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At MCA, Werblin made a considerable name at identifying and managing talent. His managed list of major stars were a who's-who in not only music, but also movies and television. During the 1950s and 1960s, Werblin led a production team that developed television shows for all three major networks, an
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His power as a "star-handler" was such that eventually forces in the entertainment industry combined against him and MCA, resulting in lawsuits in 1962. The company's ability to manage stars would be curtailed greatly under new industry rules after that point. Up to then, he had been known in
425:. Of note here is that the first group of four co-owners / investors in The Gotham Football Club ( New York Jets ) were all horse racing associates. All were silent partners in the Jets, deferring to Werblin's legendary ability to handle, press, media and his developed stars.
433:
Sonny
Werblin and his wife established the David and Leah Ray Werblin Foundation which provides financial support for Rutgers University, charitable causes, and cultural activities. Rutgers University built the Sonny Werblin Recreation Center on its
332:
sports columnists Jerry
Izenberg and Sidney Zion would later speculate that, because the Jets fired Werblin, there was a "Curse of Sonny Werblin" on the team. By an unusual coincidence, Werblin and Izenberg were elected to the
822:
206:, who became the then-greatest star athlete in America under Werblin's guidance in the mid and late 1960s. It was also Werblin who signed for his Jets, the team he named and colored, football talent scout and coach
191:(National Broadcasting Company) allowed him to singlehandedly negotiate the AFL's contract there, quickly elevating the league to near-parity with the rival senior NFL, and leading to the development of the
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resisted the indemnity the NFL demanded, which was $ 100,000 per year for twenty years. Other AFL owners agreed to the terms, along with stripping the name and logo from the AFL.
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in 1976 and a reporter asked
Werblin about the New York Giants playing in New Jersey, he explained the geography in the New York City Metro area by saying "If you pave the
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247:. While performing with the Phil Harris orchestra she met Sonny Werblin. They married in 1938 and remained together for more than fifty years until his death in 1991.
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497:, November 23, 1991. Accessed February 14, 2011. "Mr. Werblin, who had homes in New York, Miami and Rumson, N.J., died of a heart attack, his wife said yesterday."
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offshoot of his ability to manage the stars that were featured in them. The list of top-rated television shows MCA developed under
Werblin, again, is lengthy.
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141:(March 17, 1910 – November 21, 1991) was a prominent entertainment industry executive and sports impresario who was an owner of the
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The concept of The Sport Star as known today was first largely developed by
Werblin, whose first developed "star" was
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322:
237:, and acted in more than a dozen films. Among her film appearances, in 1936 she co-starred with Phil Harris in the
454:. The center is home to weight-training facilities and the university's main venues for water-sports competition.
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187:, which he revolutionized. His impact on professional sports is still well-felt today. His MCA connections at
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Werblin was bought out by Jets management prior to the 1968 season, which concluded with the team winning
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172:(MCA) in 1932 and was so successful that in 1951 he was made president of MCA's television division.
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375:. In 1984, he gave up day-to-day control of Madison Square Garden but remained chairman of its
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417:. In addition, Sonny Werblin was a major shareholder and member of the board of directors of
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210:. Ewbank quickly developed the Jets into a contender just as he previously had the NFL
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management circles as "Mr. Show Biz," his power in the industry having been so great.
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565:"Sonny Werblin, an Impresario of New York's Sports Extravaganza, is Dead at 81"
539:"Archives: Chicago Tribune - Star system works well in Werblin's sports empire"
489:"Sonny Werblin, an Impresario of New York's Sports Extravaganza, Is Dead at 81"
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Werblin left MCA and found a new business vehicle soon after: the
225:. Performing as Leah Ray, she was a well-known vocalist in the
363:
it becomes 13th Avenue." In 1978 Werblin took over as head of
294:. His biggest coup came in 1965, when for $ 427,000 he signed
406:
290:
in the first round, signing him away from the crosstown NFL
286:. Werblin changed the team's name to the Jets, and drafted
464:
American
Football League players, coaches and contributors
397:, Elberon Farm. Among their racing successes, their colt,
832:
National
Football Foundation Distinguished American Award
229:
era. Ms. Ray sang with major orchestras such as those of
188:
583:"Rutgers Focus - Gift honors memory of "Sonny" Werblin"
274:
In 1963, Sonny
Werblin and his partners purchased the
1320:
New Jersey Sports and
Exposition Authority executives
1300:
Jewish
American sports executives and administrators
325:in one of the greatest upsets in sports history.
1256:
1335:American football people from New York (state)
816:
707:
619:
258:in New York City. He had homes in Manhattan,
721:
563:Thomas, Robert McG. Jr. (23 November 1991).
