Leading Lady: Sherry Lansing and the Making of a Hollywood Groundbreaker

by Stephen Galloway

The definitive biography of movie executive and philanthropist Sherry Lansing traces her groundbreaking journey to become the first female head of a major motion picture studio, sharing behind-the-scenes tales from movie sets and Hollywood boardrooms.

When Sherry Lansing became the first woman ever to be named president of a major studio, the news ricocheted around the world. That was just the beginning of an extraordinary run that saw her head two studios, make hundreds of films, produce classic pictures such as Fatal Attraction  and rule for twenty-five years as the most powerful woman Hollywood has ever known.

Award-winning writer Stephen Galloway takes us behind the scenes of Lansing's epic journey—inside the battles; up close with the stars; and into the heart of a creative world populated by the likes of Meryl Streep, Steven Spielberg, Jane Fonda, Angelina Jolie and Tom Cruise. He shows us the velvet touch that masked the iron hand, and the roller-coaster drama behind such movies as Titanic, Forrest Gump, Braveheart and Saving Private Ryan .

Above all, he takes us into the mind of Lansing, creating a revealing portrait of a dynamic, driven woman who overcame unimaginable odds, pushed boundaries and left Hollywood at the peak of her power to achieve the life she wanted.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Film, Memoir

432 pages, Paperback

First published April 25, 2017

Reviews

[Donie Nelson]

This is a puff piece and there are some factual errors before page 100. It is also obvious the writer did not interview anyone not approved by Lansing. I was the Assistant Story Editor at MGM from 1972 until 1975; I became Story Editor when Lansing was hired as Executive Story Editor by Daniel Melnick. Ray Wagner, another intimate of Lansing's, was a MGM VP when she arrived. She fired me in 1977--but gave me good references and I quickly ended up on the Paramount lot after a great vacation to Russia. Remember, almost everyone in Hollywood is fired, you just contact your friends and get another job. I am pleased to see that once Lansing became successful enough to be labelled a "feminist" that she was finally willing to give credit to the women who worked for her, as long as she was always the "leading lady." During those early years she never wanted to be perceived as anything, but "one of the boys." When I worked for her, she routinely took credit for the work of others. However, when Dick Shepherd replaced Melnick, the work of myself and other story dept. staff was finally recognized, but I was fired when Shepherd publicly recognized my work. Lansing admits to being insecure; it was obvious. My two years with her as my boss at MGM put me on tranquilizers, but I have been able to dine out on the stories I can tell. Perhaps someone else will write a more balanced biography of a flawed but driven woman, who has finally found causes that can benefit from her contacts and knowledge.

[Philip Mills]

This book is a disappointing hagiography. It contains an extraordinary amount of Hollywood minutia, presumably there to fill in for the numerous glaring omissions. However, as a writer myself, I am reluctant to not say at least one good thing about this book. Here it is: I didn't die while reading it.

[Phil]

A little too fawning for my taste. Sherry Lansing is a more interesting subject than the book gives her credit for. Everything is a bit too careful, trying not to offend anyone. This is Hollywood, sharp elbows are everywhere and the book de-fangs it all.

[Lori]

Anybody involved with a book club, has probably seen the prompt for discussions on an "Off the Shelf Covers: Famous Person, Place or Thing". I figured Leading Lady; Sherry Lansing and the Making of a Hollywood Groundbreaker seemed like a good book to fit this criteria.

Author, Stephen Galloway was able to talk with Sherry Lansing's close friends and research her life to put this story together so reader's see that there are a lot of twist and turns in the movie negotiation process.

I do admit, I was a little hesitant as first, not knowing what to expect. It is not everyday that you read about the first female head of a major motion picture studio. And, the first female movie studio head to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. I read Meryl Streep and Michael Douglas comments and thought if she can win them over, it would be worth the read.

It was somewhat amusing that no one believed her when she told them what she did for a living. It was also interesting to get and inside scoop on many of the movies I have seen. Her pace seemed hectic. But, there was a sweet pause when we are presented with the details of her shared love with husband William Friedkin, whom she married in 1991. Their date walk through Muir Woods I imagined as enchanting. And, I could empathize with her during the scare of William's surgery, and loss of those people close to her.

It is certain that Sherry Lancing's hard work, drive and determination helped in the making of award winning films. She is known as a confident, gracious and approachable woman, who made it in a industry that was dominated by man, and she added her own touch of class, in the process.

I reviewed for Blogging for Books.

