But she never really put any effort into finding new talent to develop. Oct 17, 2011 interviewing sue mengers was one of the saddest experiences of my professional life. Sue mengers september 2, 1932 october 15, 2011 was a talent agent for many filmmakers and actors of the new hollywood generation of the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s. A ny times culture bestseller an entertainment weekly best pop culture book of 2015. Sue mengers is pure hollywood, said the wunderkind who thought of the idea. Story recounted in a new biography of top hollywood agent sue mengers. The book became a favorite of sues, which was hardly surprising, given that it included such mengerslike observations as, even when freshly washed and relieved of all obvious confections, children tend to be sticky. Sue mengers, the first female superagent at a time when women talent agents of any kind are almost unheard of, invites you into her beverly hills home for an evening of dish. Kellow said the mengers book was the most enjoyable. The life of sue mengers, hollywoods first superagent, the biography tells the story of arguably one of the most powerful agents in tinseltown history. In 1994, susan orlean published after the party, a new yorker profile of the formidable talent agent sue mengers. For folks who dont know, sue mengers represented many hollywood stars, but.
The book will be released september 8, read an excerpt from its pages below. Can i go now the life of sue mengers, hollywoods first. Aug 27, 2015 clark collis, entertainment weekly with his new book can i go now. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1, 2, or 3 months new customers receive 15% off your. The life of sue mengers, hollywoods first superagent. Can i go now the life of sue mengers, hollywoods first superagent 9780670015405 by kellow, brian and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books. Sue mengers is only the most hilarious hollywood super agent youve never heard of. Sep 09, 2015 new sue mengers biography a colorful glimpse of hollywood agent sue mengers, left, with barbra streisand and hairdresser fred glaser at a 1969 party for on a clear day you can see forever. Her story from new york beginner to hollywood superagent is well researched and irresistibly told in this deft, new biography. Mengers was an influential hollywood talent agent who represented some of the industrys most glamorous stars at the height of their careers, including barbara streisand, cybil shepherd, gene hackman, anthony perkins, and burt. New sue mengers biography a colorful glimpse of hollywood agent sue mengers, left, with barbra streisand and hairdresser fred glaser at a 1969 party for on a clear day you can see forever. Remembering the foulmouthed jewish agent who made hollywood. I read this book when i began working at sue mengers former workplace there is no.
Sue mengers died in midoctober at her home, a short walk from the beverly hills hotel, surrounded by three of her close friends, ali macgraw, joanna poitier, and boaty boatwright. Sue mengers, who died four years ago this week, was a brassy, foulmouthed, wisecracking superagent, who hustled her way from the secretarial pool to. The life of sue mengers, hollywoods first superagent as want to read. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read can i go now the life of sue mengers, hollywoods first superagent. In her heyday, in the nineteensixties and seventies, mengers was one of the. New sue mengers biography a colorful glimpse of hollywood. Ill eat you last sue talks about her famous dinner parties.
Mengers, who died this weekend and will forever be known as a hollywood superagent, was at loose ends when we. The superwoman, superagent sue mengers, a hollywood legend not just in her own time but for all time, died last weekend at around age 80. As the representative for many of the major players of the day. Sue mengers, center, with the actress faye dunaway and the producer robert evans. Agent at one time or another to ali mcgraw, sidney lumet, candice bergen, ryan oneal, peter bogdanovich, and, most importantly, barbra streisand, sue mengers wheeled and dealed her clients separately and together into the seminal films of the times. Bette midler portrays her in a new broadway play, but you can.
If i can step in for a moment and turn the topic back to sue mengers. Before sue mengers hit the scene in the mid1960s, talent agents remained quietly in the background. Weve got you covered with the buzziest new releases of the day. Mengers is said to have been on good terms with princess margaret, although it is unclear how they first met sue mengers house in hollywood photo. The life of sue mengers, hollywoods first superagent gives readers a richly detailed view of kaels remarkable lifefrom her youth in rural california to her early struggles to establish her writing career to her peak years at the new yorker. Morgan spurlocks warrior poets has acquired rights to brian kellows bestselling biography can i go now. Oct 21, 2011 sue mengers, who has died aged 79, became the most powerful agent in hollywood in the early 1970s, promoting the film careers of alist stars like barbra streisand, candice bergen, faye dunaway. Sue mengers forever changed the image of the hollywood agent and along the way, she changed the way that agents and their clients did business. The life of hollywoods first superagent by brian kellow.
