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In this episode of Don’t Kill the Messenger, host Kevin Goetz sits down with Academy Award-winning producer Charles "Chuck" Roven, the co-founder of Atlas Entertainment, one of Hollywood’s most enduring and successful production companies. Across four decades, Chuck has built a producing career defined by creative ambition and commercial scale — including five of the 100 top-grossing films of all time. From his early struggles to winning the Academy Award for Oppenheimer, Chuck’s journey reveals how smart dealmaking, creative instinct, and relentless tenacity shaped one of the most impressive producing legacies in modern Hollywood.

From Czechoslovakia to Cinderella Homes (03:22): Chuck's father escaped post-war Europe and built a real estate empire in Los Angeles, teaching Chuck the principle of horizontal business.

Dawn Steel (08:16): Chuck recounts meeting his first wife, Dawn Steel, who revolutionized her way into Hollywood through merchandising hits like Gucci toilet paper before becoming Paramount's president of production.

The 90-Day Escrow Deal (20:48): Instead of optioning Dick Tracy, Chuck negotiated a 90-day escrow deal to "check the title," wrote a script, and sold it to Universal.

12 Monkeys and the Art of International Financing (30:34): Chuck explains how he assembled a consortium of international partners to co-finance Terry Gilliam's $32 million film.

The Phone Call That Led to Batman Begins (36:30): After producing the hit Scooby-Doo, Chuck received a call inviting him to partner with an up-and-coming director named Christopher Nolan on a little project called Batman Begins.

Bringing Oppenheimer to Nolan and Winning the Oscar (37:29): Chuck recounts how he brought the Oppenheimer project to Christopher Nolan. The film earned 11 Oscar nominations and Chuck's first Best Picture win.

Making Mercy (42:24): Chuck describes developing the "Screen Life" concept into the thriller Mercy, featuring an AI judge with access to every camera and computer.

The Value of Test Screenings (46:34): Despite working with directors like Christopher Nolan who prefer friends-and-family screenings, Chuck explains why recruited audience testing remains invaluable.

Chuck Roven's producing philosophy combines his father's business lessons with an unwavering respect for the audience, proving that hunger, passion, and smart dealmaking can result in four decades of Hollywood success.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review and share. We look forward to bringing you more behind-the-scenes revelations next time on Don't Kill the Messenger.

Host: Kevin Goetz
Guests: Charles “Chuck” Roven
Producer: Kari Campano
Writers: Kevin Goetz, Darlene Hayman, and Kari Campano
Audio Engineer: Gary Forbes (DG Entertainment)

For more information about Chuck Roven:
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Roven
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0746273/

For more information about Kevin Goetz:
- Website: www.KevinGoetz360.com
- Audienceology Book: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Audience-ology/Kevin-Goetz/9781982186678
- How to Score in Hollywood: https://www.amazon.com/How-Score-Hollywood-Secrets-Business/dp/198218986X/
- Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Substack: @KevinGoetz360
- LinkedIn @Kevin Goetz
- Screen Engine/ASI Website: www.ScreenEngineASI.com

Send Kevin a Text Message

In this episode of Don't Kill the Messenger, host Kevin Goetz welcomes Gail Berman, one of Hollywood's most versatile executives. From producing Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat on Broadway at 22 to becoming the first woman to lead both a major TV network (Fox Entertainment) and a film studio (Paramount Pictures), she has consistently rewritten what creative leadership looks like in Hollywood.

From Brooklyn to Broadway: The Joseph Origin Story (01:17): At just 22 years old, Gail and her partner, Susan Rose, produced Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. They brought the show to Broadway, earning seven Tony nominations.

The Red Dress and the Palisades Fires (17:40): Gail's Tony Awards dress remains in storage due to insurance settlements following the recent Palisades fires that damaged her home.

Starting Over in Television (29:16): Gail shares how she received a message on her answering machine about a new venture at HBO. Despite knowing nothing about television, she took the job at the comedy channel that would become Comedy Central.

The Buffy Breakthrough at Sandollar (31:46): After reading the Buffy the Vampire Slayer film script, Gail saw it as a perfect TV show. While serving as President of Sandollar, she partnered with Sandy Gallin and Dolly Parton to develop and executive produce the show—launching a cultural phenomenon.

The Austin Butler Screen Test for Elvis (33:44): When Baz Luhrmann showed four screen tests, Austin Butler's was last. The film would earn Gail an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture.

