Promises I Made My Mother

by Sam Haskell, David Rensin, Ray Romano (Foreword)

What would my mother say? How would she want me to handle this situation? How can I make this tough decision and stay true to myself?What would my mother say?Sam Haskell still asks himself these questions every day.When Haskell was young, his devoted mother, Mary, instilled in her son the values of character, faith, and honor by setting an example and asking him to promise to live his life according to her lessons. He did, and those promises have served Haskell consistently from his Mississippi boyhood to his long career at the venerable William Morris Agency in Beverly Hills.In this inspiring memoir full of touching stories and amusing anecdotes, Haskell reveals how he kept his pledge to his mother to live a decent life–even in the shark-infested waters of Hollywood, where he handled the hottest stars and packaged the highest-rated shows–by refusing to become the cliché of an amoral agent. Here is Haskell as a child in Amory, Mississippi (pop. 7,000), discovering the power of hope as he waits for an unlikely visit from the “Cheer Man” (a representative of the detergent company who gave ten dollars to anyone using the brand), learning humility after pursuing an eighth-grade “Good Citizenship” award he cockily assumed he’d win, confronting the complications of human character when a near-fatal car crash exposed his judgmental father’s true nature.Years later, in Hollywood, Haskell would rely on his mother’s teachings–honesty, self-reliance, and belief in God–as he swiftly rose from the William Morris mailroom to eventually become the company’s Worldwide Head of Television. His capacity for friendship and his insistence on living his version of the Golden Rule (being “thoughtfully political”) allowed him to handle various client crises and the tense negotiations that nearly scuttled the last years of Everybody Loves Raymond and the entire existence of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.Haskell has achieved success through self-respect, and from his story we learn how we, too, can maintain our dignity when faced with life’s challenges. This stirring memoir is a testament to mothers everywhere who instill in their sons the lasting values they need to become good men and devoted fathers.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir

272 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Mediaman · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is one of the oddest and most unsettling memoirs I have ever read. It's written by a former high-powered Hollywood agent who claims southern morals, a Christian faith, a perfect family, and a God-like mother...but the book also includes his lying (including to his mom on her death bed in one of the most shocking things I've ever read), deception among friends and coworkers, and the non-stop use of people for his own satisfaction or to push his wife's mediocre performing career. There's nothing Christian about this guy, and as you look deeper into his story online you discover that his son was charged with triple murder in 2024 for killing a wife and two others. Haskell’s son sadly committed suicide in 2025.

Only read this book after you've Goggle searched for Sam Haskell, then as you go through it note how unusual this supposedly straight man is--he loves beauty pageants (heading and then destroying Miss America by turning it into a reality show), his best friends are a gay Hollywood couple (including the guy that Liz Taylor left part of her estate to) that "adopted" two other adult gay men, and Haskell spent almost no time at home, instead becoming very close to famous names in order to use them.

He also devotes a section to the men who helped "mentor" him since his demeaning father left the family when he was young and after the divorce did nothing but criticize Sam. Then this "Christian" writer countersued when his father sued for half of his Sam's late mother's estate.

Maybe you want to know about his "close friendship" with CBS head Les Mooves--yes, that guy that was kicked out of his job for allegedly sexually harassing women.

Or maybe you want to know about his "close friendship" with Prince Edward and Sophie, who was caught on tape trying to sell access to the royal family. Prince Edward has long dealt with speculation about his sexuality. Haskell writes that the couple has stayed overnight at his house and "The four of us have enjoyed our multiple visits in Los Angeles, Edinburgh, and London." Hmmmm.

He even is called "Gomer Pyle" by others due to his thick southern accent and his childhood piano teacher was Mrs. Nabors. If you don't understand the Jim Nabors reference look it up, but it's extremely ironic and Sam Haskell doesn't shy away from the comparison. Everything adds up to a very different picture of manhood than this author is trying to paint.

The first celebrity that used him as an agent was Kathie Lee Gifford--that should tell you almost everything you need to know! She is a similarly obnoxious, self-focused Christian who does "good" things for all the wrong selfish reasons. She also loves to preach yet lives a hypocritical lifestyle. It's interesting that she is also the only famous person in the book that he says something really negative about!

This book is mostly about his supposedly saintly mother but she isn't that perfect either and the more he goes on and on about her you feel like he is abusing her memory to convince us he's the ideal son. It's exhausting to read about her simplistic advice as well as Haskell's non-stop self-praise and "stories" that are all meant to make him look incredible. There are 3 or 4 interesting asides about working with famous clients (how the Fresh Prince got on the air is interesting and the Everybody Loves Raymond salary dispute confirms legends), but this should be packed with details about the major shows and stars he worked with. Anytime anyone uses the bulk of his memoir to focus on his mother in order to make himself look good should make the reader suspicious of what he's hiding.

