Michael B. Druxman's Blog
July 18, 2014
Read My Books FREE
I've just enrolled 10 of my book titles in the Kindle Select program, which means:
If you have a Kindle or a Kindle app, AND you subscribe to Amazon Prime, you can now read these books for FREE.
Here are the available titles. All (except as noted) are screenplays.
CHARLA
THE AMUSEMENT
BARRY & THE BIMBO
RIDE ALONG
SHADOW WATCHER (novel)
MATRICIDE
UNCLE LOUIE
PUTZ (stage play)
THE SUMMER FOLK
BLACK WATCH/THE CAVERN
Enjoy!
If you have a Kindle or a Kindle app, AND you subscribe to Amazon Prime, you can now read these books for FREE.
Here are the available titles. All (except as noted) are screenplays.
CHARLA
THE AMUSEMENT
BARRY & THE BIMBO
RIDE ALONG
SHADOW WATCHER (novel)
MATRICIDE
UNCLE LOUIE
PUTZ (stage play)
THE SUMMER FOLK
BLACK WATCH/THE CAVERN
Enjoy!
March 31, 2012
Giveaways!
Via Goodreads, I'm giving away copies of five of my published screenplays, as well as one of my stage plays.
Titles:
GHOUL CITY
UNCLE LOUIE
MATRICIDE
SARAH GOLDEN HAIR
BARRY & THE BIMBO
CHEVALIER
So, please go to the Goodreads Giveaway site and enter for one or all of them.
The drawing closes on April 17th.
Or, better still, please go to Amazon or Barnes & Noble and purchase a copy.
Thanks,
Michael
Titles:
GHOUL CITY
UNCLE LOUIE
MATRICIDE
SARAH GOLDEN HAIR
BARRY & THE BIMBO
CHEVALIER
So, please go to the Goodreads Giveaway site and enter for one or all of them.
The drawing closes on April 17th.
Or, better still, please go to Amazon or Barnes & Noble and purchase a copy.
Thanks,
Michael
August 30, 2010
MY FORTY-FIVE YEARS IN HOLLYWOOD AND HOW I ESCAPED ALIVE
My memoir is now available on Amazon.com in both a paperback and Kindle edition.
Please take a look at the book trailer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-nz5S...
Please take a look at the book trailer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-nz5S...
March 30, 2010
My Next Book
I recently signed a contract with Bear Manor Media to publish my book of Hollywood memoirs, MY 45 YEARS IN HOLLYWOOD AND HOW I ESCAPED ALIVE.
The book should be available before the end of this year.
Stay tuned...
The book should be available before the end of this year.
Stay tuned...
October 15, 2009
Book Trailer for ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD
I recently wrote and directed a trailer for my book, ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD: From the Secret Files of Harry Pennypacker.
It's now visible on YouTube, so please take a look and enjoy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NqcM4...
It's now visible on YouTube, so please take a look and enjoy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NqcM4...
May 24, 2009
The Song That Almost Never Was
The following really has nothing to do with my book, ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD: From the Secret Files of Harry Pennypacker, except that it is also a good show biz story. So, enjoy.
In a past blog, I told you about my former publicity client and friend, the late Paul Francis Webster. Despite 3 Academy Awards and 14 nominations for "Best Song," Paul always seemed to be fighing to keep his tune in the movie for which it was written.
"'Love Is a Many Splendored Thing' was the real battle," claimed Webster. "I won my second Oscar with it, but at first it was an orphan. Nobody wanted it."
The song had been written with Sammy Fain for the 1955 20th Century-Fox film of the same name, which starred William Holden and Jennifer Jones.
In those days, when most popular singers relied on others to write their songs, rather than using their own compositions, Eddie Fisher refused to record the Webster-Fain tune. So did Perry Como, Doris Day, and Nat King Cole, who turned down a Fox offer of a Cadillac El Dorado and ten thousand dollars to make a recording.
A desperate Fox production chief, Buddy Adler, phoned his "dear friend," Tony Martin, and asked him to record the song "as a personal favor." Martin, who was then appearing in Las Vegas, agreed and Adler had the music flown over to him. Next day, Adler received a two-word telegram from his "dear friend": "It stinks."
