Hollywood Husbands (70 page)

* * *

Orville Gooseberger retired from the movie business and moved to Palm Springs with his wife.

Palm Springs was too quiet for Carmel. They divorced after thirty years of marriage, and he remarried – a twenty-one-year-old mud wrestler.

Carmel moved to Houston, Texas, and found herself an oilman. She, too, remarried. Unfortunately her new husband expired six weeks after the wedding, leaving her most of Houston.

Orville divorced his mud wrestler, got back together with Carmel, and they returned to Hollywood where they both belonged.

* * *

Howard Soloman went into ‘indie prod’ – independent production – and gave up cocaine with the help of a fine organization called Cocaine Anonymous.

He genuinely loved the movie business, and had no intention of ever getting out. But the pressures of running a studio were not something he missed. Now he was his own boss, the pace of his life was a little less frantic: there was time to take the occasional trip, no need to go out every night, and if he wanted to spend a day at home just lazing around the pool – he did so.

Poppy adjusted. She was very adaptable when she had to be.

And, of course, she still gave great parties.

* * *

Corey Johnson gave up his PR job at Briskinn & Bower and moved back to San Francisco. It took him a long time to get over Norman, but eventually he met a successful writer called Ted, who invited him to move in. He did so, and six months later Ted died of AIDS. For a while Corey was numb with grief – he had nursed Ted through the last helpless months, and Ted had left him his house and a reasonable monthly allowance. The doctors told him he had not contracted the disease.

After much thought, he decided to use Ted’s house as a hospice. He opened it up as a haven for AIDS victims who had nowhere else to go and helped them through the final difficult days, allowing them to die in dignity and peace, with someone nearby who cared.

* * *

Wes Money almost died. He took two bullets, one dangerously close to the heart.

Silver Anderson, who without any thought for her own safety had left the car and rushed to his assistance, was also shot.

As the black sedan raced off, leaving them both on the ground wounded, she had managed to memorize the licence plate as the car sped away. And then she crawled to the Rolls and phoned for help.

More Hollywood dramas! The press was ecstatic! Silver Anderson alone could keep their circulation rising!

They were rushed to the hospital. Wes was operated on immediately for the removal of two bullets, and Silver was treated for minor lacerations – a bullet had merely grazed her shoulder. ‘You can go home tomorrow, Miss Anderson,’ she was told.

Silver never stepped from the hospital until Wes was out of intensive care and off the danger list. When he drifted back into the real world, she was there beside him, her hair a mess, no makeup, dressed in a crumpled tracksuit. ‘How dare you!’ were the first words out of her mouth. ‘If you think you’re leaving
me
, Mr Money – you can think again! I
need
you, barman. And don’t you ever forget it!’

She postponed her NBC special to nurse him back to health, personally cooking him greasy chicken soup and burnt scrambled eggs.

‘Silver,’ he begged her weakly, ‘if you ever want me to recover, you’d better quit with the cooking!’

Thanks to Silver’s diligence, the black sedan was traced to a known drug kingpin, Sol Winogratsky. Within hours he was picked up and charged with attempted murder.

* * *

Nora Carvell decided she was getting too old for all the excitement and that it was time to retire. She gave up smoking and went to live with her sister in Florida.

Before leaving Hollywood she was delighted to be present at a reconciliation lunch between Silver and her daughter, Heaven. The two of them finally seemed to be getting along.

* * *

Reba Winogratsky took over her husband’s business while he was doing time for an attempted murder rap he should never have gotten involved with in the first place. It was all the fault of that stupid magazine
True Life Scandal
. Printing that she’d had an affair with Wes Money. Really!

Like a fool she had left the magazine on the floor in the can, and Sol had read it on one of his marathon craps.

‘Is this the same motherfucker who ran off with my money?’ he screamed.

How many Wes Moneys married to Silver Anderson did he think there were?

‘Yes. Sol.’

‘An’ you
fucked
him?’

‘Yes, Sol. We were separated at the time. You were
schtupping
the female bodybuilder with the big biceps. Remember?’

Sol had a hot temper. It was his undoing.

* * *

Heaven adored living with her father, even though it was unbelievable to realize she was Zachary Klinger’s daughter. He was such an important man, so rich and powerful. At first she was in complete awe of him, but gradually – with the help of Beverly – the two of them began to get to know each other.

And things with her mother were looking up. Since the shooting incident, while not exactly close, they were in regular contact, and it pleased Heaven a lot. At last she felt she was part of a real family.

And her record went to number one. What a blast! But best of all, she and Penn Sullivan had become an item – as they say in Hollywood.

At twenty-three, Penn was old enough to look after her, and young enough to understand.

They really enjoyed being with each other.

When Zachary K. Klinger suffered a mild stroke, his daughter and Beverly were by his side, a close-knit family unit.

It was the relationship Heaven had yearned for all her life.

* * *

Rocky was cast adrift right after the great yacht disaster. Zachary K. Klinger bought his part of Heaven’s contract for a princely sum and banished him from her life.

Heaven didn’t care – she hardly seemed to notice.

Rocky bought a Porsche, a closetful of new clothes, and a penthouse in Marina Del Rey.

He met an Amazon woman with Nordic bones and a voice like the crunch of gravel on a wet day.

‘Gonna make ya a rock star, babe,’ he promised her.

He was still trying.

* * *

Lord Mark Rand stayed in Hollywood and directed a film for Zeppo White and Orpheus. Zeppo was under the misguided impression that anyone with a title could do no wrong.

Mark’s directorial debut was the flop of the year. Fortunately for him he was still invited to lots of parties. After all, he was a Lord, and Hollywood was crammed with social-fucks.

