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| birth_name  = David Lawrence Geffen
| birth_name  = David Lawrence Geffen
| birth_date  = {{Birth date and age|1943|2|21}}
| birth_date  = {{Birth date and age|1943|2|21}}
| birth_place = [[New York City]], U.S.
| birth_place   = [[New York City]], U.S.
| nationality = American
| nationality   = American
| occupation  = Film producer, record executive, media proprietor, philanthropist
| occupation  = Film producer, record executive, media proprietor
| known_for    = Co-founding [[DreamWorks SKG]], founding [[Asylum Records]], [[Geffen Records]]
| known_for    = Co-founding [[DreamWorks SKG]], founding [[Asylum Records]], [[Geffen Records]]
| education    = [[Santa Monica College]] (no degree)
| education    = [[Santa Monica College]] (no degree)
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}}
}}


David Lawrence Geffen (born February 21, 1943) is an American film producer, record executive, media proprietor, and philanthropist whose career has spanned more than five decades and reshaped multiple sectors of the entertainment industry. Rising from modest origins in [[Brooklyn]], New York, Geffen built an empire that encompassed some of the most influential record labels and film studios in American culture. He co-founded [[Asylum Records]] with [[Elliot Roberts]] in 1971, providing a home for artists who would define the sound of the 1970s singer-songwriter movement. He went on to found [[Geffen Records]] in 1980 and [[DGC Records]] in 1990, signing acts that ranged from classic rock to grunge. In 1982, he established the [[Geffen Film Company]], and in 1994, he joined forces with [[Steven Spielberg]] and [[Jeffrey Katzenberg]] to co-found [[DreamWorks SKG]], a major film and entertainment studio. Beyond the entertainment business, Geffen has become one of the most prominent philanthropists in the United States, making landmark donations to institutions in education, medicine, and the arts, including a transformative gift to the [[UCLA]] medical school that now bears his name and a major contribution to the [[Los Angeles County Museum of Art]]. He was inducted into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] in 2010 in recognition of his contributions to the music industry.<ref>{{cite web |title=David Geffen |url=https://www.rockhall.com/inductees/david-geffen |publisher=Rock and Roll Hall of Fame |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
David Lawrence Geffen (born February 21, 1943) is an American film producer, record executive, and media proprietor whose career spans more than five decades at the intersection of music, film, theater, and philanthropy. Rising from modest beginnings in Brooklyn, New York, Geffen built a series of entertainment enterprises that reshaped the American music and film industries. He co-founded [[Asylum Records]] with Elliot Roberts in 1971, launched [[Geffen Records]] in 1980, and in 1994 co-founded [[DreamWorks SKG]] alongside [[Steven Spielberg]] and [[Jeffrey Katzenberg]], establishing one of the first major new Hollywood studios in decades.<ref name="nyt1993">{{cite news |date=1993-05-02 |title=David Geffen, Still Hungry |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/05/02/magazine/david-geffen-still-hungry.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Beyond his business ventures, Geffen has become one of the most significant philanthropists in American cultural life, with major gifts to medical education, the arts, and civic institutions. His donation to the [[UCLA]] medical school led to its renaming as the David Geffen School of Medicine, and the [[Los Angeles County Museum of Art]] (LACMA) announced in 2026 that its new David Geffen Galleries would open on April 19 of that year, marking the culmination of a two-decade campus transformation.<ref name="lacma">{{cite web |title=LACMA's David Geffen Galleries Will Open on April 19, 2026 |url=https://unframed.lacma.org/2026/02/05/lacma-david-geffen-galleries-will-open-april-19-2026 |publisher=Los Angeles County Museum of Art |date=2026-02-05 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref name="latimes-lacma">{{cite news |date=2026-02-05 |title=LACMA sets opening date for highly anticipated David Geffen Galleries |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2026-02-05/lacma-david-geffen-galleries-opening-date |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Geffen was inducted into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] in 2010 as a non-performer, in recognition of his transformative influence on the recording industry.<ref name="rockhall">{{cite web |title=David Geffen |url=https://www.rockhall.com/inductees/david-geffen |publisher=Rock and Roll Hall of Fame |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


== Early Life ==
== Early Life ==


David Lawrence Geffen was born on February 21, 1943, in [[New York City]] and grew up in the [[Borough Park]] neighborhood of [[Brooklyn]].<ref name="cnn">{{cite news |date=2026-02-09 |title=David Geffen Fast Facts |url=https://www.cnn.com/us/david-geffen-fast-facts |work=CNN |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> His parents were Jewish immigrants; his mother, Batya (née Volovskaya), had emigrated from the [[Russian Empire]], and his father, Abraham Geffen, was a pattern maker. The family was of modest means, and Geffen's early life was shaped by the experience of growing up in a working-class household in postwar Brooklyn. His mother, a driven and resourceful woman, operated a business selling bras and corsets from the family home, and her entrepreneurial spirit would prove to be an influential model for her son.
David Lawrence Geffen was born on February 21, 1943, in [[Borough Park, Brooklyn|Borough Park]], Brooklyn, New York City.<ref name="cnn">{{cite news |date=2026-02-09 |title=David Geffen Fast Facts |url=https://www.cnn.com/us/david-geffen-fast-facts |work=CNN |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> He grew up in a Jewish family of modest means. His mother, Batya, was an immigrant who operated a corset and brassiere shop, and his father, Abraham, held various jobs. Geffen has spoken publicly about growing up in Brooklyn and the formative influence of his mother's entrepreneurial drive on his own ambitions.<ref name="nyt1993" />


Geffen showed little enthusiasm for formal education during his youth. He was an indifferent student who found conventional academic life uninspiring, though he displayed an early aptitude for showmanship and persuasion. He attended [[New Utrecht High School]] in Brooklyn before moving to California, where the climate and culture of [[Los Angeles]] would become central to his identity and professional life.
From an early age, Geffen demonstrated an interest in the entertainment world. He was drawn to music and show business, though his academic record was unremarkable. After graduating from high school in Brooklyn, Geffen moved to [[Los Angeles]], where he briefly attended [[Santa Monica College]] but did not obtain a degree.<ref name="cnn" /> His lack of formal academic credentials would later become a notable element of his biography, as he built one of the most significant careers in American entertainment without a college diploma.


