Party Animals: A Hollywood Tale of Sex, Drugs, and Rock 'N' Roll Starring the Fabulous Allan Carr (47 page)

Over those years, Gershon and Herz have been generous sources who not only gave insightful interviews but put me in touch with other Allan Carr associates and friends. Henri Belolo, Ronni Chase, and Bruce Vilanch were also essential contacts whom I relied on repeatedly. Brett Ratner took time from his busy filmmaking schedule to give me a personal tour of Hilhaven Lodge and share various Allan Carr memorabilia. Michael Riedel provided important theater insights. And the alumni office at Lake Forest College graciously put me in touch with Margaret Neely Wilhelm, who, in turn, invited me to the fiftieth reunion of the class of 1958, which led to so many interviews with Allan Carr’s classmates. In total, over 200 other people were interviewed, either on or off the record, and each of those conversations proved invaluable. I am deeply indebted to all of you.

James T. Ballard, Peter Bloch, Anna Stewart, and Nanette Varian are friends who gave me great line-editing tips.

My
Variety
associates Sam Thielman and Chris Jones were kind enough to perform interview and research duties, respectively.

I’d also like to express gratitude to the dedicated librarians at the Los Angeles Public Library, Margaret Herrick Library at the Academy of Motion Pictures
Arts and Sciences, New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center, and One Institute.

I am deeply indebted to Da Capo Press’s production editor Collin Tracy, copyeditor Margaret Ritchie, and publicist Lissa Warren.

Most important, I thank the five major contributors to this book: my Da Capo Press editor, Jonathan Crowe; my agent, Eric Myers at the Joseph Spieler Agency; my photo-research guru, Howard Mandelbaum of Photofest; and my dear friends Denise Smaldino and Don Weise.

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———, “Carr Gives a Friendship Party,”
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———,
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———,
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———, “Bash Follows ‘Tommy’ Premiere,”
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———, “When You’re Out with Allan Carr the Parties Never End,”
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———, “The Oscar Show and the Exercise of Power,”
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