Books with author Michael Opitz

If you're going to read one book about Hollywood, this is the one.As co-founder of Creative Artists Agency (CAA), Michael Ovitz earned a reputation for ruthless negotiation, brilliant strategy and fierce loyalty to his clients. He reinvented the role of the agent and helped shape the careers of hundreds of A-list stars and directors, including Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Meryl Streep, Sean Connery, Steven Seagal, Bill Murray, Robin Williams and David Letterman.But this personal history is much more than celebrity friendships and bare-knuckled deal-making. It's an underdog's story: How did a kid with no connections work his way into the William Morris mailroom, and become the most powerful person in Hollywood? How did a superagent also become a power in producing, advertising, mergers & acquisitions and modern art? And what were the personal consequences of all those deals?After decades of near-silence in the face of intense controversy, Michael Ovitz is finally telling his whole story in this blistering, unforgettable memoir.

“When the history of Hollywood is written, few people will have played a larger role than Michael Ovitz.... It is impossible to read such a chronicle and not see Mr. Ovitz as the Steve Jobs of agenting, possessing a version of Jobs’s fanatical drive and a similar desire to remake an industry.” —The Wall Street JournalWho is Michael Ovitz? He’s a striver who talked his way into the famous mailroom of the William Morris Agency without any connections, then worked his way out of the mailroom in record time. He’s an entrepreneur who left a safe job to launch Creative Artists Agency, growing it from five guys in a rundown office to the most powerful agency in the world. He’s a friend and confidant to megastars such as Steven Spielberg, Tom Cruise, Robert De Niro, David Letterman, Sean Connery, Bill Murray, Paul Newman, and Martin Scorsese. He’s a pioneer who reinvented the role of the agent in packaging actors, directors, writers, and producers, which made CAA the essential hub of countless movies and television shows.He’s a master negotiator who drove historic deals for many of his clients, as well as the acquisitions of two major studios by Sony and Matsushita. He’s a self-taught connoisseur of art and architecture, a generous philanthropist, a devoted father... And to his detractors he’s a world-class jerk and a ruthless manipulator who double-crossed his friends, crushed his enemies, and let nothing stand in his way, ever. After decades of near silence in the face of relentless controversy, Ovitz finally tells his whole story in this memoir, with remarkable candor and insight. If you’re going to read just one book about how show business really works, this is the one.

If you're going to read one book about Hollywood, this is the one. As the co-founder of Creative Artists Agency, Michael Ovitz earned a reputation for ruthless negotiation, brilliant strategy, and fierce loyalty to his clients. He reinvented the role of the agent and helped shape the careers of hundreds of A-list entertainers, directors, and writers, including Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Meryl Streep, Sean Connery, Bill Murray, Robin Williams, and David Letterman. But this personal history is much more than a fascinating account of celebrity friendships and bare-knuckled dealmaking. It's also an underdog's story: How did a middle-class kid from Encino work his way into the William Morris mailroom, and eventually become the most powerful person in Hollywood? How did an agent (even a superagent) also become a power in producing, advertising, mergers & acquisitions, and modern art? And what were the personal consequences of all those deals? After decades of near-silence in the face of controversy, Ovitz is finally telling his whole story, with remarkable candor and insight.

Burma was wild and exotic, with a rich landscape and tempestuous weather. Frank was quickly introduced to the world of rubies abounding in the country, especially the very expensive “Pigeon blood ruby.” However, this beautiful and distant world had a dark side; its villagers were poor, uneducated, and the victims of slave and prostitution ring leaders. While being initiated to the world of weapons and rubies trade, Frank met with a young and very intelligent boy by the name of Phirrot. The boy, who spoke very little English, opened the doors to a culture Frank was dying to discover. But shortly after their meeting, the only Burmese friend Frank had was snatched one night while his village was being burned down. Grabbing the only opportunity, he had to chase after Alex; Frank, with the help of a few willing monks, went on a mission to rescue Phirrot. After a first failed attempt, Frank met with the beautiful Paula (an international investigator for child abuse) and together they were able to rescue the stolen children. Soon after, he was faced by Khun Sa himself who tried to make an example out of Frank by executing the monks who offered to help him. While running away from the general, Frank faced another great challenge; the powerful monsoon rains, which literally drowned him and the kids he was trying to save. The challenges confronting him, forced Frank to face his real enemies buried inside his soul; rooting from his own devastated childhood, with an abusive father who did nothing but bring him down. Frank finally understood that his dedication to saving Phirrot was actually an indirect attempt at saving himself. Fortunately, Frank survived and was approached by Paula’s group who trained and sent him to Brazil where he was about to face the evil men operating the shameful trade. In order to infiltrate the international ring, Frank had to pose as a customer preying on the very same kids he was trying to save. His mission will take him to a “Kill scene” where Frank only had seconds to save two children from a tragic end. The ringleaders now captured, Frank returned to his daughters with the great feeling of having found redemption.