As a young man, Geffen was drawn to the entertainment industry and the possibilities it represented. His ambitions were outsized relative to his background, and he possessed a combination of charm, intelligence, and relentless drive that would carry him from the mailroom of a talent agency to the heights of the American entertainment establishment. His Brooklyn upbringing, with its emphasis on self-reliance and hustle, instilled in him a tenacity that became a defining characteristic throughout his career.
Geffen's early years in Los Angeles were characterized by ambition and resourcefulness. He sought entry into the entertainment business and eventually secured a position in the mailroom of the [[William Morris Agency]], one of the most prestigious talent agencies in Hollywood. This entry-level job provided Geffen with his first exposure to the inner workings of the entertainment industry and the professional relationships that would shape his career for decades to come.<ref name="filmref">{{cite web |title=David Geffen |url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/25/David-Geffen.html |publisher=Film Reference |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


== Education ==
== Education ==


Geffen attended [[Santa Monica College]] in California but did not earn a degree.<ref name="cnn" /> His formal education was limited, and he later acknowledged that he had fabricated credentials early in his career to gain entry into the entertainment industry. In a now-famous episode, Geffen claimed to have a degree from [[UCLA]] on a job application to the [[William Morris Agency]]; he then intercepted a letter from UCLA that would have exposed the falsehood and replaced it with a forged document. This act of youthful audacity became part of Geffen's legend in Hollywood, illustrating both the lengths to which he was willing to go to break into the business and the informal, personality-driven nature of the entertainment industry at the time.
Geffen attended [[New Utrecht High School]] in Brooklyn before relocating to California. He enrolled at [[Santa Monica College]] in Los Angeles but did not complete a degree program.<ref name="cnn" /> Despite his lack of formal higher education, Geffen's career trajectory demonstrated an acute understanding of the music and film industries that he developed through practical experience rather than academic study. His later philanthropic contributions to educational institutions, including a transformative gift to UCLA's medical school, stand in contrast to his own abbreviated academic career.
 
Despite his lack of formal academic credentials, Geffen would later become one of the most significant benefactors of higher education in the United States, with major gifts to UCLA and other institutions.


== Career ==
== Career ==
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=== Early Career in the Music Industry ===
=== Early Career in the Music Industry ===


Geffen's entry into the entertainment business began in the mailroom of the [[William Morris Agency]] in the mid-1960s, a starting point shared by several other future entertainment moguls. He quickly demonstrated an exceptional ability to identify talent and negotiate deals, and he rose rapidly through the agency's ranks. By the late 1960s, Geffen had established himself as a talent agent and manager, representing artists who would become central figures in the emerging [[singer-songwriter]] movement of the early 1970s.
Geffen's professional career began at the [[William Morris Agency]], where he started in the mailroom — a traditional entry point for aspiring talent agents in Hollywood.<ref name="filmref" /> He quickly distinguished himself and rose through the agency's ranks, developing relationships with musicians and performers that would prove central to his subsequent ventures.


His early management clients included [[Laura Nyro]], with whom Geffen developed a particularly close professional and personal relationship. He helped negotiate the sale of Nyro's publishing catalog to [[Columbia Records]] for a reported $4 million, a deal that was considered extraordinary at the time and established Geffen's reputation as a shrewd dealmaker. The proceeds from this transaction helped finance his subsequent ventures in the recording industry.
By the late 1960s, Geffen had established himself as a talent manager, representing a roster of artists in the burgeoning California folk-rock and singer-songwriter scenes. His management work gave him an intimate understanding of the recording industry's economics and the creative needs of artists, knowledge that informed his decision to move into record label ownership.


=== Asylum Records ===
=== Asylum Records ===


In 1971, Geffen co-founded [[Asylum Records]] with [[Elliot Roberts]], establishing a label that would become synonymous with the [[Laurel Canyon]] sound and the Southern California singer-songwriter scene. Asylum Records became home to a roster of artists who defined an era, including [[The Eagles]], [[Jackson Browne]], [[Joni Mitchell]], [[Tom Waits]], and [[Linda Ronstadt]]. Under Geffen's leadership, the label cultivated a reputation for artist-friendly practices and creative freedom, attracting performers who sought an alternative to the more corporate atmosphere of established major labels.
In 1971, Geffen co-founded [[Asylum Records]] with Elliot Roberts, a fellow talent manager.<ref name="nyt1993" /> The label was conceived as an artist-friendly alternative to the major recording companies of the era, and it quickly became one of the defining labels of the 1970s Southern California music scene. Asylum Records signed and developed a roster of artists who would become among the most commercially and critically successful musicians of their generation, including [[Jackson Browne]], [[the Eagles]], [[Linda Ronstadt]], and [[Joni Mitchell]].


The success of Asylum Records was swift and substantial. The Eagles' debut album and subsequent releases became among the best-selling records in history, and the label's roster collectively generated enormous commercial and critical success. In 1972, Asylum merged with [[Elektra Records]] to form Elektra/Asylum Records, with Geffen serving as chairman. He oversaw the combined label during a period of sustained commercial growth before departing in the mid-1970s. The Asylum years established Geffen as one of the most influential figures in the American music industry and cemented his relationships with artists and executives that would endure for decades.
The label's success was built on Geffen's ability to identify and nurture talent, combined with his shrewd negotiating skills. Asylum Records was eventually merged with [[Elektra Records]] to form Elektra/Asylum Records, a division of [[Warner Communications]]. Geffen served as head of the combined label before departing to pursue new ventures.<ref name="filmref" />


=== Geffen Records and DGC Records ===
=== Geffen Records ===


After a period away from the music business during the late 1970s — during which he taught briefly at Yale University and dealt with a cancer misdiagnosis that prompted him to reevaluate his life — Geffen returned to the recording industry with the founding of [[Geffen Records]] in 1980. The new label was distributed by [[Warner Bros. Records]] and quickly became a major force in popular music.
After a period away from the music business during which he explored other interests, including a brief tenure teaching at [[Yale University]], Geffen returned to the recording industry in 1980 with the founding of [[Geffen Records]].<ref name="nyt1993" /> The new label became one of the most important record companies of the 1980s and 1990s, signing acts across a range of genres.


