NBCUniversal Vice Chairman Ron Meyer on the future of movies and 50+ years in entertainment

As the KindredCast team takes a break for summer vacation, we’re looking back at some of our favorite interviews over the past two years. Today, we’re revisiting Episode 18, featuring NBCUniversal Vice Chairman Ron Meyer.

Born in 1944 to Jewish immigrants who escaped Nazi Germany, Ron built out an extraordinary career in media. As a co-founder of Creative Artists Agency (CAA) in 1975, he helped build the careers of superstars like Barbra Streisand, Tom Cruise, and Meryl Streep. Later, Ron spent 18 years as president and chief operating officer of Universal Studios, racking up global hits like Gladiator, Meet the Parents, The Fast and the Furious, and Despicable Me. At 74, he’s hardly slowing down. We sat down with Ron to discuss his illustrious career and the future of NBCUniversal. Here’s what we learned:

1. Ron became interested in the movie business after being quarantined in the Marines.

Ron Meyer was not what you would call a great student. He skipped classes frequently and dropped out of high school at 15, eventually enlisting in the Marines at 17. During his service, he was quarantined with a case of the measles. “I’m embarrassed to admit I had never read a book up to that point of my life,” Ron said. “And while I was quarantined, [in] those days there was no internet, there was no TV in those rooms, and my mother sent me two books…”

One of the books was about a man who worked at an agency, drove fast cars, and dated beautiful women. Ron was immediately hooked. “I thought, ‘Wow, what a great way to make a living,’” Ron said. “I didn’t know there was such a thing. I was one of those people, even though I grew up in Hollywood, Los Angeles…I thought when you went to a movie, it would just finish shooting the night before. I had no concept of what it took to make a movie or anything about the movie business. My father was a lady’s dress salesman, a traveling salesman, so I didn’t have any understanding of what the film business was.” Ron decided then and there to pursue a career in the film business after leaving the Marines.

2. The secret to Ron’s success is simply being Hollywood’s Nice Guy.

Ron wanted to become an agent, but barely knew anything about the business. However, the power of networking took him far. Bouncing from job to job, he eventually worked his way into the world of William Morris, the foremost talent agency at the time. When Ron and four other William Morris agents decided to rebel and start their own company, it was tough to compete with the giant they were leaving. Ron’s personality and ability to build relationships with clients helped CAA become the contender it is today.

“I always believed in the basics,” Ron said. “I think you treat people the way you want to be treated. You do the things you say you’re gonna do, you tell the best truth that you possibly can. And I think those are the things. You know, if it made a difference in my life, then I’m fortunate because it’s what I knew how to do. And what was comfortable for me. I always would say ‘Don’t mistake niceness for weakness.’”

3. In an ever changing age of media and tech, Ron still believes in going to the movies.

As the former leader of one of Hollywood’s biggest movie studios, Ron has many thoughts on the evolution of content distribution. “Look, I’m still an old fashioned content provider,” Ron said. “I believe in the movie-going experience. I think it’s great that there are all these other avenues for content to be seen and for people to be entertained, but I’m a real believer still in the movie-going experience.”

To Ron, there is simply no greater communal experience than going to the movies. With all the options available to consumers, he thinks studios have to do better. “You can’t get away with some of the crap that we’ve gotten away with,” Ron said. But ultimately, he believes this classic American tradition is here to stay. “Nothing better than going and feeling an audience reaction to a movie that you’re loving, or that makes you happy, or makes you sad, or it’s controversial, even if it makes you angry, whatever it might be, or you don’t like it, it’s still an experience. It’s a great experience.”

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To listen to our interview with Ron, check out this special episode of KindredCast, embedded below, and available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts.