Mr. Leibner, an accountant by training, was described in a 1989 profile by Ben Yagoda in The New York Times Magazine as an unusual man with an “astounding emotional range.” “He can be sad, soothing, playful, terse, profane, sentimental, cheerful, respectful, negative, analytical, or expansive. The only thing that hasn't changed is the strain of his hometown of Brooklyn in his voice,” Yagoda wrote.
He was also known for his incredibly dirty jokes.
“We're very excited about this,” former CBS News president Andrew Hayward said in a phone interview. Grab your legal pad and pen and go over the details together. He was meticulous and honest. ”
But Hayward said if a client is in crisis, Leibner offers to meet in his office. “He says, 'Come to the jukebox,' and we end up talking near a 1950s jukebox.” It was the venue for a delicate summit meeting. ”
Richard Allen Leibner was born on March 15, 1939 in Brooklyn. His father, Mr. Sol, was a certified public accountant. His mother, Eleanor (Zeron) Leibner, was a schoolteacher.
After earning a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Rochester in 1959, Mr. Leibner earned a master's degree in business administration from New York University in 1963. By that time, he was working as an accountant with his father, who had clients in the United States. Music publishing and record business.