Geffen Records signed a diverse array of artists across genres, including [[John Lennon]] and [[Yoko Ono]] (whose ''[[Double Fantasy]]'' album, released on Geffen Records in 1980, was Lennon's final studio album before his assassination), [[Elton John]], [[Peter Gabriel]], [[Aerosmith]], [[Whitesnake]], and [[Guns N' Roses]]. The label's willingness to sign artists who spanned pop, rock, heavy metal, and new wave reflected Geffen's eclectic taste and commercial instincts. Guns N' Roses' 1987 debut album ''[[Appetite for Destruction]]'' became one of the best-selling debut albums in history, further establishing Geffen Records as a dominant label.
Geffen Records' roster included [[John Lennon]] and [[Yoko Ono]], whose album ''[[Double Fantasy]]'' was released on the label in 1980 — one of the most commercially significant releases of the decade. The label also signed [[Elton John]], [[Peter Gabriel]], and, in the hard rock and heavy metal arena, [[Guns N' Roses]] and [[Aerosmith]]. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Geffen Records played a central role in the alternative rock movement, signing [[Nirvana]] (through its subsidiary [[DGC Records]], founded in 1990) and releasing the band's landmark album ''[[Nevermind]]'' in 1991, which is credited with bringing alternative rock into the mainstream.


In 1990, Geffen founded [[DGC Records]] as a subsidiary label. DGC Records would achieve its most notable success with the signing of [[Nirvana]], whose 1991 album ''[[Nevermind]]'' is credited with bringing [[grunge]] and [[alternative rock]] into the mainstream. The album's lead single, "[[Smells Like Teen Spirit]]," became a cultural phenomenon, and ''Nevermind'' eventually sold more than 30 million copies worldwide. The success of Nirvana on DGC Records demonstrated Geffen's continued ability to identify and nurture talent at the cutting edge of popular music, even as the industry underwent dramatic shifts in taste and commercial dynamics.
Geffen sold Geffen Records to [[MCA Inc.]] in 1990 in a deal that netted him hundreds of millions of dollars and cemented his status as one of the wealthiest figures in the entertainment industry.<ref name="nyt1993" />


In 1990, Geffen sold Geffen Records to [[MCA Inc.]] for stock reportedly valued at approximately $550 million, a transaction that made him one of the wealthiest individuals in the entertainment industry.<ref>{{cite web |title=David Geffen |url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/25/David-Geffen.html |publisher=Film Reference |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
=== Film and Theater ===


=== The Geffen Film Company ===
Geffen expanded into film production in 1982 with the founding of the Geffen Film Company (later known as [[Geffen Pictures]]).<ref name="filmref" /> The company produced a number of notable films over the following decade, including ''[[Risky Business]]'' (1983), ''[[Lost in America]]'' (1985), ''[[Little Shop of Horrors (1986 film)|Little Shop of Horrors]]'' (1986), ''[[Beetlejuice]]'' (1988), and ''[[Interview with the Vampire (film)|Interview with the Vampire]]'' (1994). These productions demonstrated Geffen's range as a producer, spanning comedy, horror, and drama.


In 1982, Geffen expanded into the film industry with the establishment of the [[Geffen Film Company]] (later known as Geffen Pictures). The company produced a number of commercially and critically successful films during the 1980s and 1990s, including ''[[Risky Business]]'' (1983), which helped launch the career of [[Tom Cruise]]; ''[[Lost in America]]'' (1985); ''[[Little Shop of Horrors (1986 film)|Little Shop of Horrors]]'' (1986); ''[[Beetlejuice]]'' (1988); and ''[[Interview with the Vampire (film)|Interview with the Vampire]]'' (1994). Geffen's film company operated in partnership with [[Warner Bros.]] and demonstrated his ability to translate his success in the music business into the motion picture industry.
In [[Broadway theatre|Broadway theater]], Geffen also made a significant mark. He was a producer of several successful stage productions, including ''[[Cats (musical)|Cats]]'' and ''[[Dreamgirls]]'', further diversifying his entertainment portfolio.<ref name="cnn" />


=== DreamWorks SKG ===
=== DreamWorks SKG ===


In October 1994, Geffen joined with filmmaker [[Steven Spielberg]] and former [[Walt Disney Studios]] chairman [[Jeffrey Katzenberg]] to co-found [[DreamWorks SKG]], a new film, television, and entertainment studio. The formation of DreamWorks represented one of the most high-profile studio launches in Hollywood history, and the combination of Spielberg's creative vision, Katzenberg's studio management experience, and Geffen's business acumen attracted significant attention and investment.
In October 1994, Geffen, [[Steven Spielberg]], and [[Jeffrey Katzenberg]] announced the formation of [[DreamWorks SKG]] (the initials standing for Spielberg, Katzenberg, and Geffen), a new film studio that represented the first major new Hollywood studio to be created in decades.<ref name="nyt1993" /><ref name="filmref" /> The venture attracted enormous attention from the media and the entertainment industry, as it brought together three of the most successful figures in American entertainment.


DreamWorks produced and distributed a number of major films, including ''[[American Beauty (film)|American Beauty]]'' (1999), which won the [[Academy Award for Best Picture]]; ''[[Saving Private Ryan]]'' (1998); ''[[Gladiator (2000 film)|Gladiator]]'' (2000); and ''[[A Beautiful Mind (film)|A Beautiful Mind]]'' (2001). The studio's animation division, [[DreamWorks Animation]], produced the commercially successful ''[[Shrek]]'' franchise, ''[[Madagascar (franchise)|Madagascar]]'' series, and ''[[Kung Fu Panda (franchise)|Kung Fu Panda]]'' series, establishing DreamWorks as a competitor to [[Pixar]] and [[Walt Disney Animation Studios]] in the animated film market.
DreamWorks produced and distributed a wide range of films, including the Academy Award–winning ''[[American Beauty (film)|American Beauty]]'' (1999), ''[[Gladiator (2000 film)|Gladiator]]'' (2000), and ''[[A Beautiful Mind (film)|A Beautiful Mind]]'' (2001). The studio's animation division, [[DreamWorks Animation]], produced the commercially successful ''[[Shrek]]'' franchise and other animated features. In 1996, Geffen also co-founded [[DreamWorks Records]] with [[Mo Ostin]], Michael Ostin, and [[Lenny Waronker]], extending the DreamWorks brand into the music industry.


