How I Broke into Hollywood

the long version

Who knew that Bernie Mac’s earliest stand-up shows were on subway cars and at funeral parties? Who brought Tom Cruise to Top Gun? Who was Peter Gallagher before Sex, Lies and Videotape and The OC? How did one superagent (formerly the mail guy) nab Marlon Brando as his first star client? In a heyday of reality television and overnight stardom, it’s easy to forget that some players had to work—hard—to make it big. How I Broke into Hollywood brings together dozens of Tinseltown’s greatest success stories, from legends Sydney Pollack and Lalo Schifrin to rising starlet Erika Christensen to uber-producer Gavin Polone. Interviewed in their Beverly Hills homes and Century City offices, they share the highs and lows of their careers in their own words, dishing dirt and imparting the wisdom they gained along the way.