Jerry Perenchio: Entertainment Executive and Philanthropist
Jerry Perenchio was a prominent American entertainment executive with a net worth of $2.7 billion at the time of his death in 2017. He was most widely recognized for being the CEO of Univision, the largest Spanish network in the US. He was also the former agent for Marlon Brando and Elizabeth Taylor, among other stars.
Perenchio produced many significant sports events including the “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobbie Briggs and the 1971 “Fight of the Century” between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. He was a longtime Republican donor and was a big-time backer of Mitt Romney in the 2012 presidential election.
Perenchio was a major philanthropist who supported numerous causes. He donated $4.8 million to the UCLA Foundation in 2010 and $1 million to the Los Angeles Opera in 2011.
Real Estate Ventures
In 1986, Perenchio bought a palatial estate in LA’s Bel-Air neighborhood called “Chartwell.” The estate was famous for being used in the opening credits of the television series “The Beverly Hillbillies.” In 1986, Ron and Nancy Reagan moved into a house next door. Upon her death in 2016, Perenchio acquired the Reagan estate for $15 million and proceeded to raze the house and expand his gardens. Today, Chartwell is 10 incredible acres in the heart of Bel Air.
Several months after his death, the estate was listed for $350 million. It ultimately sold in December 2019 for $150 million to Newscorp/Fox heir Lachlan Murdoch.