In 1996, Geffen co-founded [[DreamWorks Records]] alongside [[Mo Ostin]], [[Michael Ostin]], and [[Lenny Waronker]], extending DreamWorks' reach into the music industry. The record label operated until the mid-2000s.
DreamWorks' live-action film division was sold to [[Paramount Pictures]] in 2005, while DreamWorks Animation was eventually acquired by [[NBCUniversal]] in 2016. The founding and operation of DreamWorks represented the capstone of Geffen's career as a studio builder and solidified his position as one of the most influential figures in American entertainment history.<ref name="filmref" />


DreamWorks SKG's live-action division was eventually sold to [[Paramount Pictures]] in 2006, while DreamWorks Animation continued as a separate entity before being acquired by [[NBCUniversal]] in 2016. The studio's output during its independent years was prolific, and its founding remains a landmark event in the modern entertainment industry.
=== Business Acumen and Wealth ===


=== Broadway ===
Throughout his career, Geffen demonstrated a consistent ability to negotiate advantageous deals and to time the sale of his assets to maximize returns. His sale of Geffen Records to MCA, his share of the DreamWorks transactions, and his investments in real estate and art collectively built a fortune that placed him among the wealthiest individuals in the global entertainment industry.<ref name="nyt1993" />


Geffen also made a significant mark on [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]], producing the original production of ''[[Cats (musical)|Cats]]'' and the musical adaptation of ''[[Dreamgirls]]'', among other productions. His involvement in the theatre extended his influence across virtually every major sector of the American entertainment industry.
Geffen has been known as a collector of fine art, and his collection has been valued among the most significant private art holdings in the world.<ref name="artcollection">{{cite web |title=Private Wealth: Geffen's Art Collection Tops in Value |url=http://www.wealthx.com/articles/2013/private-wealth-geffens-art-collection-tops-in-value/ |publisher=Wealth-X |date=2013 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> He has also been an owner of significant real estate in [[Malibu, California]], where his property holdings have drawn media attention.<ref name="malibu">{{cite news |date=2005-06-05 |title=In Malibu, the Water's Fine; So Don't Come In |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/05/fashion/sundaystyles/in-malibu-the-waters-fine-so-dont-come-in.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Geffen is also known for owning the yacht ''Rising Sun'', one of the largest privately owned yachts in the world, which he acquired from [[Larry Ellison]].<ref name="yacht">{{cite web |title=David Geffen Takes Possession of 'Rising Sun,' World's Sixth Largest Yacht |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111206032409/http://boatworktimes.com/yacht-mainmenu-26/luxury/4439-david-geffen-takes-possession-of-qrising-sunq-worlds-sixth-largest-yacht.html |publisher=BoatWork Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


== Personal Life ==
== Personal Life ==


Geffen is openly [[gay]]. He came out publicly in 1992, becoming one of the most prominent figures in the entertainment industry to do so at that time. His coming out was covered extensively in the media and was seen as a significant moment in the broader cultural movement toward greater acceptance of [[LGBT]] individuals in public life.<ref name="nyt1993">{{cite news |last= |first= |date=1993-05-02 |title=David Geffen, Still Hungry |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/05/02/magazine/david-geffen-still-hungry.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Geffen is openly [[gay]]. He came out publicly in 1992, becoming one of the first major Hollywood executives to do so.<ref name="cnn" /> His openness about his sexuality was considered significant in an industry that had long been reluctant to acknowledge the presence of gay executives and creatives in positions of power.


Geffen has been linked romantically to several public figures over the years. The singer [[Cher]] has spoken publicly about her relationship with Geffen, which took place before he came out. In a 2026 interview, Cher described their dating relationship, noting that they "had an arrangement."<ref>{{cite news |date=2026-01 |title=Cher on Dating David Geffen, Who Later Came Out as Gay: "We Had an Arrangement" |url=https://www.them.us/story/cher-david-geffen-gay-arrangement-dating-relationship |work=Them |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Before coming out, Geffen had a widely publicized relationship with the singer [[Cher]] in the early 1970s. In a 2026 interview, Cher discussed the nature of their relationship, stating, "We had an arrangement," and acknowledged that Geffen later came out as gay.<ref name="cher">{{cite web |title=Cher on Dating David Geffen, Who Later Came Out as Gay: "We Had an Arrangement" |url=https://www.them.us/story/cher-david-geffen-gay-arrangement-dating-relationship |publisher=Them |date=2026-01 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


In 2025, reports emerged regarding Geffen's divorce proceedings from his much younger husband, drawing media coverage that discussed the legal and financial dimensions of the separation.<ref>{{cite news |date=2025-07-29 |title=David Geffen's Divorce Gives New Meaning to an Old Term |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/29/style/hypergamy-david-geffen-divorce.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Marilyn B. Chinitz Discusses David Geffen's Divorce in the New York Daily News |url=https://www.blankrome.com/news/marilyn-b-chinitz-discusses-david-geffens-divorce-new-york-daily-news |publisher=Blank Rome LLP |date=2025-09-03 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Geffen was married to Jeremy Lingvall. In 2025, reports surfaced regarding divorce proceedings between the two, drawing attention to legal questions surrounding the division of assets.<ref name="nytdivorce">{{cite news |date=2025-07-29 |title=David Geffen's Divorce Gives New Meaning to an Old Term |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/29/style/hypergamy-david-geffen-divorce.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref name="blankrome">{{cite web |title=Marilyn B. Chinitz Discusses David Geffen's Divorce in the New York Daily News |url=https://www.blankrome.com/news/marilyn-b-chinitz-discusses-david-geffens-divorce-new-york-daily-news |publisher=Blank Rome LLP |date=2025-09-03 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


