When I Stop Talking, You'll Know I'm Dead: Useful Stories from a Persuasive Man
Product ID: 5574591
Here is the story of Jerry Weintraub: the self-made, Brooklyn-born, Bronx-raised impresario, Hollywood producer, legendary deal maker, and friend of politicians and stars. No matter where nature has placed him--the club rooms of Brooklyn, the Mafia dives of New York's Lower East Side, the wilds of Alaska, or the hills of Hollywood--he has found a way to put on a show and sell tickets at the door. "All life was a theater and I wanted to put it up on a stage," he writes. "I wanted to set the world under a marquee that read: 'Jerry Weintraub Presents.'" In When I Stop Talking, You'll Know I'm Dead , we follow Weintraub from his first great success at age twenty-six with Elvis Presley, whom he took on the road with the help of Colonel Tom Parker; to the immortal days with Sinatra and Rat Pack glory; to his crowning hits as a movie producer, starting with Robert Altman and Nashville , continuing with Oh, God! , The Karate Kid movies, and Diner , among others, and summiting with Steven Soderbergh and Ocean's Eleven , Twelve , and Thirteen . Along the way, we'll watch as Jerry moves from the poker tables of Palm Springs (the games went on for days), to the power rooms of Hollywood, to the halls of the White House, to Red Square in Moscow and the Great Palace in Beijing-all the while counseling potentates, poets, and kings, with clients and confidants like George Clooney, Bruce Willis, George H. W. Bush, Armand Hammer, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Bob Dylan, Led Zeppelin, John Denver, Bobby Fischer . . .well, the list goes on forever. And of course, the story is not yet over . . .as the old-timers say, "The best is yet to come." As Weintraub says, "When I stop talking, you'll know I'm dead." With wit, wisdom, and the cool confidence that has colored his remarkable career, Jerry chronicles a quintessentially American journey, one marked by luck, love, and improvisation. The stories he tells and the lessons we learn are essential, not just for those who love movies and music, but for businessmen, entrepreneurs, artists . . . everyone. Review: Only in HOLLYWOOD could a story like this be TRUE - 5 Stars for CHUTZBAH!!!! - What a story, and who knows what the real truth is, because a book like this is a Hollywood book, and like Hollywood accounting, guys like Weintraub re-invent themselves all the time. You dress the part, you look the part, you drive the big fancy car, and meanwhile, the repo man could be coming around the block. That's Hollywood, and the rest is whatever is in print. Now having said that, what a story and Weintraub tells it as only he can. There's a reason however why the book's cover has a giant picture of Weintraub walking across the Brooklyn Bridge. He's got something to sell each of us. A young Jewish boy from the Brooklyn and raised in the Bronx, he ultimately has the good fortune to realize, why work for a living if you don't have it, instead just go Hollywood. The early years are very interesting to me, because they set the tone of the life to follow. At a young age, Weintraub realizes he can create a whole new world for himself out of his sheer will. Now in his 70's, he is full of the wisdom that only a long and reflected life can impart to a human being. This book is truly worth reading. Here is just some of the wisdom and fabulous concepts of living that you are going to find in these pages just full of pearls of wisdom: * Just ENJOY, whatever path you take means there's another path that you can't take. You make one choice, it eliminates another choice. * His dad was in the jewelry business, and taught him that it's not the gem that the customer buys. It's always the story behind the gem. Customers want the romance; give them the romance by giving them a story. * He learned early on that in the end, in business, and in life, the only thing that really mattered were RELATIONSHIPS. * He goes to the Martha Graham's workshop in New York and studies acting. He takes two great lessons from this experience. One is that he learns what actors really need emotionally. This lesson would stay with him the rest of his life. The second is that he is requested to put on slippers and tights for one of the performance classes. He couldn't do it, but young actor James Caan (The Godfather movie) could, and therein lays the difference. Caan is the actor today, and Weintraub is the producer. * If you want to understand the importance of the MENTOR in a person's life read this book. From Weintraub's wife Jane Morgan to Hollywood legend Lew Wasserman, there was always the presence of the MENTOR. * He warns us to never get too attached to things because the world is always changing, and either you change with it, or you get left behind. * Many people do not like starting at the bottom of an organization, but the author insists that if you start at the bottom, the worst jobs are the most instructive. Such a job allows you to observe, to learn and most importantly to float through an organization virtually unseen during the process. * Always act like you're the guy in charge. If you do, no one will have the guts to stop you. I have seen this countless times, whether it is at night clubs, theaters, or the White House. Just walk right through. The mental midgets will get right