[Alice]

Intriguing biography with many surprising insights into famous actors, directors and producers that Sherry Lansing has worked with. The author interviewed dozens of people in creating this story about her life. Lansing is portrayed as very smart, kind, loyal, strong, an excellent negotiator, and--of course--the first woman to head a major studio in Hollywood. It's interesting that she was able to rise to the top while still earning respect and affection from almost everyone who ever worked with her. It's great to read a story about someone with a brilliant Hollywood career who has such admirable values and accomplishments. Couldn't put this down.

[SuperWendy]

I really enjoyed this biography. Lansing has had an amazing life, between her career and her philanthropic work. But I have to be honest - I was totally into this for all the Hollywood gossip and the behind the scenes stories about the movies that Lansing worked on. Great listen on audio.

[Tricia]

Excellent biography of a woman I have admired for years. She broke the glass ceiling for me, and my fellow female coworkers, and for that I am forever grateful. I work on the same studio lot she did, and I know of a lot of the executives that are referenced, so I found all of the details fascinating. There was also a lot of interesting info. about various actors that I had never heard before. It's a great glimpse of all of the behind the scenes drama that goes along with working in the entertainment industry. Lansing was always a role model to me and after reading this I love and respect her even more.

[Judy Bart]

Really 3 1/2 stars; would have been more but the beginning chapters and the end were, in my opinion, poorly written and uninteresting. The meat of the book, however, was fantastic. It was fascinating to see a woman, who by all accounts was such a charming lady, control and negotiate deals in the male world of Hollywood. It was not gossipy, but full of tidbits from the movies she made. No one seems to have a bad word to say about her and in a world of sharks, that speaks volumes. I would recommend this book if the business of film making interests you, otherwise, not a must read.

[Tana]

Sherry was my roommate at Northwestern, and I have followed her career through media and mutual friends. This marvelous book details how the 19-year-old student I knew became an incredible woman. It shows the inner workings of Hollywood, as Sherry was responsible for some of the most successful films ever, while she broke the glass ceiling for woman everywhere. This well-written and researched book is a fitting tribute to a remarkable woman.

[Monica Wright]

Great Read

I was interested in learning about the movie industry but was pleasantly surprised to learn more about Ms. Lansing and what an extraordinarily woman she is.

[Jedimelinda]

A well crafted account of one woman's tenure in the film industry, rising through the ranks to become one of the most powerful individuals in Hollywood.
I liked Leading Lady; Sherry Lansing and the Making of a Hollywood Groundbreaker. The biography was chock full of stories -- to the best of everyone's recollections -- of Ms. Lansing's decades in Hollywood. Her passion for film, for toiling to get good stories told is evident on every page. The only ... criticism (I use this word loosely) ... I have of Stephen Galloway's telling is that, despite mentioning numerous times how "tough" Ms. Lansing could be, there really was only one instance in the book where that came through (read the book to find out ;-) ). Not that I was looking for dirt on any dealings but considering she was known to have a rather unique approach to working with stars, directors, writers, producers and others whose personalities are/were, shall we say "very strong", it would have been nice to have a bit more detail about those instances when she decided to push her kind side aside to be tough. To hear individuals mention that even when (Sherry) was being tough it didn't feel like she was being tough (I hope that makes sense) is all fine and good. However, it would have added more to the biography to have some specific descriptions of such instances. It takes talent to walk that line of being 'tough but nice', and details could go a long way to perhaps ... teach ... others how to deal respectfully with those around them.
But that -- to be a self-improvement book -- is not what Leading Lady... is about.
Ms. Lansing has left Hollywood to pursue other goals, and her success in Hollywood and post-Hollywood is a testament to the fact that nice people really do finish first.
Happy Reading! :-)

[Susan]

This biography charts the life of Sherry Lansing, the first female to head a Hollywood film studio. Mrs Lansing first tried her hand at acting but, soon found it wasn't what she wanted to do. She then turned her attention to reading scripts and eventually became a producer before rising in the ranks to head a major studio and finally becoming the chairman of Paramount Pictures. She was behind some of the best known films of her time including Indecent Proposal, Fatal Attraction, Braveheart and many others. But after a long career in Hollywood and the film business in particular she decided to reinvent herself in the world of philanthropy, where she was successful raising money and awareness for numerous causes.

This was an interesting book, which told me not only about Mrs Lansing's life and work but also quite a lot about how Hollywood works behind the scenes. It isn't often that I read about the role of a female producer and film executive. I felt this book provided me with another view of the film business, particularly regarding the extensive work and financing that goes on to produce a film. It was interesting to see what goes into the making of a film and the changes that have taken place in the industry over time.