Geffen has been a prominent [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] fundraiser and political donor, supporting numerous candidates and causes over the decades. He is also known for his extensive [[art collection]], which has been ranked among the most valuable private collections in the world.<ref>{{cite web |title=Private Wealth: Geffen's Art Collection Tops in Value |url=http://www.wealthx.com/articles/2013/private-wealth-geffens-art-collection-tops-in-value/ |publisher=Wealth-X |date=2013 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Geffen was a donor in opposition to [[California Proposition 8 (2008)|California Proposition 8]], the 2008 ballot initiative that sought to ban same-sex marriage in California.<ref name="prop8">{{cite web |title=Proposition 8 Donor Database |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081207142742/http://www.sfgate.com/webdb/prop8/?appSession=587482278271008&RecordID=14493&PageID=3&PrevPageID=2&cpipage=1&CPIsortType=&CPIorderBy= |publisher=San Francisco Chronicle |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


Geffen is also known for his real estate holdings, including a notable property in [[Malibu, California]].<ref>{{cite news |date=2005-06-05 |title=In Malibu, the Water's Fine. So Don't Come In. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/05/fashion/sundaystyles/in-malibu-the-waters-fine-so-dont-come-in.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> He has owned the [[yacht]] ''[[Rising Sun (yacht)|Rising Sun]]'', one of the largest private yachts in the world, which he acquired from fellow entertainment executive [[Larry Ellison]].<ref>{{cite web |title=David Geffen Takes Possession of 'Rising Sun' – World's Sixth Largest Yacht |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111206032409/http://boatworktimes.com/yacht-mainmenu-26/luxury/4439-david-geffen-takes-possession-of-qrising-sunq-worlds-sixth-largest-yacht.html |publisher=Boat Work Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Geffen has maintained residences in [[Malibu, California|Malibu]] and [[New York City]]. His Malibu estate, situated on [[Carbon Beach]], has been a subject of media coverage regarding beach access rights and coastal property disputes.<ref name="malibu" />


== Recognition ==
== Philanthropy ==
 
Geffen has made substantial philanthropic contributions across the fields of medicine, the arts, and education. His most prominent gift was a $200 million donation to the [[UCLA]] medical school, which was renamed the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA in his honor.<ref name="cnn" /> In 2026, the [[United States Department of Justice]] sought to join a lawsuit alleging that the school illegally considered race in its admissions processes, bringing renewed public attention to the institution.<ref name="doj">{{cite news |date=2026-01-28 |title=DOJ seeks to join lawsuit against David Geffen School of Medicine |url=https://dailybruin.com/2026/01/28/doj-seeks-to-join-lawsuit-against-david-geffen-school-of-medicine |work=Daily Bruin |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


=== Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ===
Geffen has also been a major donor to the [[Los Angeles County Museum of Art]]. The museum's new building, designated the David Geffen Galleries, was announced to open on April 19, 2026, representing the culmination of a multi-decade transformation of the LACMA campus.<ref name="lacma" /><ref name="latimes-lacma" />


In 2010, Geffen was inducted into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] in the non-performer category, recognizing his contributions as a record executive and label founder who had a transformative impact on popular music.<ref>{{cite web |title=2010 Induction Ceremony |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091223194626/http://www.rockhall.com/induction2010/ |publisher=Rock and Roll Hall of Fame |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> The induction cited his role in founding Asylum Records and Geffen Records and his signing of artists who helped shape the sound of American music from the 1970s onward.
In 2012, Geffen donated $100 million to establish the Geffen Scholars program at UCLA, which provides full-tuition scholarships and other support to students from underserved backgrounds.<ref name="scholarship">{{cite web |title=David Geffen Gives $100 Million Scholarship To UCLA |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/14/david-geffen-scholarship_n_2301741.html |publisher=HuffPost |date=2012-12-14 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


=== Philanthropy and Named Institutions ===
Other beneficiaries of Geffen's philanthropy have included [[Lincoln Center]] in New York City, where he made a significant donation to the renovation of [[David Geffen Hall]] (originally known as Avery Fisher Hall), and numerous organizations focused on [[HIV/AIDS]] research and advocacy.<ref name="cnn" />


Geffen has made substantial philanthropic contributions to education, medicine, and the arts. His $200 million donation to the [[UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine]] resulted in the school being renamed in his honor. As of 2026, the school remained in the news when the [[United States Department of Justice]] sought to join a lawsuit alleging the school illegally considered race in its admissions processes.<ref>{{cite news |date=2026-01-28 |title=DOJ seeks to join lawsuit against David Geffen School of Medicine |url=https://dailybruin.com/2026/01/28/doj-seeks-to-join-lawsuit-against-david-geffen-school-of-medicine |work=Daily Bruin |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
== Recognition ==


In December 2012, Geffen announced a $100 million scholarship fund for students attending UCLA, which was described as one of the largest such gifts to a public university.<ref>{{cite web |title=David Geffen Scholarship |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/14/david-geffen-scholarship_n_2301741.html |publisher=HuffPost |date=2012-12-14 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Geffen's contributions to the entertainment industry have been acknowledged through numerous honors. In 2010, he was inducted into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] as a non-performer, recognizing his impact on the recording industry through his founding of Asylum Records and Geffen Records and his support of generations of recording artists.<ref name="rockhall" /><ref name="rockhall2010">{{cite web |title=Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2010 Induction |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091223194626/http://www.rockhall.com/induction2010/ |publisher=Rock and Roll Hall of Fame |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


