David Geffen: How the Brooklyn Kid Became a Billion-Dollar Magnate

Two Trustworthy Guys in an Industry of Cannibals

With a fancy new office on Sunset Boulevard, Geffen and Roberts strategized on exactly how to shape the careers and destinies of the artists of the L.A. canyons. The fact that they were trustworthy guys only helped their cause. “The word got around that there were these music-industry guys who were also human beings,” musician Jackson Browne recalled.

Alek Keshishian, Madonna, and David Geffen at an art exhibition in 1991

Alek Keshishian, Madonna, and David Geffen 1991 Photo by Ron Galella / Ron Galella Collection / Getty Images

“Crosby told me that Geffen was really brilliant, but you could also trust him. And you could. David and Elliot would have done anything for their artists. In an industry full of cannibals, they were like the infantry coming over the hill.”