Dear Everyone;
Some of you may be wondering what movies were produced by Aaron
Russo? From AMC Movies see the list.
http://www.amctv.com/person/detail?CID=19063-1-EST
The only ones which appear to be highly popular were " The Rose "
with Bette Midler( Aaron was rumored to be having an affair with her
as he guided her initial career )and Trading Places with Eddie
Murphy/Dan Akroyd. The Oscar nominations came mainly for the Rose
and Bette Midler ( the movie was reputed to be loosely based on
Janet Joplin and her rise to fame and flame out). Now there is a
rumor Pink(!!???!!!) will be doing the new Janis Joplin movie
story.
Ron Getty
SF Libertarian
I thought Bay Area Libs might find this of interest since there is
a big
LP convention coming up...
May 7, 2004
As we all know, Aaron Russo has claimed he is the best
candidate for
the LP Presidential Nomination in part because he's such a
successful
film producer. His boasts -- combined with his harping on past
candidates being failures and losers -- frankly have become a big
grating. (See his newest statement on Amazon.com.)
Aaron Russo writes on his webpage "In an industry known for
severe
budget overages, Russo has managed to complete every film, TV,
Broadway,
and music production, on budget and on time." However, a search
of
Hollywoodreporter.com turned up the following short note:
http://hollywoodreporter.com/thr/search/search_results.jsp?
text=Aaron+Russo&simpleSearchButton=submit&simpleSearch=true&sortByDa
te=on
May 24, 1993 - The Hollywood Reporter
In an effort to avoid a lengthy trial regarding its year-old legal
claims against Film Finances, HBO filed a summary judgment motion
Friday
afternoon in Los Angeles Federal Court hoping to recoup over $14
million
advanced toward two Aaron Russo films.
Another article provided more details -- most relevant excerpt
below.:
http://print.google.com/print/doc?articleid=VEvjzxMstc5
Film Finances on the mend
Matt Rothman Paul Noglows
Jul 21, 1993
.....
HBO has a $ 20 million suit pending against Film Finances that
is
set to go to trial in Los Angeles federal court Aug. 24 if its
motion
for summary judgment is not granted.
HBO looks for $ 14 mil
HBO is trying to recoup $ 14 million (interest and lawyers
fees
have pushed the figure to about $ 20 million) it advanced for two
Aaron
Russo films --"Off and Running" and "Paradise Paved"-- which it
claims
weren't delivered on time.
.....
Copyright © 1993 Reed Business Information
(NOTE: HBO is suing Film Finances because it is an INSURANCE firm
that
insures film productions which are not completed or on other basis
contracted for; evidently Film Finances contested HBO's reasons
for
trying to get their money.)
AARON RUSSO RESPONSE
Russo gave the following response to my questions about
this.
He claims that he did produce the films on time and on budget. So
the
logical assumption by those of us who have worked in the Hollywood
film
industry, as I did in the late 1980s in Los Angeles, is that the
film
studio rejected the films as being of poor quality and un-
marketable and
tried to collect $20 million on that basis. Russo did not choose
to
answer my direct questions about that.
Anyway, the conclusion is that Russo is was not as
successful at
the end of his career as he boast of being and pursued his
political
career in part because it was clear his days as a film producer
were over.
Carol in DC, because inquiring libertarians want to know
http://www.carolmoore.net/libertarianparty
+++++
May 6, 2004
Dear fellow Libertarians,
My name is Aaron Russo. I am a candidate for the Libertarian
Party's
2004 presidential nomination.
I am also a producer of films, television programs and stage shows.
I've been successful in that career, both by my own reckoning and
by
that of the industry, which has recognized my efforts with an Emmy
and a Tony and my films with six Oscar nominations.
I believe that my experience in the entertainment industry,
particularly marketing films, is a considerable asset to me as a
candidate and to a political party which, for years, has needed and
sought such skills in its candidates.
By having said as much, I've put my career on the table. It's
there to
examine, and I would never discourage anyone from examining it.
Libertarians should determine for themselves if the claims I make
are
true, and whether the skill set that I offer as a candidate is
unique
and worthy of their support versus what my opponents have to offer.
At least one activist within the Libertarian Party, based on her
reading of an article in an industry magazine, has questioned my
claims of performance as a producer. Her question deserves an
answer.
I have claimed that every project I've produced has been delivered
on
time and on budget. I stand by that claim.
Some years ago, I produced three films for HBO. Each of those films
was delivered on time. Each of those films was delivered on budget.
HBO did not choose to accept all of those films for release in the
United States, but the films were delivered as promised and saw
overseas releases.
Subsequent to the completion of these films, litigation occurred
between HBO, investors in one of its partner companies called
Cinema
Plus, and a completion bond company called Film Finance. In that
litigation, two of my films were cited in claims by HBO against
Film
Finance. Litigation against myself and my company, Aaron Russo
Productions, was filed and then withdrawn -- precisely because I
had,
in fact, delivered the films on time and on budget. There is no
question as to whether I performed the terms of the contracts, nor
is
there, so far as I know, any outstanding claim to the contrary.
It is always healthy to question the claims of candidates, and I
thank
the Libertarian in question for raising the issue, but I stand by
my
words. Every film I've made has been delivered on time and on
budget,
a claim that only a handful of producers can make.
To my fellow Libertarians, thank you for the time and care you're
taking in choosing our party's presidential nominee, and thank you
for your willingness to consider all sides of claims that may be
made