Story Arc When David Ellison saved Paramount from being swallowed up by Sony two years ago, he was perceived around town as a hero. Now that’s he’s in the pole position to take over Warner Bros, the last thing he wants to be known as is the guy who collapsed Hollywood. On Monday’s call with Wall Street analysts, the Paramount CEO began by identifying himself “as a producer and lifelong fan of film and television.” Few if any entertainment conglom chief executives refer to themselves as producers, and it seemed like it was Ellison’s way of quelling the anxiety and ire that’s out there as the motion picture industry stands poised to lose its second major studio in seven years.