Finally, "Love Is a Many Splendored Thing" was recorded by The Four Aces, a new group that was yet to hit the big time. With the song about to be ejected from the picture, Adler had offered to subsidize an entire album for the Aces... with the proviso that the Webster-Fain tune be one of the cuts.
The song was an instant hit with the public. Doris Day, Nat King Cole and the others who'd previously rejected it rushed to make their own recordings. In all, over a hundred artists turned out renditions of this now all-time top standard.
Years later, Tony Martin sang the song at Buddy Adler's funeral. "That always amused me," said Webster.
In a past blog, I told you about my former publicity client and friend, the late Paul Francis Webster. Despite 3 Academy Awards and 14 nominations for "Best Song," Paul always seemed to be fighing to keep his tune in the movie for which it was written.
"'Love Is a Many Splendored Thing' was the real battle," claimed Webster. "I won my second Oscar with it, but at first it was an orphan. Nobody wanted it."
The song had been written with Sammy Fain for the 1955 20th Century-Fox film of the same name, which starred William Holden and Jennifer Jones.
In those days, when most popular singers relied on others to write their songs, rather than using their own compositions, Eddie Fisher refused to record the Webster-Fain tune. So did Perry Como, Doris Day, and Nat King Cole, who turned down a Fox offer of a Cadillac El Dorado and ten thousand dollars to make a recording.
A desperate Fox production chief, Buddy Adler, phoned his "dear friend," Tony Martin, and asked him to record the song "as a personal favor." Martin, who was then appearing in Las Vegas, agreed and Adler had the music flown over to him. Next day, Adler received a two-word telegram from his "dear friend": "It stinks."
Finally, "Love Is a Many Splendored Thing" was recorded by The Four Aces, a new group that was yet to hit the big time. With the song about to be ejected from the picture, Adler had offered to subsidize an entire album for the Aces... with the proviso that the Webster-Fain tune be one of the cuts.
The song was an instant hit with the public. Doris Day, Nat King Cole and the others who'd previously rejected it rushed to make their own recordings. In all, over a hundred artists turned out renditions of this now all-time top standard.
Years later, Tony Martin sang the song at Buddy Adler's funeral. "That always amused me," said Webster.
May 4, 2009
Paul Francis Webster's Missed Opportunity
In my last blog entry, I was talking about missed opportunities, "the roads not taken," and I told you about how I once passed up the opportunity to work with director King Vidor on a book about the William Desmond Taylor murder case. The writer who did form an alliance with Vidor wound up with a best seller, A CAST OF KILLERS.
Today, I've been thinking about another "missed opportunity". I learned about it from a friend and former publicity client of mine, lyricist Paul Francis Webster. Indeed, what he passed up makes A CAST OF KILLERS look like chicken feed.
In case you didn't know, Webster was one of, if not the greatest lyricist of his day. He won three Academy Awards for "Best Song," and his list of tunes include such standards as "Love Is a Many Splendored Thing," "The Twelfth of Never," "Secret Love," "The Green Leaves of Summer," "Somewhere My Love" and many, many more.
Paul Webster loved telling this story:
Back in 1942, he was approached by song writer/film producer Buddy G. DeSylva and Glenn Wallichs to invest in a record company that they were starting. $25.000.00 would buy him a 25% interest.
Webster seriously considered the offer, but this was not too long after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and the Japanese were invading and taking over the islands in the South Pacific.
These islands were a key source of shellac, and shellac was a key ingredient in the manufacture of phonograph records.
Webster figured that this was not a good time to invest in a record company, so he passed and that 25% was picked up by song writer Johnny Mercer.
The name of the company that the men formed was Capital Records.
Ouch!
Years later, Webster got back at Mercer...sort of.
Mercer was hired to write the lyrics for a song in a Elizabeth Taylor/Richard Burton move, THE SANDPIPER.
I don't know if Mercer was ill or just couldn't "lick" the tune, but he eventually gave up and the assignment went to Webster.
That song became "The Shadow of Your Smile," which won Webster his third Academy Award.
