ New York Magazine: "Barack Obama is the best thing Israel has going for it right now. Why is that so difficult for Netanyahu and his American Jewish allies to understand?" by John Heilemann September 18, 2011
  12. ^ Beth Sholom B'nai Israel (Aug 2016). "Bulletin (Vol. 5776)" (PDF). p. 14.
  13. ^ Buckler, Matt (1 March 2019). "Manchester native exits as HBO CEO". Journal Inquirer. Manchester, Connecticut. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
  14. ^ a b Garrahan, Matthew (Jan 9, 2015). "Lunch with the FT: Richard Plepler". Financial Times. Retrieved November 29, 2017.
  15. ^ Daily Bulletin Loomis Chaffee Richard Plepler convocation
  16. ^ https://www.loomischaffee.org/uploaded/Centennial/Centennial_Essay-Wawro.pdf[bare URL PDF]
  17. ^ "HBO Live: An Evening with Richard Pepler". CTInsider. Bridgeport, Connecticut. 26 November 2015. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  18. ^ a b Variety Magazine: "Richard Plepler, CHAIRMAN / CEO HBO" retrieved October 28, 2017
  19. ^ Anthony Ha (January 3, 2020). "Former HBO exec Richard Plepler signs exclusive production deal with Apple TV+". TechCrunch. Retrieved June 24, 2021. Plepler started at HBO back in 1993 and became CEO in 2013. During his time in that role, HBO had continued success with shows new ("True Detective" and "Big Little Lies") and old ("Game of Thrones").
  20. ^ John Koblin (January 2, 2020). "Apple Deal Returns Former HBO Boss Richard Plepler to Spotlight". The New York Times. Retrieved June 24, 2021. Mr. Plepler, 61, was a key figure in helping make HBO into an original-programming powerhouse. In the years he was in charge, the network won more than 160 Emmys, including for series like "Game of Thrones," "Big Little Lies" and "Veep."
  21. ^ a b Meg James (February 28, 2019). "HBO's Richard Plepler, tastemaker behind TV hits like 'Game of Thrones, quits". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 24, 2021. Since taking over as CEO in 2013, he has presided over a period of subscription growth at HBO and sister channel Cinemax, with the addition of nearly 40 million subscribers, to nearly 140 million. HBO channels' revenue during his tenure grew by $2 billion, a 40% increase, to $6.6 billion, according to HBO… He also spearheaded the launch of HBO on digital platforms, including Amazon.com and Hulu, as well as creating the stand-alone streaming service HBO Now… In the six years that Plepler ran New York-based HBO and Cinemax, HBO earned 165 Emmy Awards, with wins in all major categories.
  22. ^ David Sims (March 1, 2019). "The End of an Era for HBO—And for Television". The Atlantic. Retrieved June 24, 2021. He also launched HBO Now, a streaming-only subscription service that helped keep the company's brand steady as online apps became a more dominant form of TV viewing.
  23. ^ Variety Staff (July 11, 2017). "HBO's Richard Plepler to Receive Variety Vanguard Award at Mipcom". Variety. Retrieved June 24, 2021. Under Plepler's leadership, HBO has dramatically expanded its international reach and has been a pioneer in embracing alternative distribution models.
  24. ^ John Koblin and Edmund Lee (February 28, 2019). "HBO's C.E.O., an Emmy Magnet, Steps Down". The New York Times. Retrieved June 24, 2021. HBO, under his watch, won more than 160 Emmys for series like "Game of Thrones," "Big Little Lies" and "Veep." … Profits rose during Mr. Plepler's run as chief executive, topping more than $2 billion in 2017. He introduced a stand-alone app, HBO Now, in 2015, which has more than five million subscribers.
  25. ^ Koblin, John (2019-11-12). "Richard Plepler, Former HBO Boss, Is Close to Apple Deal". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-01-31.
  26. ^ a b Sherman, Erik (January 16, 2015). "HBO's CEO Says Culture Trumps Strategy Every Day". Inc.
  27. ^ Harbus, The (2012-12-10). "HBO's Richard Plepler and Author Malcolm Gladwell Convene at EMC Kick-Off - The Harbus". harbus.org. Retrieved 2023-01-31.
  28. ^ Koblin, John (2020-01-02). "Apple Deal Returns Former HBO Boss Richard Plepler to Spotlight". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-01-04.
  29. ^ "The Problem With Jon Stewart". Apple TV+ Press. Retrieved 2022-12-07.
  30. ^ "Black Bird - Cast and Crew". Apple TV+ Press. Retrieved 2022-12-19.
  31. ^ "The Only Surprise About Plepler's New Hit Show". Puck. 2022-08-02. Retrieved 2022-12-19.
  32. ^ "If You Miss Mindhunter, You Need to Watch Apple TV+'s Black Bird". TVGuide.com. Retrieved 2022-12-19.
  33. ^ a b "Apple TV+ announces new limited event series starring multi-award winner Michael Douglas as Benjamin Franklin". Apple TV+ Press. Retrieved 2023-01-03.
  34. ^ Bergeson, Samantha (2022-07-01). "'Franklin' First Look: Michael Douglas Takes on Benjamin Franklin in AppleTV+ Series". IndieWire. Retrieved 2023-01-03.
  35. ^ Wiseman, Andreas (2022-06-08). "Apple's Benjamin Franklin Series Starring Michael Douglas Adds Noah Jupe, Ludivine Sagnier, Daniel Mays, Assaad Bouab, More; Filming Starts In Paris". Deadline. Retrieved 2023-01-03.
  36. ^ a b "Apple TV+ debuts trailer for "Lincoln's Dilemma," a revealing new documentary series reexamining Lincoln's legacy, premiering February 18". Apple TV+ Press. Retrieved 2023-01-17.
  37. ^ "Watch Lincoln's Dilemma | Apple TV+". Apple TV. 2022-02-17. Retrieved 2023-01-17.
  38. ^ Schager, Nick (2022-02-19). "Every American Should Watch This New Apple TV+ Series". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 2023-01-17.
  39. ^ "Cannes Lions 2014: HBO's Richard Plepler is Media Person of the Year". Firstpost. 2014-05-02. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  40. ^ Clarke, Stewart (2017-10-16). "Mipcom: Richard Plepler Receives Vanguard Award, Talks Future of HBO, 'Game of Thrones'". Variety. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  41. ^ "Richard Plepler | 2018 Cable Hall of Fame Honoree". www.cablecenter.org. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  42. ^ a b Koblin, John; Lee, Edmund (2019-02-28). "HBO's C.E.O., an Emmy Magnet, Steps Down". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-01-31.
  43. ^ The Sopranos (TV Series 1999–2007) - IMDb, retrieved 2023-01-31
  44. ^ "Board of Directors". Council on Foreign Relations. Retrieved 2022-11-07.
  45. ^ "New York Public Library Board of Trustees". The New York Public Library. Retrieved 2022-11-07.
  46. ^ Rush, George; Malloy, Joanna; Anderson, Kasia; Rubin, Lauren (April 25, 2002). "New Love Keeps Carrey On His Toes". New York Daily News.
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