“Try Not to Hold It Against Me: A Producer’s Life” by Julian
Schlossberg (Beaufort Books; $27) 168 Pages, Illustrated (B&W); Hardback.
ISBN: 9780825310256
Review by Lee Pfeiffer
Julian Schlossberg's achievements in the film industry make for an amusing and informative
experience in devouring his often whimsical memories of the business in decades
past. He grew up in New York City, far removed from any connection to show
business, but fell in love with movies after seeing his first flick on the big
screen: Elia Kazan's "On the Waterfront". It set in motion a desire
to get involved in the entertainment industry despite the fact that his
background provided neither the money, connections or influence to do so. An
indication of his reputation in the film industry is hinted at by the
celebrities who provide enthusiastic blurbs for the book. They are certainly
eclectic: Twiggy, Tony Roberts, Steve Guttenberg, Renee Taylor, Susan Strohman
among them. The foreword is provided by the legendary Elaine May. Schlossberg
has kept good company throughout his long career.
His memoir
details how enthusiasm, confidence and the willingness to take chances resulted
in his edging his way slowly up ladder at a time when Gotham was a crucial
centerpiece in the film business. After a stint in the U.S. Army, Schlossberg
painstakingly sold himself to higher-ups he didn't even know through sheer
determination, first starting in entry level positions and then becoming a
salesman for packages of theatrical films that would be sold to small markets
throughout America. He had quite a chore. In those days, "small
markets" were just that: some places had only one or two TV stations and
were selective about what they chose. Schlossberg had to convince them to buy
packages of acclaimed films that were generally art-house, big city fare. In
several of the markets, he was amicably informed by contacts that he was the
first Jew they had met. Oy vey, indeed! He later worked as the booking agent
for the prestigious Walter Reade theater chain, a high-pressure job that
mandated that he had to pick winners to play to sophisticated New York
audiences. At Warren Beatty's personal request, Schlossberg took a gamble and
opened Robert Altman's "McCabe and Mrs. Miller" in one of the
theaters- despite the fact that it had opened and bombed at another theater
recently. With an inspired new ad campaign, the film proved to be a hit. In
those days, new movies often opened in a few select big city theaters before
going into wide release. He opened Woody Allen's offbeat "Everything You
Wanted to Know About Sex (But Were Afraid to Ask") at two art houses in
Manhattan to great results, an anecdote that had personal resonance to this
reviewer because, at age 15, a friend of mine and I saw the film when it opened
at one of these theaters and we became
the only people in history who were threatened with expulsion for laughing too
hard at a comedy.
Schlossberg
would later gravitate to producing plays and serving among the top brass at movie
studios. Along the way there were plenty of triumphs and missteps, which he
candidly recalls with humour. In doing so, he provides some rare glimpses into
the trials and tribulations of producing live theater. In one chapter, he painstakingly
details the attempts to stage a revival of “Sly Fox” on Broadway. Everyone is
enthused about the project but every actor who is considered for the leading role
proves to be unreliable, including “nice guy” Burt Reynolds, who leaves
Schlossberg and his partners hanging out to dry by backing out at the last
minute. Ultimately, the show went on with Richard Dreyfuss in the lead role, but
the reviews and boxoffice were disappointments. The logistics of putting on
this one production boggle the mind. No wonder Noel Coward once quipped “Why
must the show go on???” There are also plenty of names to drop along the way
from Harrison Ford to Barbra Streisand, some as long-time friends, others
through one-off encounters. This book isn't filled with vengeful rhetoric. Schlossberg writes mostly about people he likes and goes soft on criticizing the people he doesn't. One curiosity concerns how he eventually represented Elia Kazan, his boyhood idol. Perhaps for that reason, Schlossberg doesn't address the controversies about Kazan's "naming names" during the Blacklist period, which made him a figure of great controversy. Yet, it's admirable that his affection for the man on a personal level allowed him to show some deference in the cause of sentiment, which is an emotion not always found in show business relationships. If Schlossberg engages in some occasional bragging,
he’s earned the right. The book is a delight throughout and a “must” for anyone
interested in the behind-the-scenes aspects of films and live theatre.
(This book will be available on Amazon on April 15. Click on this link to pre-order from Amazon: https://amzn.to/3KjmJVd)