© Michael B. Druxman
Today, I've been thinking about another "missed opportunity". I learned about it from a friend and former publicity client of mine, lyricist Paul Francis Webster. Indeed, what he passed up makes A CAST OF KILLERS look like chicken feed.
In case you didn't know, Webster was one of, if not the greatest lyricist of his day. He won three Academy Awards for "Best Song," and his list of tunes include such standards as "Love Is a Many Splendored Thing," "The Twelfth of Never," "Secret Love," "The Green Leaves of Summer," "Somewhere My Love" and many, many more.
Paul Webster loved telling this story:
Back in 1942, he was approached by song writer/film producer Buddy G. DeSylva and Glenn Wallichs to invest in a record company that they were starting. $25.000.00 would buy him a 25% interest.
Webster seriously considered the offer, but this was not too long after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and the Japanese were invading and taking over the islands in the South Pacific.
These islands were a key source of shellac, and shellac was a key ingredient in the manufacture of phonograph records.
Webster figured that this was not a good time to invest in a record company, so he passed and that 25% was picked up by song writer Johnny Mercer.
The name of the company that the men formed was Capital Records.
Ouch!
Years later, Webster got back at Mercer...sort of.
Mercer was hired to write the lyrics for a song in a Elizabeth Taylor/Richard Burton move, THE SANDPIPER.
I don't know if Mercer was ill or just couldn't "lick" the tune, but he eventually gave up and the assignment went to Webster.
That song became "The Shadow of Your Smile," which won Webster his third Academy Award.
© Michael B. Druxman
April 26, 2009
A Missed Opportunity
All of us have regrets about missed opportunities; times when we should have turned right when we turned left. [I'm not talking politically here.:]
Back in the 1970s, I was researching a non-fiction book about the William Desmond Taylor murder.
Taylor was a major film director during Hollywood's silent era. On February 1, 1922, an unknown person shot him dead in his bungalow apartment.
The murder, which is still officially unsolved, made headlines all over the world and destroyed the careers of two major silent stars, Mabel Normand and Mary Miles Minter.
I'm not going to go into all the details of the case here, but when the police arrived on the scene, they found representatives from Paramount Pictures, where Taylor worked, burning papers in the fireplace and compromising other possible evidence. Indeed, the story was in the papers for well over a decade and has been the subject of many magazine articles in the years since. It was even dealt with in a Broadway musical, Jerry Herman's MACK AND MABEL.
I'd always wanted to write a true crime book and this case fascinated me. I spent several months researching it, going through old newspaper files and interviewing survivors of that era who remembered the case. I even did a phone interview with Mary Miles Minter who, along with her mother, was the chief suspect in the murder.
[Actually, the information I gleaned from researching this case was a major part of my inspiration for ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD: From The Secret Files of Harry Pennypacker.]
One of the more helpful people I talked to was legendary newspaperwoman Adela Rogers St. Johns, who liked me and sort of took me under her wing. She gave me plenty of useful information.
Then, somebody turned me onto director King Vidor (NORTHWEST PASSAGE, DUEL IN THE SUN). Vidor was also interested in the Taylor case and, years earlier, he had been granted access to the police files. It was my understanding that he was the only outsider who had ever seen these records.
One afternoon, I met with Vidor in his home office and he offered to share his files with me for a 50% interest in my book. I told him I'd think about it.
I asked Adela Rogers St. Johns her advice, and she said, "What do you need him for? You know who did it. Write your own book."
And, like a shmuck, I followed her advice.
I know that she meant well and that her advice would have been very good for her but, in my case, having King Vidor's name attached to my book, would have made it a best-seller.
Shortly after that, I got involved in another writing project. I put my Taylor book aside, never to return to it.
Vidor died in 1982. In 1986, Sidney D. Kirkpatrick, the director's authorized biographer, having gained access to Vidor's files on the Taylor case, published (through Dutton) A CAST OF KILLERS, an excellent book that, for all practical purposes, solved the mystery once and for all.
The book, written from Vidor's point-of-view, became a best seller.
Ouch!
It's instances like that which has, over the years caused me to adopt a philosophy: Take every reasonable opportunity that comes your way, because you never know where it will lead.