I think film buffs and anyone interested in a “behind-the-scenes” look at a dynamic and often hard charging industry will appreciate this book.

Thanks to Blogging for Books for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
More reviews at: www.susannesbooklist.blogspot.com

[W. Frazier]

This book spotlights the career of Sherry Lansing, a very powerful and successful Hollywood executive. And her power continues. This book is a full-on puff piece, everything set up as an homage. It sets off those alarm bells for authenticity. I could feel her breathing down the author’s neck, banging on the desk. Just kidding...almost. And the details don’t always seem to support the vision. She rallies the call for trailblazing women, but there were few in her career orbit. She has a wonderful innate ability to gravitate to human-issue-based films, yet was a proponent of Porky’s. There are a slew of contradictions, which are normal and fine in regular normal-land life, but are totally ignored in this book because they don’t fit the designated image, the re-write. It’s also not an engaging read. The book splits itself into three parts. There is Lansing’s early childhood, and her sense of self. The second part is a review of her studio’s best movie projects - this section has interesting backstories on stars and directors. The last section is focused on Lansing’s charity and foundation work, and really completes the hero build. Even in charity work, there is a sense of resume-building. The movie anecdotes are by far the most interesting, but they don’t carry the book’s 400 pages. And I would not recommend the audio book. The narrator’s emphasize on the superlative adjectives makes for an awkward delivery. The book also switches points of view a lot, and then there is the mountainous number of names. For these reasons, (and an opportunity to skim to the good parts), it’s a better book in print.

[Erika]

This is an exciting bio of one of Hollywood's most powerful women in the movie industry. Sherry Lansing, once an actress, has held many elite titles at the biggest studios in the business: producer, executive director, etc. Ms. Lansing has also founded many charities, and has made huge strides towards finding a cure for cancer by convincing moguls, doctors, scientific researchers and celebrities to donate massive amounts of time and money. She came into the business at a time when women did not traditionally hold positions of power if they weren't A-List actresses, and did much to change the status quo. This bio is an interesting and touching read as well as an expose of Tinseltown's most scandalous drama behind the scenes! Full of exciting backlot gossip and anecdotes about the A-List actors and directors (which award winning actor and director duo showed up hung over and vomiting at the studio's Oscars party? Which sex symbol actor hurled an ashtray through the wall?) Ms. Lansing managed with her legendary grace, charm and iron will. I enjoyed the candid pictures as well as the personal details of Sherry Lansing's life: she's truly a star and an inspiration!

[Andi]

“ I felt instantly comfortable as a reader... I felt qualified, I felt valued and I felt peaceful. I felt, if I never did anything else for the rest of my life, I’d be happy.”(55)

“ Life is an evolution. It’s about choices, about chapters. And this was the chapter I wanted to experience now.”(327)

“... I never cared for the word ‘retired.’ I preferred ‘rewired.’”(327)

“ Philanthropy isn’t about money, it’s about good ideas… If you have a good idea, you’ll find a way to execute it. Creating a nonprofit is like producing a movie… You have to have passion for an idea. You have to get others to share it. And you have to find the funding to bring it to life. You can never give up, you can never give in. You need to use every drop of talent you’ve been given to make things work. And that’s what I intended to do.”(329-330)

Although I am not that interested in the entertainment industry, I found myself fascinated by this book and by Sherry Lansing. I think the photographs say as much as the text; her smile lights up the page and is evidence of the grace and warmth the author attributes to her.

[Giuseppe]

I knew of Ms. Lansing mainly from reading the trade magazines (even though I'm not anywhere close to being in show business). I knew only that she was well liked and an important female figure in the male dominated upper echelons of the "biz." The book was a lovely history of her professional life, her philanthropy, and her personal life. It managed to be filled with excited inside info about her professional life and escapades, without coming across as gossipy, which is always a hard balance to strike.
The beginning and final chapters were a bit plodding, which made me downgrade my rating to 4 stars. Overall, this book is a lovely biography and homage to a woman who is clearly intelligent, driven, and kind. And a philanthropist. She is a woman with varied interests, and who had used her position to advance important social causes. She seems like a very special person, which usually means boring....but not in this case. Many entertainment biographies fail, but this one doesn't. A great read.