Jun 28, 2016 the line was, sue mengers created a family, and ovitz built an empire. Witty, sarcastic, and willing to show you just how fucked up showbiz can be, this made me want to go back and pair it with tell all, chuck palahniuks book about a fictional starlets demise. In her her blog post about the late agent sue mengers, susan orlean writes. She didnt say she was delighted to have the time to write a book, although she did think about writing one as a source of income, which she. Irrepressible and loaded with chutzpah, she became a driving force of creative management associates which later became icm handling the eras preeminent stars. In her book manhattan 45, jan morris memorably caught the spirit of the times when she described the arrival of the queen mary into new york harbor on june 20, 1945, carrying over fourteen thousand american servicemen and women returning home a little more than one month after ve day. The night jack nicholson offered princess margaret. To call sue mengers a character is an understatement, unless the word is written in all caps, followed by an exclamation point and modified by an expletive. Pretty much the reason half the movies of the 70s were what they were can be attributed to this woman. Apr 25, 20 as a john logan fan, i may be very biased, but this short, one person play felt like a breathe of fresh air. Sue mengers biographer talks barbra streisand feud, wild. The superagent who ruled hollywood with sex and booze. Oct 15, 2015 sue mengers, who died four years ago this week, was a brassy, foulmouthed, wisecracking superagent, who hustled her way from the secretarial pool to the top of hollywoods power elite. I really wanted to read the book, but it costs 15 bucks to download it from amazon.
Nov 18, 2011 when sue mengers s house first went up for sale earlier this month, the listing came with a measly two photos. Can i go now the life of sue mengers, hollywoods first superagent 9780670015405 by kellow, brian and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. The idea of doing a book about her came from his agent. Sue mengers september 2, 1932 october 15, 2011 was a talent agent for many filmmakers and actors of the new hollywood generation of the. Sue mengers was born on september 2, 1932 in hamburg, germany. Interesting, she had little motivation in gathering new talent. Aug 30, 2015 a new biography goes inside the life of hollywoods firstsuperagent to reveal the crazy, brazen fights and lurid affairs that sue mengers had with clients and stars. Do any other three words better conjure up the enormous energy, creativity and freewheeling social life of hollywood in the 1970s. Inside the life of hollywoods first superagent, sue mengers. Jack nicholson offered princess margaret cocaine book. Oct 16, 2011 sue mengers attends the book party for mickey ziffrens a political affair on september 23, 1976, at ziffrens home in malibu, california. Mengers was legendary for being one of the first big female agents and for throwing.
An interview with brian kellow, author of can i go now. Sep 04, 2015 to call sue mengers a character is an understatement, unless the word is written in all caps, followed by an exclamation point and modified by an expletive. New sue mengers biography a colorful glimpse of hollywood agent sue mengers, left, with barbra streisand and hairdresser fred glaser at a 1969 party for. Lebowitzs grumpy, selfmocking, urban couch potato literary persona matched up beautifully with sues. When julia roberts was a nobody to superagent sue mengers. I go now the life of sue mengers, hollywoods first superagent audible audio edition. Can i go now the life of sue mengers, hollywoods first superagent ebook written by brian kellow.
Brain kellow has written the definitive biography of sue mengers, and its a fun book. New sue mengers biography a colorful glimpse of hollywood agent. Jun 28, 2018 eric welch, the artistic director of untitled productions and the director of ieyl, is a huge barbra streisand fan, so when this play premiered at the booth theater in new york in 2011 with bette midler as sue mengers eric became fascinated with the script. Hollywood agents estate sale displays star power the new. But kellow initially was ambivalent about writing his book. I hate to spend that much on a book ill probably just read once. What hollywood superagent sue mengers was really like.
Apr 23, 20 appearing on broadway for the first time in nearly 40 years, tony and grammy awardwinning superstar bette midler plays the legendary hollywood agent sue mengers 19322011 in this new, one. Mengers is the subject of an excellent new biography can i go now. Can i go now, biography of agent sue mengers, by brian kellow. It didnt take sue long to realize the mess that william morris was in and in her new position, she had only limited power to fix. There was a shift where this really became a business, and the world of mike ovitz was a lot different from the one sue. Sue mengers died last night at her home, a short walk from the. Sue mengers attends the book party for mickey ziffrens a political affair on september 23, 1976, at ziffrens home in malibu, california. Sep, 2015 a biography of sue mengers, a largerthanlife hollywood agent from the 1960s through the 80s. Can i go now, biography of agent sue mengers, by brian. Aug 21, 2015 the biographer brian kellow, whose last subject was pauline kael, writes in can i go now. Need another excuse to treat yourself to new book this week. Her first big addition to her books was actress julie harris, who was primarily a stage.
She died on october 15, 2011 in beverly hills, california, usa. To call sue mengers a character is an understatement, unless the word is written in allcaps, followed by an exclamation point and modified by an expletive. Mengers wanted only wanted the alist on her roster and seated at her dinner table. Superstar barbra streisand and hollywood agent sue mengers. At a 1973 meeting at cma, the hollywood talent agency that later became icm, the companys owner was leading the proceedings when in walked agent sue mengers, 10 minutes. Hollywood super agent sue mengers takes center stage in a. The title of the book comes from mengers passiveaggressive way. Take a good look around sue mengerss john woolf house. Sue mengers, who has died aged 79, became the most powerful agent in hollywood in the early 1970s, promoting the film careers of alist stars like. But staying in the background was not possible for mengers.
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