Back in the 1970s, I was researching a non-fiction book about the William Desmond Taylor murder.
Taylor was a major film director during Hollywood's silent era. On February 1, 1922, an unknown person shot him dead in his bungalow apartment.
The murder, which is still officially unsolved, made headlines all over the world and destroyed the careers of two major silent stars, Mabel Normand and Mary Miles Minter.
I'm not going to go into all the details of the case here, but when the police arrived on the scene, they found representatives from Paramount Pictures, where Taylor worked, burning papers in the fireplace and compromising other possible evidence. Indeed, the story was in the papers for well over a decade and has been the subject of many magazine articles in the years since. It was even dealt with in a Broadway musical, Jerry Herman's MACK AND MABEL.
I'd always wanted to write a true crime book and this case fascinated me. I spent several months researching it, going through old newspaper files and interviewing survivors of that era who remembered the case. I even did a phone interview with Mary Miles Minter who, along with her mother, was the chief suspect in the murder.
[Actually, the information I gleaned from researching this case was a major part of my inspiration for ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD: From The Secret Files of Harry Pennypacker.]
One of the more helpful people I talked to was legendary newspaperwoman Adela Rogers St. Johns, who liked me and sort of took me under her wing. She gave me plenty of useful information.
Then, somebody turned me onto director King Vidor (NORTHWEST PASSAGE, DUEL IN THE SUN). Vidor was also interested in the Taylor case and, years earlier, he had been granted access to the police files. It was my understanding that he was the only outsider who had ever seen these records.
One afternoon, I met with Vidor in his home office and he offered to share his files with me for a 50% interest in my book. I told him I'd think about it.
I asked Adela Rogers St. Johns her advice, and she said, "What do you need him for? You know who did it. Write your own book."
And, like a shmuck, I followed her advice.
I know that she meant well and that her advice would have been very good for her but, in my case, having King Vidor's name attached to my book, would have made it a best-seller.
Shortly after that, I got involved in another writing project. I put my Taylor book aside, never to return to it.
Vidor died in 1982. In 1986, Sidney D. Kirkpatrick, the director's authorized biographer, having gained access to Vidor's files on the Taylor case, published (through Dutton) A CAST OF KILLERS, an excellent book that, for all practical purposes, solved the mystery once and for all.
The book, written from Vidor's point-of-view, became a best seller.
Ouch!
It's instances like that which has, over the years caused me to adopt a philosophy: Take every reasonable opportunity that comes your way, because you never know where it will lead.
April 20, 2009
My Encounter With Elvis
As those of you who have read ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD: From the Secret Files of Harry Pennypacker know, my book contains a chapter about Elvis Presley.
However, what you probably don't know is that I had an encounter with Elvis way back when I was in college.
My "professional" motion picture career began in 1962, during the summer between my junior and senior years at the University of Washington.
That was the summer of the Seattle World's Fair; the year that Elvis Presley came to town to make a movie.
Elvis and company spent about three weeks in Seattle, filming scenes on and around the Space Needle and other key fairground sites. Extras were being hired locally, so one morning, having nothing better to do, I went down to the location, applied...and was immediately hired.
Hot digity! I was going to be in a movie...produced by MGM, the one-time home of Gable, Garbo, Spencer Tracy, Lana Turner, Lassie, Tarzan, The Marx Brothers and all the other film icons I worshipped.
Me and Elvis! Immortalized on screen together!
Okay, wait. Don’t worry. I’m kidding.
I was never that big of a putz.
Even back then, I knew enough about movies to know what it was like to work as an extra.
I knew that I wouldn't get billing over Elvis.
Seriously though, I didn't really care about the ten dollars and the box lunch I was getting for the day. All I wanted out of this experience was, when the movie was finally released, to be able to see myself up on the big screen.
Easier said than done.
I was astute enough to know that, if I was going to accomplish my goal, I would have to stick close to Elvis. After all, the camera would be following him...not the extras.
The 3rd assistant director, who was in charge of the extras, certainly wasn't any help. He kept placing me way in the background, so that in the final film, I would appear as just another "human ant".