* * *

Jack Python assisted at the birth of his first child with all the aplomb of a seasoned veteran. He held the baby immediately after the doctor, placing it lovingly on Jade’s stomach. ‘It’s a boy,’ he said for the sixth time since his son had entered the world.

‘A boy,’ she murmured happily. ‘Looks just like Daddy, I hope.’

‘Take a peek.’

She raised her head. ‘Gorgeous! All that hair!’

‘I think we should get married,’ he said seriously.

‘Why?’

‘Because.’

‘Because what?’

‘Because I love you,
goddammit!
’ he said, exasperated.

‘Let’s stay single,’ she suggested.

‘Why?’

‘Because.’

‘Because what?’

She smiled. ‘Because I love you,
goddammit!
’

JACKIE COLLINS

There have been many imitators, but only Jackie Collins can tell you what really goes on in the fastest lane of all. From Beverly Hills bedrooms to a raunchy prowl along the streets of Hollywood; from glittering rock parties and concerts to stretch limos and the mansions of the power brokers — Jackie Collins chronicles the real truth from the inside looking out.

Jackie Collins has been called a “raunchy moralist” by the late director Louis Malle and “Hollywood’s own Marcel Proust” by
Vanity Fair
magazine. With over 500 million copies of her books sold in more than 40 countries, and with some thirty
New York Times
bestsellers to her credit, Jackie Collins is one of the world’s top-selling novelists. She is known for giving her readers an unrivaled insiders knowledge of Hollywood and the glamorous lives and loves of the rich, famous, and infamous! “I write about real people in disguise,” she says. “If anything, my characters are toned down — the truth is much more bizarre.”

Jackie Collins started writing as a teenager, making up steamy stories her schoolmates paid to devour. Her first book, “
The World is Full of Married Men
,” became a sensational bestseller because of its open sexuality and the way it dealt honestly with the double standard. After that came “
The Stud
,” “
Sinners
,” “
The Love Killers
,” “
The World is Full of Divorced Women
,” “
The Bitch
,” “
Lovers And Gamblers
,” “
Chances
,” and then the international sensation, “
Hollywood Wives
” — a #1
New York Times
bestseller, which was made into one of ABC’s highest-rated miniseries starring Anthony Hopkins, Stefanie Powers and Angie Dickinson.

“
The Stud
,” “
The World is Full of Married Men
,” and “
The Bitch
” were also filmed — this time for the big screen. And Jackie wrote an original movie,
Yesterday’s Hero
, starring Ian McShane and Suzanne Somers.

Readers couldn’t wait to race through “
Lucky
,” her next book — a sequel to “
Chances
” — and the story of Lucky Santangelo, an incredibly beautiful, strong woman, another
New York Times
number one. Oprah had one word for the book “
Lucky
,” and that was — “Hot!”

Next came the bad boys of Hollywood in the steamy “
Hollywood Husbands
” — a novel which kept everyone guessing the identities of the true-to-life Hollywood characters.

Jackie then wrote “
Rock Star
” — the story of three rock superstars and their rise to the top, followed by the long-waited sequel to “
Chances
” and “
Lucky
” — “
Lady Boss
” — tracking the further adventures of the smart and powerful Lucky Santangelo as she takes control of a Hollywood studio.

Both “
Lucky
” and “
Chances
” were written and adapted for NBC television by Jackie, who also executive produced the highly successful six-hour miniseries
Lucky/Chances
, starring Nicollete Sheridan and Sandra Bullock. In the nineties, she produced and wrote the four-hour miniseries,
Lady Boss
, which became another huge ratings success for NBC.
Lady Boss
starred Kim Delaney.

Next came “
American Star
,” a love story, which the
Los Angeles Times
described as “classic Collins.” Then the dangerously close to the truth “
Hollywood Kids
” — a story of power, sex, danger and ambition among the grown offspring of major celebrities. In the late nineties “
Vendetta – Lucky’s Revenge
” was published — and became an immediate
New York Times
bestseller.

And later, Jackie hosted her own daily television show for CBS,
Jackie Collins Hollywood
. A combination of fun, style and interviews, Jackie talked to everyone from George Clooney to Jennifer Lopez.

After that she wrote “
L.A. Connections
” — a four-part serial novel published one per month — “
Power
,” “
Obsession
,” “
Murder
” and “
Revenge
.” Then came “
Dangerous Kiss
” — the return of Lucky Santangelo in a bestselling novel about relationships, addiction, fear and lust.

In 2000, “
Lethal Seduction
” became the first bestseller for Jackie Collins in the new millennium. This tale of erotic suspense and glamorous intrigue featured Madison Castelli, a character first introduced in the “
L.A. Connections
” series. “
Hollywood Wives – The New Generation
” became a blockbuster bestseller in 2001, following in the footsteps of the original “
Hollywood Wives
.” “
Hollywood Wives – The New Generation
” featured a brand new cast of characters and a totally fresh perspective on how women pursue power, love, sex, and success in Tinseltown today.

In 2003 Jackie produced the TV movie of
Hollywood Wives – The New Generation
for CBS.
Wives
starred Farrah Fawcett, Robin Givens, Jack Scalia and Melissa Gilbert. In June 2002, New York flash, L.A. trash and a Mafia don meet head-on in “
Deadly Embrace
.” This sexy tale of dangerous passion and suspense features heroine Madison Castelli and is both a prequel and a sequel to her adventures in the bestselling “
Lethal Seduction
.”

In 2003 came another New York Times bestseller, “
Hollywood Divorces
,” the story of three very different women. Followed in 2005 by “
Lovers and Players
” — a story of family conflicts, three brothers and their billionaire father, a beautiful heiress, a hip-hop mogul, Russian call girls, illegitimate children and two murders. This all takes place over seven days in New York, and yet again hits the
New York Times
bestseller list.