Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
Gordon Gekko
References
Britannica AI Icon

Gordon Gekko

fictional character
Written by
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

The Information Architects maintain a master list of the topics included in the corpus of  Encyclopædia Britannica, and create and manage the relationships between them.
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Last updated

Quick Summary

Gordon Gekko is a fictional character, portrayed by Michael Douglas, who embodies the excessive greed and amorality of the 1980s Wall Street era. He is best known for his iconic line, "Greed is good," delivered in the 1987 film Wall Street. Gekko is depicted as a ruthless corporate raider who uses insider information and aggressive tactics to achieve financial success. The character was inspired by real-life figures like Ivan Boesky, an investment banker convicted of insider trading. Gekko's persona highlights the excesses and ethical compromises that characterized a specific period in financial history.12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
2 Britannica Sources
  1. Ivan Boesky
  2. Michael Douglas

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.