CAA Co-Founder Dies

Michael Rosenfeld, a founding partner of Creative Artists Agency, died March 25 of respiratory failure after a long illness, according to a statement from the agency.

Rosenfeld, 75, began his music industry career in the William Morris Agency mailroom in 1957 and secured Rita Moreno and George Chakiris’ Oscar-winning roles in the movie “West Side Story” as a WMA agent in 1961.

He co-founded CAA in 1975 with Bill Haber, Ron Meyer, Michael Ovitz and Rowland Perkins and represented Marlo Thomas, Joanne Woodward and Ann-Margaret, among others.

He also repped the creators of “Columbo” and “Murder She Wrote,” sold the rights to the first TV mini-series, “Rich Man, Poor Man” and produced the TV’s “Fatal Vision.”

A memorial service is to be held at Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park & Mortuary in Los Angeles April 8.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the CAA Foundation.