Rich Battista Quit as Imagine Entertainment CEO After Clashes With Staff: ‘A Real Hothead’ (Exclusive)

WAXWORD

”Short temper. Short fuse,“ one insider says of shortlived CEO

Rich Battista quit Imagine Entertainment after a short but stormy tenure as CEO in which he clashed with co-founder Brian Grazer and won a reputation for being “combustible” and a “hothead,” a knowledgeable insider told TheWrap. 

The former Time Inc. president and CEO was hired in late August to oversee the film and TV production company founded by Grazer and Ron Howard in 1986 — but quit just nine weeks later after numerous contentious encounters which included pounding on a desk in frustration and suddenly walking out of meetings and not returning, according to one insider. 

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Sharon Waxman

Sharon Waxman, is the founder, CEO and Editor in Chief of TheWrap. She is an award-winning journalist and best-selling author, and was a Hollywood correspondent for The New York Times. Twitter: @sharonwaxman

Trey Williams

Film Reporter covering the biz • trey.williams@thewrap.com • Twitter: @trey3williams