out of your way. This book is a page turner. It is one magnificent story after another. Every page presents you with wisdom that you can only obtain by living through the author's experiences. Weintraub knew everybody in show business, and he managed the legends. At one time or another he had Joey Bishop, Jack Paar, and the Four Seasons under contract. These contractual agreements led to him getting lucky. He gets a call from the VOICE one day, and it's Frank Sinatra. Weintraub would wind up doing business with Sinatra for years. The same thing would happen with Elvis Presley, and there is no question that the author invented John Denver from scratch. He creates a whole relationship out of thin air with former President George H W Bush. You have to read it to believe it. CONCLUSION: This is a book that you want to dig your teeth into. It's a book to give to a young person to teach him how to be successful. The author could have given it another name, and called it AN OPERATOR'S MANUAL FOR SUCCESS. For in this book, you are truly taken into a world that very few people are ever exposed to, but if you take the time to master the lessons that Weintraub has to teach you, it could change your life. It did change his. I promise you that if you begin to read this book, you will be taken on a transformative joyride. Whether you believe the stories, or just part of them, Weintraub's use of metaphor to explore, to change, and to enlighten you will achieve that goal. You will be better off for it, and you will enjoy the thrill of a first class read. Go ahead; take the chance, and thank you for reading this review. Richard C. Stoyeck Review: A true adventure of the modern times - I got to read this book as it was mentioned in another book, don't remueve which one. I would've never stumbled upon this gem of a book myself, I was not even aware this person existed. But that's only the first rarity of this book. The way Jerry tells his story and the way you learn about his amazing life, all is so well told, so interesting, so full of life and joy of life itself. This folk was really second to none when it comes to arrange a show, and in his life he met the most singular individuals and went to the most exotic locations with them, and befriended everyone on the way. The book is really from a true old schooler of a man, and it's a very manly book indeed. You cannot read it and not wish you were like him. There's a passage in the Wikipedia entry for Jerry Weintraub, from George Clooney, which likely describes Jerry the best: "When it comes to work, nobody works harder. When it comes to charities, nobody guilts better. And when it comes to friendship, he has no peers. That's Jerry's great talent. He doesn't just light up a room, he lights it on fire. He's a great producer, a great organizer, a great friend, and truly the greatest showman on earth." If only because it's a great story packed with real wisdom, read this book.
R**T
Only in HOLLYWOOD could a story like this be TRUE - 5 Stars for CHUTZBAH!!!!
What a story, and who knows what the real truth is, because a book like this is a Hollywood book, and like Hollywood accounting, guys like Weintraub re-invent themselves all the time. You dress the part, you look the part, you drive the big fancy car, and meanwhile, the repo man could be coming around the block. That's Hollywood, and the rest is whatever is in print. Now having said that, what a story and Weintraub tells it as only he can. There's a reason however why the book's cover has a giant picture of Weintraub walking across the Brooklyn Bridge. He's got something to sell each of us. A young Jewish boy from the Brooklyn and raised in the Bronx, he ultimately has the good fortune to realize, why work for a living if you don't have it, instead just go Hollywood. The early years are very interesting to me, because they set the tone of the life to follow. At a young age, Weintraub realizes he can create a whole new world for himself out of his sheer will. Now in his 70's, he is full of the wisdom that only a long and reflected life can impart to a human being. This book is truly worth reading. Here is just some of the wisdom and fabulous concepts of living that you are going to find in these pages just full of pearls of wisdom: * Just ENJOY, whatever path you take means there's another path that you can't take. You make one choice, it eliminates another choice. * His dad was in the jewelry business, and taught him that it's not the gem that the customer buys. It's always the story behind the gem. Customers want the romance; give them the romance by giving them a story. * He learned early on that in the end, in business, and in life, the only thing that really mattered were RELATIONSHIPS. * He goes to the Martha Graham's workshop in New York and studies acting. He takes two great lessons from this experience. One is that he learns what actors really need emotionally. This lesson would stay with him the rest of his life. The second is that he is requested to put on slippers and tights for one of the performance classes. He couldn't do it, but young actor James Caan (The Godfather movie) could, and therein lays the difference. Caan is the actor today, and Weintraub is the producer. * If you want to understand the importance of the MENTOR in a person's life read this book. From Weintraub's wife Jane Morgan