Dixon Q. Dern, a veteran entertainment attorney who spent decades at the heart of Hollywood dealmaking, has died aged 97. He worked in-house for United Artists Television, Desilu and CBS before founding his own firm, later representing clients including Desi Arnaz, the Television Academy, Village Roadshow and the Bob Hope Estate; he also helped incorporate Creative Artists Agency (CAA) after its five founders left William Morris in the mid-1970s.

Dern died on 19 July, according to an obituary posted by Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills. Beyond his corporate and talent work, he frequently arbitrated labour disputes under DGA and WGA agreements, and played a central role in resolving a bitter 1970s split between the Los Angeles and New York chapters of the Television Academy, which ultimately saw the two bodies divide control of the Emmy Awards. He was also a former president of the Beverly Hills Bar Association and a noted early figure in TV syndication and pre-financing.