Try Not to Hold It Against Me

by Julian Schlossberg, Elaine May (Foreword)

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 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 readers 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 read for film, television, and theater enthusiasts alike—and a one-of-a-kind autobiography by one of entertainment’s true insiders.

Genres: Biography Memoir

374 pages, Hardcover

Published January 31, 2023

Reviews

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

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 needed to get the desired results on the 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 big-name stars as real people – not just as some glorified actor many 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.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Try Not to Hold it Against Me is the mildly interesting memoirs of Off-Broadway and movie producer, Julian Schlossberg. I say mildly interesting because a third of the book relates to his Broadway productions, nearly all of which I have never heard. The first few chapters touch on his childhood and growing up in the Bronx. Most origin stories are interesting to me and this one was too. The book is mostly chronological, so the next chapters deal with the progression of his career and the movies and projects he was involved with over the years. As I said, the last third dealing with the Off-Broadway shows lost my interest. Those plays seem to be closest to Schlossberg's heart, but were less interesting to me. The author has a lot of famous friends in show business, so stories about his relationships with them are sprinkled throughout the book and I think that might be the most interesting aspect of the memoir to a lot of people. The chapters are short and the book is an easy read.

Full disclosure: I won an advance reader copy of this book in a Librarything giveaway in exchange for an honest review.