Luckily, this guy didn't hang around after he'd positioned us. He went off and took care his other duties...and I put my plan into motion.
While the director and crew were setting up the rest of the shot, I started working my way up to the front of the crowd...right behind where the main action of the scene was to take place.
I did this all day. Nobody noticed. In fact, at one point, I got to stand right next to Elvis himself and we were having a nice friendly chat...until Colonel Parker, his manager, noticed that a "lowly extra" was talking to "His Highness," and told the assistant director to tell me to stop bothering Mr. Presley.
The a.d. looked at me for a moment, and said, "Don't I know you?"
"I don't think so," I said, trying to look totally innocent.
"Look, kid," the guy said with a wink, "I know what you’re doing. Just be a bit cooler about it." Then, he walked off.
Did I accomplish my goal?
Did Elvis have a pair of "Blue Suede Shoes"?
Of course, I did.
The name of the movie is IT HAPPENED AT THE WORLD'S FAIR, and if you ever catch it on television or DVD, look for the scene where Elvis asks the little boy (Kurt Russell, by the way) to kick him in the shins.
During that brief moment, a 21-year old version of me walks behind them...twice.
I just had to take an encore.
However, what you probably don't know is that I had an encounter with Elvis way back when I was in college.
My "professional" motion picture career began in 1962, during the summer between my junior and senior years at the University of Washington.
That was the summer of the Seattle World's Fair; the year that Elvis Presley came to town to make a movie.
Elvis and company spent about three weeks in Seattle, filming scenes on and around the Space Needle and other key fairground sites. Extras were being hired locally, so one morning, having nothing better to do, I went down to the location, applied...and was immediately hired.
Hot digity! I was going to be in a movie...produced by MGM, the one-time home of Gable, Garbo, Spencer Tracy, Lana Turner, Lassie, Tarzan, The Marx Brothers and all the other film icons I worshipped.
Me and Elvis! Immortalized on screen together!
Okay, wait. Don’t worry. I’m kidding.
I was never that big of a putz.
Even back then, I knew enough about movies to know what it was like to work as an extra.
I knew that I wouldn't get billing over Elvis.
Seriously though, I didn't really care about the ten dollars and the box lunch I was getting for the day. All I wanted out of this experience was, when the movie was finally released, to be able to see myself up on the big screen.
Easier said than done.
I was astute enough to know that, if I was going to accomplish my goal, I would have to stick close to Elvis. After all, the camera would be following him...not the extras.
The 3rd assistant director, who was in charge of the extras, certainly wasn't any help. He kept placing me way in the background, so that in the final film, I would appear as just another "human ant".
Luckily, this guy didn't hang around after he'd positioned us. He went off and took care his other duties...and I put my plan into motion.
While the director and crew were setting up the rest of the shot, I started working my way up to the front of the crowd...right behind where the main action of the scene was to take place.
I did this all day. Nobody noticed. In fact, at one point, I got to stand right next to Elvis himself and we were having a nice friendly chat...until Colonel Parker, his manager, noticed that a "lowly extra" was talking to "His Highness," and told the assistant director to tell me to stop bothering Mr. Presley.
The a.d. looked at me for a moment, and said, "Don't I know you?"
"I don't think so," I said, trying to look totally innocent.
"Look, kid," the guy said with a wink, "I know what you’re doing. Just be a bit cooler about it." Then, he walked off.
Did I accomplish my goal?
Did Elvis have a pair of "Blue Suede Shoes"?
Of course, I did.
The name of the movie is IT HAPPENED AT THE WORLD'S FAIR, and if you ever catch it on television or DVD, look for the scene where Elvis asks the little boy (Kurt Russell, by the way) to kick him in the shins.
During that brief moment, a 21-year old version of me walks behind them...twice.
I just had to take an encore.
March 11, 2009
ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD is on Kindle
For those of you who prefer paperless books, I'm pleased to announce that my most recent work, ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD: From The Secret Files of Harry Pennypacker, is now available on Amazon's Kindle.
Of course, it's also available in paperback if you like holding the real thing.
Of course, it's also available in paperback if you like holding the real thing.