The whole thing makes Hollywood sound like a cesspool. It is incredibly upsetting that a man with this level of power and money can manipulate others into doing things for him simply to make himself look good. I wondered if he promised that to his mother?

[Laura · Rating 1 out of 5]

the book was not so bad...but it was just live a good life....be a nice person...and your life will turn out well...how nice..

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m once again bucking the general rating trend. This time my four stars are higher than average. I don’t know how this came to be on my To Read list but in my effort to reduce that list this title popped up. Sam Haskell was as unknown to me as Joe Blow. One of the criticisms for this memoir is that the book is egocentric; in one way or another aren’t all autobiographies Andrew memoirs? Yes there is name dropping but that is his world. More than the “star” gossip appeal I found Haskell’s mother the “star” of this book. How fortunate he was to have be nurtured by the love and wisdom of this mother!

[Bill Zappone · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recommend this book. Sam Haskell narrated his own which made the listening more enjoyable. Awesome story.

[Tanya · Rating 2 out of 5]

Holding onto a dream is valuable - as well as nurturing a child's ability to dream and work for those dreams to come true.

"I learned a very valuable lesson about the power of believing in a dream no matter how impossible it seems. Any thing is possible. Everything my mother taught me, and everything that I promised to always strive for, is built on the idea that you should never give up on your dreams. And if your dreams come true, it just confirms and strengthens your faith for the next one."

In keeping with my philosophy that what you do, you become, this paragraph resonated with me...
"You are what you do. When a situation can go either way, having faith might just be that little bit of extra focus and energy and action it takes to make your dreams come true." Also, "It always pays to believe that good things can happen....I have to believe there's always hope."

So the promises he made to his mother are expanded upon in each of the chapters, but to list them and have a sense of the remainder of the book:
* share your blessings
* have faith in yourself
* be kind
* find something to believe in
* treat every one (high or low) the same
* be a strong and fair parent
* never stop dreaming
* be a good friend
* keep God at the center of your life
* maintain your character and integrity
* be trustworthy
* live every day to the fullest
* always pick up a penny for good luck
* have a wonderful life
* never forget how much [your parents:] love you

[Dirk · Rating 2 out of 5]

it's as if Horatio Alger lived in late 20th Century America. Sam Haskell's story is just that -- he pulled himself up buy his own bootstraps to rise from a difficult childhood in rural Mississippi to become one of the top TV agents in Hollywood. Sam is such a classy guy, and he always gives credit to others for his achievements. He describes his upbringing and his mother's love and her ability to build his self esteem a sweet, old-fashioned way. There were lot's of aphorisms, expressions and messages in the book that i have adopted for use with my family. It's hard to believe this book was written in 2008/09, it has such an early 20th Century feel to it.

[Marca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Memoir of a Hollywood powerhouse who rose from modest beginnings in Mississippi. Sam was laser-beam focused on Hollywood from a very young age and succeeded beyond his wildest dreams. He credits his mother for teaching him to always be true to himself and to be a good and moral person. Although it seems to go against everything we hear about Hollywood and corporations in general, Sam believes his success is because he lives a clean and moral life. He seems like a decent guy. Comes off in the book as a bit self-congratulatory, but stories about his rise through the ranks and his encounters with Hollywood royalty and actual royalty (Queen of England royalty) are fun and interesting.

[deLille · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting to read about the life of a Hollywood agent who somehow managed to keep his values through it all. However, his life is not as gilded as the cover of the book would have you believe. He deals with life's disappointments, pain and betrayals by keeping a smile on his face and using his pen as his sword. "I love you Dad! Thanks for trampling all over dear sweet Mom, taking up with that yellow-rosed hussy, and suing your own son over Mom's estate before her body had even turned cold. I love you, man!"

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this is far from great literature, I'm giving it 4 stars because I was taken by the examples of lessons the author learned from his mother. They were a good refresher course for me in how to better interact with those I love and with all around me. Plus, it was sort of fun to read about what goes on behind the scenes in Hollywood.

[Femmy]

I read it to page 7, plus the Foreword from the NonFiction Book Club. It seems like an interesting, inspirational book.

[Margaret · Rating 2 out of 5]

I made myself finish listening. It was just an okay book. I'm not sure this is the best title for this book. Should maybe be bragging rights about my life.

[Jean · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is the life of Sam Haskell. Interesting reading and easy enough to read. Just one man's life and how he made it to the top of his profession.