Paramount taps Universal chair to run DreamWorks

LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Paramount Pictures has hired Universal Pictures chairwoman Stacey Snider to head its recently acquired DreamWorks division, Paramount said. <br/><br/>The 44-year-old Snider, whose hire

Monday, February 27th 2006, 9:41 am

By: News On 6

LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Paramount Pictures has hired Universal Pictures chairwoman Stacey Snider to head its recently acquired DreamWorks division, Paramount said.

The 44-year-old Snider, whose hire had been long-rumored, will share the title of chairman and CEO with David Geffen, one of DreamWorks' founders, it was announced Sunday.

She worked for Universal for nine years, the past six as chairwoman, and oversaw the production of films such as ``The Mummy'' and ``A Beautiful Mind.''

At DreamWorks, Snider will run a far smaller operation than at Universal. She is expected to guide the production of four to six films a year along with Geffen and Steven Spielberg. She will answer directly to Paramount chairman Brad Grey.

In December, The Hollywood Reporter named Snider the third most powerful woman in Hollywood on its ``Power 100'' list of the top women in entertainment.

Universal has not yet named a replacement for Snider.

Paramount bought DreamWorks _ the company founded in 1994 by Spielberg, Geffen and Jeffrey Katzenberg _ on Dec. 11 in a deal worth $1.6 billion in cash and debt.

Paramount is a unit of media company Viacom Inc.