Geffen made a major donation to the [[Los Angeles County Museum of Art]] (LACMA), resulting in the naming of the museum's new building as the David Geffen Galleries. In February 2026, LACMA announced that the David Geffen Galleries, described as the culmination of a two-decade campus transformation, would open to museum members on April 19, 2026.<ref>{{cite web |title=LACMA's David Geffen Galleries Will Open on April 19, 2026 |url=https://unframed.lacma.org/2026/02/05/lacma-david-geffen-galleries-will-open-april-19-2026 |publisher=Los Angeles County Museum of Art |date=2026-02-05 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=2026-02-05 |title=LACMA sets opening date for highly anticipated David Geffen Galleries |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2026-02-05/lacma-david-geffen-galleries-opening-date |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
The naming of major institutions in his honor reflects the scope of his influence and generosity. The David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center, and the David Geffen Galleries at LACMA each bear his name, a distinction shared by few living Americans across multiple fields.<ref name="lacma" /><ref name="cnn" />


Geffen has also made significant donations to [[Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts]] in New York City, the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles, and numerous other cultural and educational institutions. His cumulative philanthropic giving has exceeded $1 billion.
Geffen has been the subject of extensive media coverage throughout his career, including a detailed profile in ''[[The New York Times Magazine]]'' in 1993 titled "David Geffen, Still Hungry," which examined his career arc and his reputation as one of the most driven figures in the entertainment world.<ref name="nyt1993" />


== Legacy ==
== Legacy ==


David Geffen's influence on the American entertainment industry is extensive and multifaceted. As a record executive, he played a central role in the careers of artists who defined multiple generations of popular music, from the singer-songwriters of the early 1970s to the grunge movement of the 1990s. Asylum Records and Geffen Records each became defining labels of their respective eras, and Geffen's ability to identify and develop talent remained consistent across dramatic shifts in musical taste and industry structure.
David Geffen's career is notable for the breadth of its impact across multiple segments of the entertainment industry. In music, his founding of Asylum Records in 1971 helped define the sound of the Southern California singer-songwriter movement, while Geffen Records and DGC Records played central roles in the alternative rock revolution of the early 1990s. In film, his production companies contributed a string of commercially and critically successful films, and DreamWorks SKG represented a rare attempt to build a new major studio from scratch in the modern era.<ref name="filmref" />


As a film producer and studio co-founder, Geffen helped establish DreamWorks SKG as one of the most prominent independent studios in Hollywood history. The studio's output in both live-action and animated film earned critical acclaim and commercial success, and its formation represented a rare instance of a new major studio being created in an industry dominated by long-established conglomerates.
Geffen's career has also been examined for its broader implications regarding the entertainment industry's power structures, the economics of record labels, and the role of individual impresarios in shaping cultural tastes. His rise from the mailroom of the William Morris Agency to the co-founding of a major Hollywood studio is frequently cited as one of the most remarkable ascents in American business history.<ref name="nyt1993" />


Geffen's philanthropic contributions have left a lasting imprint on education, medicine, and the arts in the United States. Institutions bearing his name — including the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, the David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center, and the David Geffen Galleries at LACMA — serve as enduring markers of his impact beyond the entertainment business.
His philanthropic legacy, particularly in the areas of medical education and the visual arts, has extended his influence beyond the entertainment industry. The opening of the David Geffen Galleries at LACMA in 2026 represents one of the most significant additions to the American museum landscape in recent years.<ref name="lacma" /><ref name="latimes-lacma" />


His public coming out in 1992 was a notable moment in the history of [[LGBT]] visibility in American public life, particularly within the entertainment industry. As one of the most powerful openly gay individuals in business, Geffen's visibility contributed to broader cultural shifts in attitudes toward sexual orientation.
As an openly gay man who came out publicly in the early 1990s — at a time when few figures of his stature in the entertainment industry had done so — Geffen's personal story has also been cited in the broader history of [[LGBT rights in the United States|LGBT rights]] and visibility in American corporate and cultural life.<ref name="cnn" />
 
From the mailroom of the William Morris Agency to the co-founding of a major Hollywood studio, Geffen's career trajectory has been cited as one of the most remarkable in the history of the American entertainment industry.<ref name="nyt1993" />


== References ==
== References ==
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Revision as of 01:55, 24 February 2026



David Geffen
BornDavid Lawrence Geffen
21 2, 1943
BirthplaceNew York City, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
OccupationFilm producer, record executive, media proprietor
Known forCo-founding DreamWorks SKG, founding Asylum Records, Geffen Records
EducationSanta Monica College (no degree)
AwardsRock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee (2010)

David Lawrence Geffen (born February 21, 1943) is an American film producer, record executive, and media proprietor whose career spans more than five decades at the intersection of music, film, theater, and philanthropy. Rising from modest beginnings in Brooklyn, New York, Geffen built a series of entertainment enterprises that reshaped the American music and film industries. He co-founded Asylum Records with Elliot Roberts in 1971, launched Geffen Records in 1980, and in 1994 co-founded DreamWorks SKG alongside Steven Spielberg and Jeffrey Katzenberg, establishing one of the first major new Hollywood studios in decades.[1] Beyond his business ventures, Geffen has become one of the most significant philanthropists in American cultural life, with major gifts to medical education, the arts, and civic institutions. His donation to the UCLA medical school led to its renaming as the David Geffen School of Medicine, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) announced in 2026 that its new David Geffen Galleries would open on April 19 of that year, marking the culmination of a two-decade campus transformation.[2][3] Geffen was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010 as a non-performer, in recognition of his transformative influence on the recording industry.[4]

Early Life

David Lawrence Geffen was born on February 21, 1943, in Borough Park, Brooklyn, New York City.[5] He grew up in a Jewish family of modest means. His mother, Batya, was an immigrant who operated a corset and brassiere shop, and his father, Abraham, held various jobs. Geffen has spoken publicly about growing up in Brooklyn and the formative influence of his mother's entrepreneurial drive on his own ambitions.[1]

From an early age, Geffen demonstrated an interest in the entertainment world. He was drawn to music and show business, though his academic record was unremarkable. After graduating from high school in Brooklyn, Geffen moved to Los Angeles, where he briefly attended Santa Monica College but did not obtain a degree.[5] His lack of formal academic credentials would later become a notable element of his biography, as he built one of the most significant careers in American entertainment without a college diploma.

