A musician from an early age, he financed his education by playing in and leading his own band. As his reputation increased, he began booking other musicians for professional engagements, and in 1924 founded Music Corporation of America (MCA). Shortly thereafter, he gave up the practice of medicine to concentrate on this enterprise. Within 10 years MCA represented most of the great name bands and corporate activities began to extend to representation of film stars, directors, writers and musical artists. MCA entered the promising new field of television at its inception, eventually acquiring the Universal City property, Universal Pictures and other enterprises to become pre-eminent in the entertainment industry.

Throughout his phenomenally successful career, Jules Stein maintained a strong interest and emotional investment in medicine, particularly his own field of ophthalmology. In the late 1950s, urged by his wife, Doris, he chose to direct his considerable talents to blindness prevention. The result was a concert of ideas and achievements that encompassed philanthropy, government and academic medicine.

By his efforts, Research to Prevent Blindness was created, now recognized as the world's leading voluntary organization in support of studies of the eye and its diseases. Jules Stein was largely responsible for the passage of legislation to establish the National Eye Institute as a separate entity in the National Institutes of Health. Under his leadership the Jules Stein Eye Institute was founded as a multidisciplinary center for vision science. Since its establishment, the Institute has become internationally identified as the focus for coordinated programs of research in the sciences related to vision, ophthalmic education, and the care of patients with eye disease.

Jules Stein died in 1981, leaving a legacy of hope to the world. Through his accomplishments and philanthropy, he created ever-replenishing resources for eye research and the means to preserve and restore sight for future generations.