:13:01
If I was smart, I should have
retired after Peter's article.
:13:04
Instead, Greg Bautzer, the power
broker of the town, calls.
:13:08
"Pack. You're going to New York."
I can't, Greg, I got plans.
:13:12
"Break them. Charlie Bluhdorn bought
Paramount and wants to meet you.
:13:15
He read the article about you in
Sunday's New York Times.
:13:18
He's a doer, Bob. Not a talker.
:13:20
Now pack your bags."
And pack them I did.
:13:36
Within five minutes after meeting Charlie
Bluhdorn, I know this is no kibitzer.
:13:40
Before I finished trying to answer one
question, he was asking me more.
:13:44
With him was a guy named Marty Davis.
:13:47
He was responsible for the
conglomerate Gulf and Western.
:13:50
Buying this aging mountain
they call Paramount.
:13:53
There were eight major studios
at the time.
:13:57
Paramount? It was ninth.
:14:00
Bluhdorn bought this giant at bargain
basement prices, the only way he knew how.
:14:04
Everybody thought he was nuts to get
in a business he knew nothing about...
:14:08
...much less a business
as crazy as show business.
:14:11
But, guys, I got a deal at 20th.
"Get out of it.
:14:15
You'll be running Paramount in
three months. Is that right, Marty?"
:14:19
Davis gives me a look.
:14:20
"If you're gonna run Paramount, you
better be tougher than you seem."
:14:24
Did I get the message? You bet.
Then Bluhdorn blasted my other ear:
:14:28
"Go by the seat of your pants.
Make pictures people wanna see.
:14:32
I wanna see tears, laughs. I want pretty
girls in the pictures, beautiful girls.
:14:37
Pictures people in Kansas City want to see.
:14:39
That's all, Evans.
What else do we have to go over?"
:14:43
Being the head of production of
a studio such as Paramount...
:14:47
... and I'm sure you're aware of it,
involves a tremendous responsibility.
:14:50
You are dealing with millions of dollars.
:14:54
They had a lot of great names for me.
"Bluhdorn's Folly" by The New York Times.
:14:59
Another was "Bluhdorn's Blow Job" by
Hollywood Close-up. Good feeling, huh?