Geffen's early years in Los Angeles were characterized by ambition and resourcefulness. He sought entry into the entertainment business and eventually secured a position in the mailroom of the William Morris Agency, one of the most prestigious talent agencies in Hollywood. This entry-level job provided Geffen with his first exposure to the inner workings of the entertainment industry and the professional relationships that would shape his career for decades to come.[6]

Education

Geffen attended New Utrecht High School in Brooklyn before relocating to California. He enrolled at Santa Monica College in Los Angeles but did not complete a degree program.[5] Despite his lack of formal higher education, Geffen's career trajectory demonstrated an acute understanding of the music and film industries that he developed through practical experience rather than academic study. His later philanthropic contributions to educational institutions, including a transformative gift to UCLA's medical school, stand in contrast to his own abbreviated academic career.

Career

Early Career in the Music Industry

Geffen's professional career began at the William Morris Agency, where he started in the mailroom — a traditional entry point for aspiring talent agents in Hollywood.[6] He quickly distinguished himself and rose through the agency's ranks, developing relationships with musicians and performers that would prove central to his subsequent ventures.

By the late 1960s, Geffen had established himself as a talent manager, representing a roster of artists in the burgeoning California folk-rock and singer-songwriter scenes. His management work gave him an intimate understanding of the recording industry's economics and the creative needs of artists, knowledge that informed his decision to move into record label ownership.

Asylum Records

In 1971, Geffen co-founded Asylum Records with Elliot Roberts, a fellow talent manager.[1] The label was conceived as an artist-friendly alternative to the major recording companies of the era, and it quickly became one of the defining labels of the 1970s Southern California music scene. Asylum Records signed and developed a roster of artists who would become among the most commercially and critically successful musicians of their generation, including Jackson Browne, the Eagles, Linda Ronstadt, and Joni Mitchell.

The label's success was built on Geffen's ability to identify and nurture talent, combined with his shrewd negotiating skills. Asylum Records was eventually merged with Elektra Records to form Elektra/Asylum Records, a division of Warner Communications. Geffen served as head of the combined label before departing to pursue new ventures.[6]

Geffen Records

After a period away from the music business during which he explored other interests, including a brief tenure teaching at Yale University, Geffen returned to the recording industry in 1980 with the founding of Geffen Records.[1] The new label became one of the most important record companies of the 1980s and 1990s, signing acts across a range of genres.

Geffen Records' roster included John Lennon and Yoko Ono, whose album Double Fantasy was released on the label in 1980 — one of the most commercially significant releases of the decade. The label also signed Elton John, Peter Gabriel, and, in the hard rock and heavy metal arena, Guns N' Roses and Aerosmith. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Geffen Records played a central role in the alternative rock movement, signing Nirvana (through its subsidiary DGC Records, founded in 1990) and releasing the band's landmark album Nevermind in 1991, which is credited with bringing alternative rock into the mainstream.

Geffen sold Geffen Records to MCA Inc. in 1990 in a deal that netted him hundreds of millions of dollars and cemented his status as one of the wealthiest figures in the entertainment industry.[1]

Film and Theater

Geffen expanded into film production in 1982 with the founding of the Geffen Film Company (later known as Geffen Pictures).[6] The company produced a number of notable films over the following decade, including Risky Business (1983), Lost in America (1985), Little Shop of Horrors (1986), Beetlejuice (1988), and Interview with the Vampire (1994). These productions demonstrated Geffen's range as a producer, spanning comedy, horror, and drama.

In Broadway theater, Geffen also made a significant mark. He was a producer of several successful stage productions, including Cats and Dreamgirls, further diversifying his entertainment portfolio.[5]

DreamWorks SKG

In October 1994, Geffen, Steven Spielberg, and Jeffrey Katzenberg announced the formation of DreamWorks SKG (the initials standing for Spielberg, Katzenberg, and Geffen), a new film studio that represented the first major new Hollywood studio to be created in decades.[1][6] The venture attracted enormous attention from the media and the entertainment industry, as it brought together three of the most successful figures in American entertainment.

DreamWorks produced and distributed a wide range of films, including the Academy Award–winning American Beauty (1999), Gladiator (2000), and A Beautiful Mind (2001). The studio's animation division, DreamWorks Animation, produced the commercially successful Shrek franchise and other animated features. In 1996, Geffen also co-founded DreamWorks Records with Mo Ostin, Michael Ostin, and Lenny Waronker, extending the DreamWorks brand into the music industry.

DreamWorks' live-action film division was sold to Paramount Pictures in 2005, while DreamWorks Animation was eventually acquired by NBCUniversal in 2016. The founding and operation of DreamWorks represented the capstone of Geffen's career as a studio builder and solidified his position as one of the most influential figures in American entertainment history.[6]

Business Acumen and Wealth

Throughout his career, Geffen demonstrated a consistent ability to negotiate advantageous deals and to time the sale of his assets to maximize returns. His sale of Geffen Records to MCA, his share of the DreamWorks transactions, and his investments in real estate and art collectively built a fortune that placed him among the wealthiest individuals in the global entertainment industry.[1]

Geffen has been known as a collector of fine art, and his collection has been valued among the most significant private art holdings in the world.[7] He has also been an owner of significant real estate in Malibu, California, where his property holdings have drawn media attention.[8] Geffen is also known for owning the yacht Rising Sun, one of the largest privately owned yachts in the world, which he acquired from Larry Ellison.[9]

Personal Life

Geffen is openly gay. He came out publicly in 1992, becoming one of the first major Hollywood executives to do so.[5] His openness about his sexuality was considered significant in an industry that had long been reluctant to acknowledge the presence of gay executives and creatives in positions of power.

