When I Knew Al: The Untold Story of Al Pacino (Hardcover)

~ David Sheldon; Joan McCall (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

A shared love of acting and common Bronx origins sparked the friendship between Al Pacino and acclaimed drama coach Ed De Leo. This candid and insightful memoir chronicles their divergent paths as Al climbs to stardom and Ed falls short at every turn.

About the Author

David Sheldon, a busy writer-director-producer, most recently produced and directed a new motion picture, "The Legend of Dark Mountain" which was screened at the Cannes Film Festival in May. He co-authored the screenplay "Predator: The Concert" which stars George Clooney, Charlie Sheen, Laura Dern, Louise Fletcher, Deborah Raffin and John Rhys-Davies. He has written, directed and/or produced twelve feature films and is also active in television. He wrote and produced "Secrets of a Small Town" for Twentieth Century-Fox Television. He is currently partnered with Montel Williams (Paramount Studios) on two film projects “Lift Every Voice,” a movie about the Harlem Boys Choir and “Double Dutch.” David has been in business with most of the Hollywood studios. One of his first feature films, "Grizzly," which he wrote and produced, is one of the most financially successful independent films in motion picture history, earning 50 times its cost worldwide. He wrote, directed and/or produced "Lovely But Deadly," "Just Before Dawn," "The Guardian," "The Evil," "Day of the Animals," "The Manitou," "Sheba Baby," "Peopletoys," and "Abby." One of the most prolific writers in Hollywood, Joan McCall has written over fifty screenplays on assignment including the recent sale of three “spec” scripts "Timelapse," "Between Two Worlds," and "Respect." Her screenplay, "Shirley," about the racecar driver, Shirley Muldowney, was developed and produced as a successful motion picture under the title "Heart Like a Wheel." Her feature film, "Predator: The Concert," which she co-authored with David Sheldon, filmed in Europe starring George Clooney, Charlie Sheen, Laura Dern, Deborah Raffin, Louise Fletcher and Deborah Foreman, is in post-production. In addition to her screenplay writing, Joan has written over 150 scripts for network television. She was a staff writer for NBC's "Santa Barbara," for New World Television, and has written many scripts and stories for " Days of Our Lives" (NBC). As a contract writer for "Another World" (CBS), Ms. McCall wrote two scripts a week. She was a continuing writer for "Capitol," and she wrote a bible (a six-month story projection) for "Search For Tomorrow" (CBS). Joan McCall has also had a successful career as an actress. She has starred on Broadway in several hit plays by writers such as Neil Simon, Woody Allen and Evan Hunter, in a number of national tours of Broadway shows, and in several Hollywood motion pictures.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Harbor House (November 20, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1891799371
• ISBN-13: 978-1891799372
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.6 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #397,801 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars HILARIOUSLY FUNNY!, November 28, 2006

By	Bookworm (New York, USA) - See all my reviews

A must read for both actors and non-actors!!! Pretty helpful for aspiring actors as well!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful and compelling, November 21, 2005

By	John Livesay "Author The 7 Most Powerful Sell... (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book gives a rare insider look at the life of Al Pacino. The journey this books takes you on shows how the choices people make influence their careers. If you want to see how two people starting off in the same spot can go in completely different directions while still remaining friends, this book is for you!

John Livesay
Author The 7 Most Powerful Selling Secrets

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Dynamic Blueprint For Today's Actor !, October 21, 2006

By	vee "Great Read" - See all my reviews

"As David Sheldon and Joan McCall point out in "When I Knew Al," Ed De Leo entered Al Pacino's life when Al was at an early crossroads bordering on success or failure. I studied acting with Ed. He took great pleasure in his student's successes in the industry, more so than his own. He was a natural born teacher. VEE GENTILE, former student of Ed De Leo and actor ("Two Bits," "Gettysburg").