Ex-Clancy Agent to Leave William Morris

Longtime New York literary agent Robert Gottlieb, who in recent weeks lost his biggest client--author Tom Clancy--after 18 years, is leaving William Morris Agency. Gottlieb, a Morris board member and head of the agency’s New York literary department, plans to start his own agency. Gottlieb did not endear himself to Morris management when he went public recently with his anger at super-agent-turned manager Michael Ovitz over allegedly poaching Clancy, but sources at the Morris office said that was not related to Gottlieb’s departure, which had been expected.