Saturday, January 29, 2005

Lee Goldberg refs news stories about Marcie Wright, an agent who apparently repeatedly pocketed checks meant for her clients. Since your agent typically cashes your check, subtracts commission, and then cuts you a check for 90%, that's possible in the short run. But how did she figure she was going to get away with it? When the client didn't get the money, was she just going to convince him that the studio had stiffed him and expect him never to contact the studio? We're talking about payments in the $150,000 range. I mean, forget those pesky kids in the Mystery Mobile. What was her plan?

I always assume something's seriously affecting the person's common sense, such as drugs or alcoholism. I understand how grifters figure they're going to take someone's money and then disappear. But Hollywood is not that big a town. You can't hide. You can't even run.

One of my good friends here is a producer who's had some bad breaks lately. But he stays alive because he's never shafted anyone. So people are willing to keep working with him. Those guys who go around shafting people, the moment they catch some bad cards, they're going down.

4:40 PM

4 Comments:

I thought I read somewhere that she had mental problems, which could contribute to her having thought she could get away wth it.

It would be easy for my agent to steal my money because I am lousy with that kind of bookkeeping. Hopefully she never figures this out...

By  Peter, at 8:19 PM  

Hey I just saw that you are writing "Crafty TV Writing" !!! I have your "crafty Screenwriting" and I am quite happy with it !!
I am glad to know that you have written a few TV shows already as you can write from this experience... it also makes it worthwhile for me to buy your newest book !!!!

Please don't disappear from us again with regards to your blog :) it makes me feel like I'm in touch with some 'sanity'.. ;)

Sorry to post anon. don't need an account here.

Montrealer.

By  Anonymous, at 7:11 PM  

The irony of Marcie Wright's crime and punishment (and the mileage Marc Cherry has gotten from it) is that, as a producer, I found her professional, collaborative, encouraging, resourceful and nice. Being an indie producer is very cold and she always brought warmth and good ideas to the table. Plus she represented material that was a cut above. She was also one of the first in the agenting community to copy her clients work on both sides with the admonition "DO NOT RETURN THIS. SAVE OR DISCARD." Very environmental and hip. Sad that she succumed to the temptations. While I never met her face to face, it was always apparent that Marcie Wright had and has a good soul and there is a reason for everything.

By  Anonymous, at 7:37 PM  

Agreed! I had to work with her, she would compliment me on how great a job I did then 10min later she would come in screaming and cussing me out, then go out and buy me lunch. But never would she apologize for her behavior. Marcie too what she wanted and had expensive taste at the expense of her clients.

By  Unknown, at 6:20 PM  

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