As chairman and chief executive officer of the multi-billion dollar Walt Disney Productions, Michael Eisner (born 1942) is one of the most highly visible business leaders in the United States. With his impressive management skills, Eisner has become the leader of a vast communications and entertainment empire.

Eisner was born in Mount Kisco, New York on March 7, 1942. His father, Lester Eisner, was a lawyer and administrator for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. His mother, Margaret Eisner, was a co-founder of the American Safety Razor Company. Young Michael grew up in the family's apartment on Fifth Avenue in New York City. Although his surroundings were luxurious, Eisner was required to read two hours for every hour of television he watched. His television viewing was strictly rationed and carefully controlled. His was not a pampered childhood. Eisner attended Denison University in Granville, Ohio. He began his college...