You Can't Fall Off the Floor

Book excerpt: A studio executive’s “superb memoir” of his years in the industry, filled with hilarious stories and hard-earned wisdom (Library Journal). From watching his colleague get shot in the testicles by a jealous producer to running Hollywood’s most successful TV studio, Harris Katleman had a front row seat in the development of the television industry. A classic account of the business side of entertainment, this book shares what really happened in the early careers of Hollywood stars and the development of iconic programs. Through a number of funny behind-the-scenes anecdotes, Katleman shares his journey from office boy to talent agent to television producer, and finally to studio head at both MGM and Twentieth Century Fox. Along the way, we meet industry giants including Rupert Murdoch, Bob Iger, Barry Diller, Marvin Davis, Kirk Kerkorian, Mark Goodson, and Lew Wasserman. This memoir goes beyond the story of a life in Hollywood. It is the story of crucial developments—how motion picture film libraries were opened for television licensing, how The Simpsons was birthed, and much more. “Not only does this book show his leadership in the television business, it shows how strongly he fought for groundbreaking shows that transformed the industry.”—David E. Kelley “A worthy entry in the lexicon of books chronicling Hollywood of yesteryear.”—Booklist