Walk, Don't Run [Paperback]

Steven Johnson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 14, 2005

Three friends. One dream. Nowhere to go but up. When Rusty Johnson, Eddie Olmos, and Joey Zagarino met in high school in 1962, the sky was the limit and rock ‘n’ roll stardom was a record deal away. These three friends forged a life-long friendship that would take them through triumph and tragedy, victory and defeat, success and failure.
Along the way, they would meet and be influenced by some of the most famous people in the world: Jim Morrison, Robert F. Kennedy, Milton Berle, Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, Wolfman Jack, Bill Cosby, Orson Welles, Sonny Bono, Eric Clapton, Tina Turner, Peter Lawford, Kim Novak, Sammy Davis, Jr., Don Johnson, Paul Newman, Michael Landon, Frank Zappa, and many others. With these luminary characters as the cast, the hard streets of Hollywood as the background, and the raucous music of the sixties as the soundtrack, the boys will face insurmountable obstacles, experience hilarious hijinks, and have unbelievable adventures—leading one to the Academy Awards, one to finding his passion, and one to his demise.
This is not only the story of three dreamers, this is a tale about all of us. It is a true tale that shows that success—and life—is about rolling with the punches and taking it one step at a time.

Editorial Reviews

Review

I love this book! Johnson’s memory for the decades of adventures we shared breaking into show business is seamless. --Edward James Olmos, Actor/Director/Producer

It’s this generation’s American Graffiti—it’s Happy Days slammed into Resurrection Boulevard. It’s a winner! --Rick Marcelli, President, The Marcelli Company

A haunting story of what it takes to make it in show business. I couldn’t stop turning the pages. --Mike Foley, Editor, Dream Merchant Magazine

About the Author

Edward James Olmos and Steve Johnson have enjoyed a forty year working relationship. As told in Walk, Don't Run, they met in high school when they were both young musicians with dreams of stardom. Their friendship and working relationship has continued ever since. Steven is the archivist of their history as struggling musicians and actors in Hollywood through four decades. At Olmos Productions, Steven and Edward produced several documentaries concerning gangs, drugs, guns, and domestic violence for the United States. It Ain't Love is their most recent work together. Former President Clinton recorded the introductions for each of these documentaries when they aired on NBC. Steven also was a columnist for Olmos Productions from 1989 to 1996. From his involvement at Olmos Productions, Rusty was approached to write a series of articles about the early struggles of Edward and himself. From these articles he developed the book, Walk, Don't Run. It is a four-decade adventure into the light and dark side of the entertainment business. Persistence and determination are the thematic cornerstones of this book. Apart from his close association with Edward James Olmos, Rusty has had a very successful career of his own. From 1984 to 1988 he worked with Michael Landon on the television series "Highway to Heaven" as an actor, a musical cue arranger, and a photo double. Steven has appeared in over seventeen films, twenty-seven television programs, and countless theater productions as an actor, music composer, and writer. Besides acting in the film A Million To Juan with his friends Edward James Olmos and Paul Rodriquez, Steven composed the music score for the Samuel Goldwyn and Prism Motion Picture. At Paramount Pictures Steve was hired to teach actor Jeff Daniels how to play the drums for the character Daniels was playing. The Butcher’s Wife starred Demi Moore and Daniels. Rusty has written music and lyrics for live theater productions at the Los Angeles Actors Theater and has served at the staff composer and lyricists for the MET theater, Dexter Freeman’s company in Hollywood. He has composed music and lyrics for countless live theater production by director Jim Kennedy with Edward James Olmos and Darrell Fetty. He has been the house composer and lyricists for The Cellar Theater. Steve wrote, sang, and acted with Georgia Brown, Steve Allen, and Jim Boothin in the play The Al Chemist Show at the Los Angeles Actors Theater. Currently, Steven is working with a new jazz band, The Catz in the Hatz. They are recording a CD, which should be released sometime in 2005.

Product Details

• Paperback: 420 pages
• Publisher: Kallisti Publishing (July 14, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0976111101
• ISBN-13: 978-0976111108
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,713,696 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Nice history for Johnson and Olmos!, October 21, 2009

By 

Julia Rampke (Puget Sound, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Walk, Don't Run (Paperback)

As an Edward James Olmos fan, I was happy to be introduced to this book by one if his friends. It gives some wonderful background on his and Rusty Johnson's early days!