William Morris Exec Named C3 President

Robert Crestani, the head of worldwide television at the William Morris Agency Inc., will become president of C3, the production company created last month by Comcast Corp. and Richard Frank, the former chairman of television for Walt Disney Co.

Crestani, who will take the post on Nov. 1 after 19 years at William Morris, currently oversees the packaging of talent for 19 prime-time network series, including “Murphy Brown” and “Mad About You.” He represents Roseanne, whose contract made her the highest-paid actor in television in 1994.

Industry sources say Crestani had recently been wooed for the top television job at MCA Inc. but that he had been itching for some time to try his hand at a more entrepreneurial venture.

“I know the studio business, and he knows talent,” said Frank, who has an equity interest in the start-up company. “It’s a great combination.”

Comcast, the nation’s fourth-largest cable operator, formed C3--Comcast Content and Communication--to catapult itself into the big leagues of television distribution and production at a time when Hollywood consolidation threatens to dwarf all but the biggest, most integrated companies.

C3 aims to make acquisitions, develop television programs and create new cable channels while improving Comcast’s existing networks.

Comcast has about $2 billion in programming assets, including a 57% interest in the QVC home shopping network and stakes in E! Entertainment, the Golf Channel and Turner Broadcasting System Inc.

Crestani, 41, becomes the third top Hollywood agent to cross over to the production business in the last three months.

Michael Ovitz and Ron Meyer left Creative Artists Agency to become the presidents of Disney and MCA Inc., respectively.

Crestani’s Morris responsibilities will be divided between Sam Haskell, the agency’s West Coast television head, and James Griffin, who is in charge of the New York television group.