1315:James Madison High School (Brooklyn) alumni
823:
809:
714:
700:
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612:
254:on November 21, 1991, at the age of 81 at
96:Entertainment & sports executive/owner
953:1982: Silver Anniversary (all honored) –
483:
481:
479:
633:
415:American Co-Champion Two-Year-Old Filly
1275:American racehorse owners and breeders
1257:
562:
476:
382:
1325:20th-century American philanthropists
1280:Philanthropists from New York (state)
804:
695:
607:
256:Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center
403:American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt
13:
508:"The Curse of Sonny Werblin Lives"
367:and its properties, including the
302:, who had been drafted by the NFL
269:
14:
1351:
335:Sports Hall of Fame of New Jersey
348:which he ran from 1971 to 1977.
149:, and who built and managed the
1310:Erasmus Hall High School alumni
1290:American Football League owners
545:from the original on 2016-03-05
428:
355:would begin playing at the new
351:When it was announced that the
1305:People from Flatbush, Brooklyn
575:
556:
531:
500:
1:
469:
387:Sonny and Leah Werblin raced
241:-nominated short film titled
139:David Abraham "Sonny" Werblin
585:. 2008-10-12. Archived from
440:High Point Solutions Stadium
170:Music Corporation of America
7:
457:
346:East Rutherford, New Jersey
10:
1356:
1340:Jews from New York (state)
1330:20th-century American Jews
342:Meadowlands Sports Complex
151:Meadowlands Sports Complex
109:Meadowlands Sports Complex
1295:Rutgers University alumni
839:
742:
731:
654:
643:
124:
114:
100:
92:
83:James Madison High School
74:
49:
25:
18:
724:New York Jets presidents
487:Thomas, Robert McG. Jr.
450:from its main campus in
340:Sonny Werblin built the
337:in the same year, 1997.
276:American Football League
185:American Football League
79:Erasmus Hall High School
676:Hess estate (1999–2000)
419:Monmouth Park Racetrack
195:as a television event.
444:Piscataway, New Jersey
168:, he went to work for
132:Hubbard S. (1945–1991)
423:Oceanport, New Jersey
365:Madison Square Garden
296:University of Alabama
147:Madison Square Garden
1285:New York Jets owners
636:New York Jets owners
282:from original owner
217:In 1938, he married
208:Wilbur "Weeb" Ewbank
156:Werblin was born in
513:New York Daily News
383:Thoroughbred racing
304:St. Louis Cardinals
65:Manhattan, New York
569:The New York Times
494:The New York Times
377:board of directors
306:. Werblin and the
280:Titans of New York
264:Rumson, New Jersey
250:Werblin died of a
166:Rutgers University
87:Rutgers University
40:Flatbush, Brooklyn
1252:
1251:
1236:, Tew & White
798:
797:
689:
688:
405:honors and their
391:horses under the
244:Double or Nothing
223:Norfolk, Virginia
136:
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53:November 21, 1991
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759:Philip H. Iselin
753:Donald C. Lillis
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516:. Archived from
504:
498:
485:
369:New York Rangers
219:Leah Ray Hubbard
164:. A graduate of
145:and chairman of
119:Leah Ray Hubbard
60:
58:
36:
34:
16:
15:
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891:
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859:
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843:
835:
829:
799:
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735:New York Titans
727:
723:
720:
690:
685:
650:
647:New York Titans
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602:
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477:
472:
460:
431:
385:
373:New York Knicks
353:New York Giants
323:Baltimore Colts
308:Oakland Raiders
272:
270:Sports business
221:(1915–1999) of
212:Baltimore Colts
131:
129:
107:
85:
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70:
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45:
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791:(2019–present)
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682:(2000–present)
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541:. 2016-03-05.
530:
499:
474:
473:
471:
468:
467:
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459:
456:
430:
427:
401:, earned 1969
384:
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357:Giants Stadium
319:Super Bowl III
271:
268:
260:Miami, Florida
214:in the 1950s.