[Lisa Carlson]

Executive features editor for the Hollywood Reporter, winner of Entertainment Journalist of the year, Stephen Galloway has written an exquisite biography on movie executive Sherry Lansing. It is an inspiration to all women. Lansing's story is one of determination, finding her own voice, working hard and being in the right place at the right time. It's a story that confirms it's often who we know not what we know that determines where we land; Lansing not only landed but took firm control of whatever role she was in and made it her own with elegance and intelligence. The biography at times reads like fiction which makes it so appealing and in the hands of Galloway his writing is akin to a screenplay we can't stop reading. The quotes on the back jack cover are self-explanatory but it's her connection to former President Jimmy Carter that was my favorite part of the book; he simply confirmed for her she could do anything she put her mind to. Complete with color pictures, acknowledgments and notes.

[Joan Stewart Smith]

This is not the best biography that could have been written about Sherry Lansing. It does not get at the heart of this very interesting woman. We honestly don't get to know her much at all.

Why is this? Is the book a PR venture that was too careful? Was the Hollywood Reporter author too good at Hollywood palace intrigue but unskilled at writing a meaningful biography? Or if he was, did Sherry draw a red line through her personal life, as if she were editing a movie script?

This is not a book about a woman who spent years in therapy learning about herself, as Sherry has. Perhaps it would have worked better if a woman wrote it. We might have better perspective about what it really means to be a woman working in Hollywood. Or better yet – Sherry just sits down, puts aside the drivel, and writes her own truth. That's the Sherry I want to know.

[Josh]

Exceptional read, filled with insight and gripping throughout

I was hopeful rather than certain when it came to this book, but I needn't have worried. It's easily one of the best biographies I've written, and even if you haven't heard of Sherry Lansing you'll certainly know at least some of the people she's worked with: Tom Cruise, Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, Jane Fonda and Michael Douglas are just some of those who are quoted here and whose words, intertwined seamlessly with the authors, vividly paint a picture of a remarkable person who has led a remarkable life. Highly recommended.

[John]

Sherry Lansing was one of Hollywood's most powerful women, and this terrific biography looks at her rise to power, and is filled with fascinating inside stories about the film business! She comes across as fair, professional and talented - what a great read! https://johnrieber.com/2020/02/05/hol...

[Ellen]

It had a lot of technical information about the movie business and all the politicking that goes into making some of our favorite films. As someone who aspires to be a business leader I found Ms. Lansing's story inspirational in the way she was able to be tough but personable and ascend the ranks without making enemies. Great read!

[Victoria DelRossi]

Fantastic read about arguably the more amazing and trailblazing woman to ever exist within the Hollywood executive sphere. The biographer sometimes sticks his nose up a bit too high, but overall the content is well organized and just the right length per section. Would recommend to any female with dreams of working in the Hollywood studio realm!

[Darren Kemp]

I rarely submit reviews for books but I absolutely loved this one. It's a great story of a woman working her way up the ranks in Hollywood and the work she did after she left. Sprinkled in were some great back stories on some of my favourite movies and actors. Well worth the read.

[Molly]

Leading Lady tells the story of Sherry Lansing, the first female head of a motion picture studio, how she rose to the top, and why she walked away from it all. It's an interesting read if you like pop culture and celebrities and there are plenty of Hollywood tidbits to keep you entertained.

[Lulu]

A well-written biography of studio exec and producer Sherry Lansing, the first female to head a major film studio. Lansing seems universally respected and liked in the industry, which speaks volumes about her character and tenacity and sense of self. Well worth a read.

[Shae]

DNF. I think this biography is overly boring. I would have much preferred and autobiography told in Sherry's own words. I wanted her words, not some dude. I wanted to glean knowledge from her firsthand accounts. I was so disappointed, that I couldn't push through the boring writing.

[Judy]

The problem with authorized biographies (and autobiographies) is that you get only one side of the story. There isn't "anyone" who dislikes Lansing? I'll bet there is, and their point of view would have made this a much more interesting book.

[Nick Anderson]

Picked this up as research, basically for something I’m working on. Feels at moments like a blown up magazine profile but Lansing’s interesting life story plus the massive number and quality of background interviews elevates it to something more.

Surprisingly recommended.

[Studvet]

Fascinating about the inner workings of power, the behaviour of stars and the making of some of the most famous films ever from Hollywood. Lansing is obviously a lady of great class, charm and ability but a bit too much of a hagiography, a bit too gushy in places.

[Malcolm Davis]

First part is the most interesting

The section dealing with her rise to studio executive is very interesting.
The section about her as a studio executive is of interest but maybe lacks objectivity.
The last part charting her charitable ventures is totally uninteresting.