Before coming out, Geffen had a widely publicized relationship with the singer Cher in the early 1970s. In a 2026 interview, Cher discussed the nature of their relationship, stating, "We had an arrangement," and acknowledged that Geffen later came out as gay.[10]

Geffen was married to Jeremy Lingvall. In 2025, reports surfaced regarding divorce proceedings between the two, drawing attention to legal questions surrounding the division of assets.[11][12]

Geffen was a donor in opposition to California Proposition 8, the 2008 ballot initiative that sought to ban same-sex marriage in California.[13]

Geffen has maintained residences in Malibu and New York City. His Malibu estate, situated on Carbon Beach, has been a subject of media coverage regarding beach access rights and coastal property disputes.[8]

Philanthropy

Geffen has made substantial philanthropic contributions across the fields of medicine, the arts, and education. His most prominent gift was a $200 million donation to the UCLA medical school, which was renamed the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA in his honor.[5] In 2026, the United States Department of Justice sought to join a lawsuit alleging that the school illegally considered race in its admissions processes, bringing renewed public attention to the institution.[14]

Geffen has also been a major donor to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The museum's new building, designated the David Geffen Galleries, was announced to open on April 19, 2026, representing the culmination of a multi-decade transformation of the LACMA campus.[2][3]

In 2012, Geffen donated $100 million to establish the Geffen Scholars program at UCLA, which provides full-tuition scholarships and other support to students from underserved backgrounds.[15]

Other beneficiaries of Geffen's philanthropy have included Lincoln Center in New York City, where he made a significant donation to the renovation of David Geffen Hall (originally known as Avery Fisher Hall), and numerous organizations focused on HIV/AIDS research and advocacy.[5]

Recognition

Geffen's contributions to the entertainment industry have been acknowledged through numerous honors. In 2010, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a non-performer, recognizing his impact on the recording industry through his founding of Asylum Records and Geffen Records and his support of generations of recording artists.[4][16]

The naming of major institutions in his honor reflects the scope of his influence and generosity. The David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center, and the David Geffen Galleries at LACMA each bear his name, a distinction shared by few living Americans across multiple fields.[2][5]

Geffen has been the subject of extensive media coverage throughout his career, including a detailed profile in The New York Times Magazine in 1993 titled "David Geffen, Still Hungry," which examined his career arc and his reputation as one of the most driven figures in the entertainment world.[1]

Legacy

David Geffen's career is notable for the breadth of its impact across multiple segments of the entertainment industry. In music, his founding of Asylum Records in 1971 helped define the sound of the Southern California singer-songwriter movement, while Geffen Records and DGC Records played central roles in the alternative rock revolution of the early 1990s. In film, his production companies contributed a string of commercially and critically successful films, and DreamWorks SKG represented a rare attempt to build a new major studio from scratch in the modern era.[6]

Geffen's career has also been examined for its broader implications regarding the entertainment industry's power structures, the economics of record labels, and the role of individual impresarios in shaping cultural tastes. His rise from the mailroom of the William Morris Agency to the co-founding of a major Hollywood studio is frequently cited as one of the most remarkable ascents in American business history.[1]

His philanthropic legacy, particularly in the areas of medical education and the visual arts, has extended his influence beyond the entertainment industry. The opening of the David Geffen Galleries at LACMA in 2026 represents one of the most significant additions to the American museum landscape in recent years.[2][3]

As an openly gay man who came out publicly in the early 1990s — at a time when few figures of his stature in the entertainment industry had done so — Geffen's personal story has also been cited in the broader history of LGBT rights and visibility in American corporate and cultural life.[5]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 "David Geffen, Still Hungry".The New York Times.1993-05-02.https://www.nytimes.com/1993/05/02/magazine/david-geffen-still-hungry.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "LACMA's David Geffen Galleries Will Open on April 19, 2026".Los Angeles County Museum of Art.2026-02-05.https://unframed.lacma.org/2026/02/05/lacma-david-geffen-galleries-will-open-april-19-2026.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "LACMA sets opening date for highly anticipated David Geffen Galleries".Los Angeles Times.2026-02-05.https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2026-02-05/lacma-david-geffen-galleries-opening-date.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "David Geffen".Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.https://www.rockhall.com/inductees/david-geffen.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 "David Geffen Fast Facts".CNN.2026-02-09.https://www.cnn.com/us/david-geffen-fast-facts.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 "David Geffen".Film Reference.http://www.filmreference.com/film/25/David-Geffen.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  7. ↑ "Private Wealth: Geffen's Art Collection Tops in Value".Wealth-X.2013.http://www.wealthx.com/articles/2013/private-wealth-geffens-art-collection-tops-in-value/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "In Malibu, the Water's Fine; So Don't Come In".The New York Times.2005-06-05.https://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/05/fashion/sundaystyles/in-malibu-the-waters-fine-so-dont-come-in.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  9. ↑ "David Geffen Takes Possession of 'Rising Sun,' World's Sixth Largest Yacht".BoatWork Times.https://web.archive.org/web/20111206032409/http://boatworktimes.com/yacht-mainmenu-26/luxury/4439-david-geffen-takes-possession-of-qrising-sunq-worlds-sixth-largest-yacht.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  10. ↑ "Cher on Dating David Geffen, Who Later Came Out as Gay: "We Had an Arrangement"".Them.2026-01.https://www.them.us/story/cher-david-geffen-gay-arrangement-dating-relationship.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  11. ↑ "David Geffen's Divorce Gives New Meaning to an Old Term".The New York Times.2025-07-29.https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/29/style/hypergamy-david-geffen-divorce.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  12. ↑ "Marilyn B. Chinitz Discusses David Geffen's Divorce in the New York Daily News".Blank Rome LLP.2025-09-03.https://www.blankrome.com/news/marilyn-b-chinitz-discusses-david-geffens-divorce-new-york-daily-news.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  13. ↑ "Proposition 8 Donor Database".San Francisco Chronicle.https://web.archive.org/web/20081207142742/http://www.sfgate.com/webdb/prop8/?appSession=587482278271008&RecordID=14493&PageID=3&PrevPageID=2&cpipage=1&CPIsortType=&CPIorderBy=.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  14. ↑ "DOJ seeks to join lawsuit against David Geffen School of Medicine".Daily Bruin.2026-01-28.https://dailybruin.com/2026/01/28/doj-seeks-to-join-lawsuit-against-david-geffen-school-of-medicine.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  15. ↑ "David Geffen Gives $100 Million Scholarship To UCLA".HuffPost.2012-12-14.https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/14/david-geffen-scholarship_n_2301741.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  16. ↑ "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2010 Induction".Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.https://web.archive.org/web/20091223194626/http://www.rockhall.com/induction2010/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.

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