to Hollywood legend Lew Wasserman, there was always the presence of the MENTOR. * He warns us to never get too attached to things because the world is always changing, and either you change with it, or you get left behind. * Many people do not like starting at the bottom of an organization, but the author insists that if you start at the bottom, the worst jobs are the most instructive. Such a job allows you to observe, to learn and most importantly to float through an organization virtually unseen during the process. * Always act like you're the guy in charge. If you do, no one will have the guts to stop you. I have seen this countless times, whether it is at night clubs, theaters, or the White House. Just walk right through. The mental midgets will get right out of your way. This book is a page turner. It is one magnificent story after another. Every page presents you with wisdom that you can only obtain by living through the author's experiences. Weintraub knew everybody in show business, and he managed the legends. At one time or another he had Joey Bishop, Jack Paar, and the Four Seasons under contract. These contractual agreements led to him getting lucky. He gets a call from the VOICE one day, and it's Frank Sinatra. Weintraub would wind up doing business with Sinatra for years. The same thing would happen with Elvis Presley, and there is no question that the author invented John Denver from scratch. He creates a whole relationship out of thin air with former President George H W Bush. You have to read it to believe it. CONCLUSION: This is a book that you want to dig your teeth into. It's a book to give to a young person to teach him how to be successful. The author could have given it another name, and called it AN OPERATOR'S MANUAL FOR SUCCESS. For in this book, you are truly taken into a world that very few people are ever exposed to, but if you take the time to master the lessons that Weintraub has to teach you, it could change your life. It did change his. I promise you that if you begin to read this book, you will be taken on a transformative joyride. Whether you believe the stories, or just part of them, Weintraub's use of metaphor to explore, to change, and to enlighten you will achieve that goal. You will be better off for it, and you will enjoy the thrill of a first class read. Go ahead; take the chance, and thank you for reading this review. Richard C. Stoyeck
J**O
A true adventure of the modern times
I got to read this book as it was mentioned in another book, don't remueve which one. I would've never stumbled upon this gem of a book myself, I was not even aware this person existed. But that's only the first rarity of this book. The way Jerry tells his story and the way you learn about his amazing life, all is so well told, so interesting, so full of life and joy of life itself. This folk was really second to none when it comes to arrange a show, and in his life he met the most singular individuals and went to the most exotic locations with them, and befriended everyone on the way. The book is really from a true old schooler of a man, and it's a very manly book indeed. You cannot read it and not wish you were like him. There's a passage in the Wikipedia entry for Jerry Weintraub, from George Clooney, which likely describes Jerry the best: "When it comes to work, nobody works harder. When it comes to charities, nobody guilts better. And when it comes to friendship, he has no peers. That's Jerry's great talent. He doesn't just light up a room, he lights it on fire. He's a great producer, a great organizer, a great friend, and truly the greatest showman on earth." If only because it's a great story packed with real wisdom, read this book.
R**L
A True Player
Here is a great fast read of a Player in the 60s, 70s and beyond in the entertainment business. What makes this biography so fascinating is the breadth of his relationships. Jerry is an agent who hits it big in the music business and concert productions which he controls by redefining the cost structure and negotiating tactics. Names are dropped her fast and furious as he produced Elvis and Sinatra and keeps parlaying his success to others. A fascinating story is how he took a down and out newcomer John Denver and turned him into a star. I liked Denver a lot but his career was unique. A Pop folksy star who quickly does schmaltzy TV shows branding him forever as a lightweight. Jerry was that influence. Later Denver fires Jerry and there is much animosity for years. Weintraub is very forthcoming about the story. From music Weintraub segways to movies and is still on the scene as a producer for Oceans 11, 12 and 13. Now he's tight with Clooney, Pitt and Damon although frankly these movies that are vehicles to sucker people for another sequel without a great story are not of interest to me and I only saw the first mediocre one and had had enough. He is truly a player in the industry though and has a story to tell. What may be most fascinating are his relationships with George Bush and Armand Hammer. These interesting sidelights really provide a well rounded book of a guy that has led a fascinating life. Overall I like this book very much and it read very quickly. Frankly this book is a little choppy and I believe he could have added more depth because he clearly has had an interesting life and recognizes his good fortune.