From Regency Television to Running Fox (43:13): After producing Malcolm in the Middle, Roswell, and The Bernie Mac Show at Regency Television, Gail received a call from Peter Chernin asking her to run Fox Entertainment.

The Paramount Years (52:58): Hired to run Paramount Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Films, Gail faced some resistance. She secured the Star Trek film rights back from CBS with just 18 months to put it into production, hiring J.J. Abrams and Damon Lindelof to work fast.

Black Swan: The Musical (59:50): After leaving Paramount, Gail launched The Jackal Group. She's now producing the musical adaptation of Black Swan with Darren Aronofsky, Kevin McCollum, and Scott Franklin.

Gail Berman's story shows how versatility and the willingness to start over can create a remarkable career. From Broadway to broadcast television to film, she's proven that embracing new challenges leads to extraordinary places.

Host: Kevin Goetz
Guests: Gail Berman
Producer: Kari Campano
Writers: Kevin Goetz, Darlene Hayman, and Kari Campano
Audio Engineer: Gary Forbes (DG Entertainment)

For more information about Gail Berman:
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gail_Berman
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0075762/
LinkedIn:

For more information about Kevin Goetz:
- Website: www.KevinGoetz360.com
- Audienceology Book: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Audience-ology/Kevin-Goetz/9781982186678
- How to Score in Hollywood: https://www.amazon.com/How-Score-Hollywood-Secrets-Business/dp/198218986X/
- Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Substack: @KevinGoetz360
- LinkedIn @Kevin Goetz
- Screen Engine/ASI Website: www.ScreenEngineASI.com

Send Kevin a Text Message

In this episode of Don't Kill the Messenger, host Kevin Goetz welcomes acclaimed writer Matthew Specktor and his father, legendary CAA agent Fred Specktor. Matthew's latest book, The Golden Hour: A Story of Family and Power in Hollywood, captures the underbelly of Los Angeles through the lens of three generations embedded in the motion picture industry. Together, Matthew and Fred explore the industry that shaped American culture.

The College Course with James Baldwin (9:47): Matthew describes being chosen by lottery to study with James Baldwin at Mount Holyoke. Baldwin taught Henry James and told his students, "For it to have happened or for it to be beautiful is not enough."

Lew Wasserman's Assistant at 19 (18:26): Fred recalls working for Lew Wasserman at MCA, the most powerful man in the industry.

The Birth of the Modern Motion Picture Industry (22:43): Matthew explains how his family lived through the entire transformation of Hollywood, recalling Lew Wasserman seeing the line of people waiting to see Jaws in a Texas rainstorm and pioneering the wide release.

"No More Middle-Class Movies" (30:14): Matthew recounts a Fox 2000 corporate retreat where Bill Mechanic announced the studio would only make films over $100 million or under $10 million – nothing in between.

The Gene Hackman Call That Won an Oscar (34:19): Fred describes how Gene Hackman passed on Unforgiven due to violence concerns. Fred gave Clint Eastwood Gene's phone number, and Clint convinced Gene to take the role that won Gene the Academy Award.

Letting the Artist See What Others Don't (37:37): Fred's philosophy: "I believe every one of my clients belongs at the top of the list." He shares thoughts on his clients, including Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, Taylor Hackford, and Danny DeVito.

This conversation reveals how great writers mine their personal history to illuminate an industry, and how great agents operate, not as cartoon hustlers but as believers in fairness and quality. Matthew and Fred Specktor show us that Hollywood's golden hour wasn't just about glamour; it was about families, power, and the American dream colliding in ways both beautiful and devastating.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review and share. We look forward to bringing you more behind-the-scenes revelations next time on Don't Kill the Messenger.

Host: Kevin Goetz
Guests: Matthew and Fred Specktor
Producer: Kari Campano
Writers: Kevin Goetz, Darlene Hayman, and Kari Campano
Audio Engineer: Gary Forbes (DG Entertainment)

For more information about Matthew and Fred Specktor:
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Specktor
The Golden Hour: A Story of Family and Power in Hollywood: https://a.co/d/8Qy91qa
Website: https://matthewspecktor.com/

For more information about Kevin Goetz:
- Website: www.KevinGoetz360.com
- Audienceology Book: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Audience-ology/Kevin-Goetz/9781982186678
- How to Score in Hollywood: https://www.amazon.com/How-Score-Hollywood-Secrets-Business/dp/198218986X/
- Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Substack: @KevinGoetz360
- LinkedIn @Kevin Goetz
- Screen Engine/ASI Website: www.ScreenEngineASI.com