Sumner Redstone Fast Facts

Birth name: Sumner Murray Rothstein

Father: Michael Redstone, businessman

Mother: Belle (Ostrovsky) Redstone

Marriages: Paula (Fortunato) Redstone (April 6, 2003-January 2009, divorced); Phyllis (Raphael) Redstone (July 6, 1947-July 26, 2002, divorced)

Children: with Phyllis Redstone: Shari Ellin and Brent

Education: Harvard University, B.A., 1944; Harvard University, LL.B, 1947

Military service: US Army, 1943-1945, First Lieutenant

Other Facts

His father changed the family name from Rothstein to Redstone in 1940.

While a student at Harvard, Redstone was recruited for a US Army intelligence unit that worked on cracking Japanese military codes. He received two military commendations for his service.

One of his first jobs out of law school was special assistant to US Attorney General Tom Clark.

Coined the term “multiplexes.”

He donated to causes fighting poverty and disease through the Sumner M. Redstone Charitable Foundation.

Timeline

1954 Joins the family business, Northeast Theater Corporation, later renamed National Amusements, a theater chain.

1967 Becomes chief executive officer of National Amusements, Inc.

March 29, 1979 Suffers third-degree burns over 40% of his body in a hotel fire in Boston. He survives by climbing out a window on to a ledge and hanging on until firefighters rescue him.

1987 Redstone takes over Viacom Pictures and becomes chairman of the board.

February 15, 1994 Redstone wins in a bidding war with QVC Network for Paramount Communications, parent company of Paramount Studios.

January 17, 1996 Becomes chief executive officer of Viacom, Inc.

May 2000 – Viacom purchases CBS Corporation, the parent company of CBS, in the largest media merger of the time, valued at $36 billion.

2001 Publishes “A Passion to Win,” with Peter Knobler.

January 2006 – CBS Corporation and Viacom are divided into separate companies. Redstone becomes chairman of the board for both, but separate chief executive officers are appointed.

February 2006 – Brent Redstone sues his father, accusing him of favoring daughter Shari Redstone in business matters. Redstone eventually buys out his son’s stake in National Amusements, Inc., as part of a settlement.

March 30, 2012 Receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

June 1, 2012 – Paramount renames its administration building to Sumner Redstone Building as part of the studio’s 100th anniversary celebration.

September 2012 – Gives Boston University $18 million for the expansion of the law school.

May 2014 – Endows a professorship in narrative studies with $2.5 million at Boston University’s College of Communication.

February 3, 2016 – Steps down as executive chairman of CBS, and is replaced by Les Moonves, the network’s chief executive.
February 4, 2016 – Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman is named as Redstone’s replacement as executive chairman of Viacom.
May 6, 2016 – A trial to decide Redstone’s mental competency opens in Los Angeles County Superior Court. Manuela Herzer, his ex-girlfriend, claims he was not of sound mind when he booted her from his mansion and signed an order revoking her authority over his healthcare decisions.
May 9, 2016 – The challenge to Redstone’s mental competency is dismissed by Los Angeles judge David J. Cowan. Redstone tells the judge that he wants his daughter Shari as his healthcare advocate.
August 20, 2016 – Viacom announces a settlement with the Redstone family, National Amusements Inc., and others that terminates ongoing lawsuits in the tug-of-war over the company’s future. Dauman’s resignation is also announced. Redstone remains chairman emeritus.

October 25, 2016 – Redstone sues former girlfriends Herzer and Sydney Holland and others in Los Angeles Superior Court. Charges include elder financial abuse, fraud, distress and not acting in his best interest.

December 17, 2018 – Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Cowan rules that Redstone is incapacitated because of a speech impediment. A guardian is appointed to protect his legal interests.

January 8, 2019 – It is reported that lawsuits involving former girlfriend Herzer are settled before trial. She will pay $3.25 million to reimburse Redstone for gifts given to her during their relationship.

March 14, 2019 – CBS Board of Directors settles a 2016 lawsuit accusing the board of improperly compensating an incapacitated Redstone as early as 2014.

August 11, 2020 – Redstone dies at the age of 97.
source: cnn.com