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Try Not to Hold It Against Me Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Julian Schlossberg (Author, Narrator, Publisher), Elaine May (Author)
4.0 out of 5 stars 18 ratings

Veteran motion picture, television, and Broadway producer Julian Schlossberg grew up in New York City with an early love of entertainment. As a child, he was an avid fan of radio, film, and the new art of television, and harbored ambitions of meeting his favorite stars one day. Little did he know that in the course of his career, he would not only meet many of them, but also become their producer, representative, and friend.

During his nearly 60 years in show business, Schlossberg has worked as a producer, director, distributor, exhibitor, radio and television host, and record executive. At 27 he was the youngest head film buyer of a national theater chain; after working at the ABC network, the Walter Reade Organization, and Paramount Pictures, he would start his own motion-picture company, Castle Hill Productions, which would become one of the largest independent film-distribution companies in the world with a library of over 500 films. Not willing to restrict his efforts to film and television, he has also produced award-winning plays and musicals for Broadway and off-Broadway, working closely with brilliant writers and directors like Mike Nichols, Larry Gelbart, Susan Stroman, Woody Allen, and David Mamet.

Now, in his memoir Try Not to Hold It Against Me, Schlossberg shares stories from a lifetime in entertainment, from his childhood in the Bronx to his years as a producer for screen and stage. Schlossberg takes us through the trials and triumphs of work and play in every avenue of the business: negotiating with Al Pacino, Burt Reynolds, and Lillian Hellman; hosting the syndicated radio and television production Movie Talk, which introduced him to hundreds of stars; experiencing the paranormal with Shirley MacLaine and Betty Hill; running the Orson Welles estate and restoring Welles' masterly film adaptation of Othello; partying with Barbra Streisand and Liza Minelli; testifying in a lawsuit against The Beatles; and interviewing over 120 of the most influential figures of the 20th century for his series Witnesses to the 20th Century.

Written with engaging humor and self-deprecation—and with a foreword by Academy Award winner Elaine May—Try Not to Hold It Against Me gives listeners a behind-the-scenes pass to Cannes and Las Vegas, the lives and homes of the stars, and the rarely seen but crucial work of the producer in the midst of it all. It's a compelling listen for film, television, and theater enthusiasts alike—and a one-of-a-kind autobiography by one of entertainment's true insiders.

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  1. Listening Length
    9 hours and 49 minutes
  2. Author
    Julian Schlossberg, see all
  3. Narrator
    Julian Schlossberg
  4. Audible release date
    January 17, 2024
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    Julian Schlossberg
  7. ASIN
    B0CSGF6GBZ
  8. Version
    Unabridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
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Product details

Listening Length 9 hours and 49 minutes
Author Julian Schlossberg, Elaine May
Narrator Julian Schlossberg
Whispersync for Voice Ready
Audible.com Release Date January 17, 2024
Publisher Julian Schlossberg
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B0CSGF6GBZ
Best Sellers Rank

Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
18 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

  • Dr. Jud Newborn
    5.0 out of 5 stars No better book by a supreme insider
    Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2024
    Format: Paperback
    I’m inundated with memoirs by A-List movie stars, directors, etc. - but nothing as warm and wonderful as this one. I started reading and it was love-at-first-chapter. Julian Schlossberg has been everywhere in the wide world of theater and the film industry, worked backstage in numerous capacities (producer, director, documentarian, distributor, writer of legendary, top notch productions) - & met everyone you’d ever want to read about from A to Z.

    But this isn’t a dry encyclopedia with facts or tib-bits you’ve already heard a million times. Moving through this personal life-and-career history of a supreme insider - who is friends and colleague with many of those he writes about - you’ll find warm (and juicy) revelations told with the wit & insight of a captivating writer. The author is someone who has been held “spellbound in darkness” in Broadway theaters and movie palaces from childhood on, and then traveled full-steam, front- and backstage, into the worlds of artful entertainment he adored. He thereby became the confidante of the greatest (and witness to their pratfalls too). Couldn’t put it down.

    Now it is by my night stand (along with a few other juicy, breezy items), so I can flip through the many short chapters again after a long, hard day of reading some memoirs I have to (not to say many aren’t great in their own way, like Christopher Plummer’s, Norman Lear’s and Jules Feiffer’s) instead of one I love to read, whether I’m working or just trying to get a hit of something intoxicating - but legal - before the next day rolls around!
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  • Mary F.
    4.0 out of 5 stars An entertaining memoir from one of the greatest producers in show business
    Reviewed in the United States on March 22, 2023
    Julian Schlossberg. Chances are if you are a film or theatre buff that you have seen at least one movie or play that has his stamp on it. He uses this memoir to look back at his vast experience in the world of show business. We are introduced to some of the biggest names in the industry while learning about the intricate details of putting together a show.

    Each chapter is only a few pages long and provides the reader with a bird’s eye view of his life as a producer. What we, the audience, see as a final product is the result of much work from funding to casting to get the desired results on stage or screen.

    Julian Schlossberg tells of both his successes and his failures. This reader literally laughed out loud at some of his tales. And I loved how he talked about some big-name stars as real people – not just as some glorified actor some of us love to see perform.

    This memoir was both fun and educational to read. Anyone who enjoys the world of show business really should read this memoir because there is so much going on behind the scenes that the average person does not know. The short chapters mean you can easily read just one or two when your reading time is limited. And it is sure to make you smile.

    I received an advance copy of this book from Beaufort Books with no promise of a positive review. I am thrilled to say that I found it to be an entertaining and relaxing read - one that kept me reading just a “few more chapters” beyond what I anticipated each time I picked it up.
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  • L. Kentala
    3.0 out of 5 stars Fast moving memoir
    Reviewed in the United States on March 12, 2023
    Format: Hardcover
    Fun entertainment memoir that hits the ground running and never stops. Very short chapters that give one the sense of purpose and the go getter attitude that Schlossberg still has - in his eighties. Lots of name dropping, though many of the names may not be familiar to younger readers. Fun book for any fan of theater, tv or movies of the 1970s and earlier. George C Scott, Elaine May, Marlo Thomas and a few others get multiple mentions. But so many "names" make cameo appearances, including: Michelle Pfeiffer, Bob Hope, Vanessa Redgrave, Ethel Merman, Robert Preston, Mia Farrow, Liza Minnelli, Barbra Streisand - well you get the picture - the list is endless!
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  • David Wolf
    5.0 out of 5 stars Up Close Stories and Insights from a Producer That Has Been There
    Reviewed in the United States on March 16, 2024
    What a delight to hear Julian's career reflections in his own voice. I have the audiobook version and it's a wonderful listening experience! I love how he tells everything with transparency. Julian's unique brand of humor really shines throughout! Bravo!
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