134:
133:
126:
122:
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111:
102:
101:Known for
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97:
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90:
89:
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72:
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63:
61:(aged 81)
51:
47:
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38:
29:March 17, 1910
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766:
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760:
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748:
747:Sonny Werblin
745:
744:
741:
736:
733:Formerly the
730:
726:
717:
712:
710:
705:
703:
698:
697:
694:
681:
680:Woody Johnson
678:
675:
672:
669:
666:
665:Sonny Werblin
663:
660:
657:
656:
653:
648:
645:Formerly the
642:
638:
629:
624:
622:
617:
615:
610:
609:
606:
589:on 2008-10-12
588:
584:
578:
570:
566:
559:
544:
540:
534:
520:on 2010-01-27
519:
515:
514:
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496:
495:
490:
484:
482:
480:
475:
465:
462:
461:
455:
453:
452:New Brunswick
449:
448:Raritan River
446:, across the
445:
441:
437:
426:
424:
420:
416:
413:was the 1968
412:
408:
404:
400:
399:Silent Screen
396:
395:
394:nom de course
390:
380:
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366:
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347:
343:
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331:
328:
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297:
293:
289:
285:
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267:
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261:
257:
253:
248:
246:
245:
240:
239:Academy Award
236:
232:
228:
224:
220:
215:
213:
209:
205:
201:
200:New York Jets
196:
194:
190:
186:
181:
177:
173:
171:
167:
163:
159:
154:
152:
148:
144:
143:New York Jets
140:
127:
123:
120:
117:
113:
110:
106:
105:New York Jets
103:
99:
95:
91:
88:
84:
80:
77:
73:
69:United States
66:
52:
48:
44:United States
41:
28:
24:
20:Sonny Werblin
17:
1225:
1111:
1095:
946:
922:
885:
771:Steve Gutman
746:
734:
664:
659:Harry Wismer
646:
591:. Retrieved
587:the original
577:
568:
558:
547:. Retrieved
533:
522:. Retrieved
518:the original
511:
502:
492:
436:Busch Campus
432:
429:Philanthropy
411:Process Shot
392:
389:Thoroughbred
386:
361:Hudson River
350:
339:
316:
298:quarterback
284:Harry Wismer
273:
252:heart attack
249:
242:
231:Tommy Dorsey
216:
202:quarterback
197:
182:
178:
174:
155:
138:
137:
1270:1991 deaths
1265:1910 births
1210:Bodenheimer
1123:2001: Frank
1118:2000: Decio
916:1977: Joyce
789:Hymie Elhai
785:(2012–2019)
779:(2001–2008)
773:(1988–2001)
767:(1977–1988)
761:(1968–1977)
749:(1963–1968)
737:(1960–1962)
673:(1968–1999)
667:(1963–1968)
661:(1959–1963)
649:(1960–1962)
330:Star-Ledger
235:Phil Harris
42:, New York,
1259:Categories
1104:Roy Kramer
967:Ron Kramer
834:recipients
765:Jim Kensil
593:2024-01-17
549:2024-01-17
524:2010-01-11
470:References
300:Joe Namath
288:Matt Snell
204:Joe Namath
193:Super Bowl
93:Occupation
57:1991-11-22
33:1910-03-17
931:Galbreath
910:Van Fleet
846:Carpenter
783:Neil Glat
777:Jay Cross
671:Leon Hess
321:over the
130:Thomas D.
75:Education
1226:No award
1146:Casciola
1112:No award
1096:No award
1063:Kazmaier
923:No award
902:Hesburgh
886:No award
862:Lombardi
854:MacLeish
543:Archived
458:See also
312:Al Davis
227:Big Band
162:New York
158:Brooklyn
125:Children
1243:McRaven
1218:Odierno
1202:Roberts
1178:Pickens
1162:Tillman
1079:Osborne
1047:Paterno
1039:Rozelle
1023:Rodgers
983:Stewart
947:Werblin
939:Russell
878:Holland
438:, near
55: (
31: (
1241:2016:
1232:2015:
1224:2014:
1216:2013:
1208:2012:
1200:2011:
1194:Brokaw
1192:2010:
1184:2009:
1176:2008:
1170:Bleier
1168:2007:
1160:2006:
1152:2005:
1144:2004:
1138:Khayat
1136:2003:
1128:2002:
1110:1999:
1102:1998:
1094:1997:
1085:1996:
1077:1995:
1071:Bolden
1069:1994:
1061:1993:
1053:1992:
1045:1991:
1037:1990:
1031:Krause
1029:1989:
1021:1988:
1015:Sewell
1013:1987:
1005:1986:
997:1985:
991:Nelson
989:1984:
981:&
977:1983:
945:1981:
937:1980:
929:1979:
921:1978:
908:1976:
900:1975:
892:1974:
884:1973:
876:1972:
870:Boyden
868:1971:
860:1970:
852:1969:
844:1966:
755:(1968)
327:Newark
292:Giants
278:(AFL)
128:Robert
115:Spouse
1234:Byrne
1186:Payne
1130:Young
1089:, S.J
1087:Monan
1007:Toner
999:Flynn
971:Swink
959:Davis
955:Brown
407:filly
1154:Page
1055:Mara
979:Hess
963:Kemp
894:Hope
371:and
262:and
233:and
50:Died
26:Born
442:in
421:in
344:in
189:NBC
1261::
969:,
965:,
961:,
957:,
567:.
510:.
491:,
478:^
409:,
379:.
310:'
266:.
160:,
153:.
824:e
817:t
810:v
715:e
708:t
701:v
627:e
620:t
613:v
596:.
571:.
552:.
527:.
67:,
59:)
35:)
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