Scott Frank is one of the great screenwriters and storytellers of the modern age. Films he has written include Minority Report, Marley & Me, Logan, The Interpreter, and, of course, GET SHORTY and OUT OF SIGHT.

Scott wrote and directed The Lookout and A Walk Among the Tombstones, based on the classic Lawrence Block novel. He's also created some of the most well regarded television shows in recent years, including Godless, Queen's Gambit, Monsieur Spade and the upcoming Department Q on Netlflix.

We were thrilled to get to speak with him in this wide ranging conversation. Scott shares his experience working working with Jersey Films on Get Shorty and Out of Sight, getting advice from Elmore (some terrifying, some perhaps unintended), how writing the novel Shaker helped him as a screenwriter, and why sometimes you just need a good Wilford Brimely scene.

https://youtu.be/bLeWVq7tQgQ

Guest: Scott Frank

Hosted By: Judd Rubin and Alex Leonard

Music by: Greg Ahee

Produced and Edited by: Judd Rubin

Executive Producer: Peter Leonard

www.elmoreleonardofficial.com

Let's talk: hello@theelmoreleonardpodcast.com

Revisiting what many consider to be Elmore Leonard’s most unusual novel, TOUCH is a revelatory experience for Alex and Judd. Written in 1977 but not published until almost ten years later, it stands out for so many reasons. Hear why it’s one of Judd’s favorite novels and what Alex thinks Elmore got right about the music business.

Hosted By: Judd Rubin and Alex Leonard

Music by: Greg Ahee

Produced and Edited by: Judd Rubin

Executive Producer: Peter Leonard

Links mentioned in the show:

Tom Arnold vs Peter Criss on Donahue

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zExVd0xUH0g

www.elmoreleonardofficial.com

Let's talk: hello@theelmoreleonardpodcast.com

Dennis Lehane is a best-selling and Edgar-award winning author of over a dozen books including A Drink Before the War, World Gone By, and most recently, Small Mercies. Films based on his work include Mystic River, directed by Clint Eastwood, Gone Baby Gone and Live By Night, both directed by Ben Affleck, Shutter Island, directed by Martin Scorsese and The Drop, which Dennis wrote the screenplay for and which was directed by Michael Roskam.

In our conversation he shares some of what he learned from Elmore, talks about working at Walden Books, what he likes about working in television, what it will take for him to write another novel, and so much more.

Guest: Dennis Lehane

Hosted By: Judd Rubin and Alex Leonard

Music by: Greg Ahee

Produced and Edited by: Judd Rubin

Executive Producer: Peter Leonard

www.elmoreleonardofficial.com

Let's talk: hello@theelmoreleonardpodcast.com

Alex and Judd sip some mezcal and try to wrangle Elmore’s classic western novel HOMBRE (1961), later turned into Paul Newman’s classic western film HOMBRE (1967).

This book has it all: gunfights, parleys, biblical references, and stolen fortunes. It is one of Elmore's best Western novels, and its success as a movie is what allowed him to pursue writing full time.

Please note that while we discuss some of the best westerns, this podcast is not currently sponsored by any hotel chain.

Hosted By: Judd Rubin and Alex Leonard

Music by: Greg Ahee

Produced and Edited by: Judd Rubin

Executive Producer: Peter Leonard

www.elmoreleonardofficial.com

Let's talk: hello@theelmoreleonardpodcast.com

Charles Ardai is the co-founder and editor of Hard Case Crime, a publishing house devoted to hardboiled crime fiction. Hard Case crime titles range from lost noir masterpieces to new novels by today’s most powerful writers, all featuring stunning original cover art in the grand pulp style.

Authors include award-winning modern masters like Stephen King, Joyce Carol Oates, Lawrence Block, and Donald E. Westlake, Golden-Age giants like Erle Stanley Gardner, James M. Cain, and Ray Bradbury. While Hard Case has never published any of Elmore’s work, it wasn't for lack of trying. We were very glad we were able to to speak with Charles to get an insider’s view of the publishing business.

www.hardcasecrime.com

Hosted By: Judd Rubin and Alex Leonard

Music by: Greg Ahee

Produced and Edited by: Judd Rubin

Executive Producer: Peter Leonard

www.elmoreleonardofficial.com

Let's talk: hello@theelmoreleonardpodcast.com

Chip Kidd is one of the greatest living graphic designers. He has designed book covers for not just Elmore Leonard, but Michael Crichton, Cormac McCarthy, Haruki Murakami, Anne Rice, David Sedaris, John Updike, James Ellroy, and so many more.

He joins us to share a little bit about his approach to designing iconic book covers, how he started working with Elmore, and writing his own novels.

Hosted By: Judd Rubin and Alex Leonard

Music by: Greg Ahee

Produced and Edited by: Judd Rubin

Executive Producer: Peter Leonard

www.elmoreleonardofficial.com

Let's talk: hello@theelmoreleonardpodcast.com

There are few people who have worked with Elmore Leonard as closely as Michael Siegel. While he didn’t write the books, Michael was an integral part of several of Elmore’s books get turned into some fantastic movies, including Get Shorty, Jackie Brown and Out of Sight.

He joins Judd to talk about how he got his start in the entertainment industry working for another legend - H.N. Swanson, and what it meant to to work with Elmore for over 20 years.

Hosted By: Judd Rubin and Alex Leonard

Music by: Greg Ahee

Produced and Edited by: Judd Rubin

Executive Producer: Peter Leonard

www.elmoreleonardofficial.com

Let's talk: hello@theelmoreleonardpodcast.com

There were ten rules to recording to this podcast about SWAG - what many Elmore Leonard fans consider their favorite novel, but don't expect Judd and Alex to follow many of them for long.

Join them to discuss this amazing book, hear about Elmore's days by the pool, and debate what it was that Elmore figured out by writing this book.

Hosted By: Judd Rubin and Alex Leonard

Music by: Greg Ahee

Produced and Edited by: Judd Rubin

Executive Producer: Peter Leonard

www.elmoreleonardofficial.com

Let's talk: hello@theelmoreleonardpodcast.com