J**Y
Amazing read!
Super entertaining series of stories of an under appreciated character!
R**S
A VERY PERSUASIVE MAN
An early morning tv appearance by the author was enough to get me to buy this book. Charming, attractive, and articulate Jerry Weintraub is his own best PR advance man. Happily, this book was all I expected and then some. Weintraub is a lot of things to a lot of people. A largely self-educated man who shrugged off college in order to move on with his life, he was an agent/entertainment manager who expanded his resume to also include movie and music producer and all around entertainment impressario. While this memoir abounds with a lot of personal information concerning his upbringing, two marriages, his children, the death of his parents, and his current domestic situation which includes a legal wife and the bonafide girl friend with whom he resides, Weintraub delves into a lot of stuff concerning his personal and professional relationships with some fairly prominent people who are or were household names. The names? Let's start with Elvis, Julia Roberts, George H.W. Bush, Jimmy Carter, Brad Pitt, George Clooney, and Cary Grant among others.....many others. Among my favorite celeb stories: Jerry's account of his firing by music legend and close friend John Denver and George Bush's getting Jerry membership into a 'restricted' tennis club in Kennebunkport. Neither story was flashy or explosive, but they were intimate and gave me a sense of what sort of person Weintraub is. This was a very readable book which exudes the author's formidable personality. It is lively and Weintraub doesn't overwork the written word. He's straightforward and interesting by nature and this book celebrates these qualities. Weintraub appears to be a happy man and it appears that he is never happier when he is busy and working. If you are fond of celebrity memoirs, you may find this book a good fit.
T**8
great read
I really enjoyed reading this book: lots of great stories about someone who always believed in himself and thereby created multiple magnanimous life experiences!
A**L
Useful Life Stories from a Very Persuasive Man
The stories (Elvis and the scarf sales, Frank Sinatra and the main event, John Denver and the firing of Ferguson, George Clooney and the over sized shoes and so many others), along with the friendships...President George H. W. Bush, George Clooney and Colonel Tom Parker are told as if the authors and this reader are snowbound in an airport lounge...the book is just that spell bounding...it makes you forget everything except for the pages in front of you. It is full of humor and thought provoking insights about conducting business and lessons to live by. It is not preachy, every character and the various events becomes amazingly alive. I felt as if I was actually there! I couldn't could put the book down...I was up all night... the authors and I have bonded. Jerry Weintraub was no longer a person of interest...he had become my friend.
B**S
Great Fun.
Although some may criticize him for being too flattering, I think Jerry is genuinely a happy person, and prefers to think the best of people. Sinatra, Elvis, John Denver and all the others - he worked with them, and wanted everyone to be a winner. He seemingly can pull off the near impossible, from getting Elvis on tour (and changing the touring business in the process), to getting practically anyone to work on his projects. If you doubt the ability to pull this off, look no further than the cast of Oceans 11 (and 12 and 13). Imagine the feat it took to get George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Julia Roberts, Andy Garcia, Carl Reiner, Elliot Gould, Casey Affleck, Scott Caan, Don Cheadle, and the late, great Bernie Mac in one place at one time to make a movie. Then do it again. And again. Its not a literary masterpiece, but it is a good, fun ride through the backstories of Hollywood royalty.
C**N
A good reading!
A story about life, job, entertainment, Hollywood, music, show biz and much more. A great man that changed the entertaiment business. If you like biographies, cinema, rock music or technique of persuasion, this book is for you.
N**O
Sensational
This is one of the best books I’ve ever read, truly captivating. Filled with both sensational stories and incredible lessons
D**Z
Se
Increible biografía. El último gran productor del Hollywood antiguo Todas las historias que se cuentan son increíbles incluso las que son tristes
A**R
Great book
You learn a great deal about life in this book. How to have ambition and not be afraid to try things. How it is important to reach out to people and make connections. Great book!
J**O
Wonderful read...
I bought this book on the Kindle mainly because of Jerry's connection to Elvis Presley. However, I found the whole book a fascinating read. I've seen documentaries about Jerry Weintraub and he comes across as a very genuine, sincere, entertaining man with a lot of wonderful stories from his many decades in showbiz. He's worked with some of the biggest names of all time, and his experiences are almost told from a teacher's point of view, teaching from his own mistakes.
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