An Insider's Guide to Hollywood Politics-How the Top Forty Stars Route Their Clout

An insider'sguide to Hollywoodpolitics-how the top forty stars route their clout. A,ound Tinseltown,the game's catted Sta, Warno, HottYfics.BYWhate,e, FRANK the tabet,BIES no one's deny;ng the su,p,ise ,esu,gence of pofificat acfiWsm"°"nd lhe Hott,wooa Hms.Roben Redto,d stomps fo, <edwooas.Pam Dawbe, P<eaches sofa, ene,gy. Syt>este,Stattone goes ten ,ounds the United Way. The big charifies-.oance,, heart, tung, muscufa, dyst,ophy, mufl/pfescte<osis-<1ow boast tong waifing fists of ceteb c,usade,s eage, lo hetp cid lhe WOrldof disease. Pottlicat,affies featu,e sla,·sludded casts Iha, focus sombe, attention on abused Chitd,en(Cheryl Ladd's ma;o, cause), oif monopofies (Wa,,en Beatty's), o, nuclea, disa,mamen, (PautNewman's). Few se/f-,especfingsta,s woufd appea, on lhe lafk show cfrcuil these days Withoutdenouncing the e,its ! of strip miningor espousingthe wondersof Easter Seats. 75 Of course, politics and Hollywood have wood, a porpoise from a purpose, and are cal Aid to El Salvador. Noted for calllP.g never been total strangers. As far back as primarily motivated by that great god, adversary Charlton Heston a "c,Q._ck D. W. Griffith's The Birth of a Nation, film Publicity. But the majority harbor varying sucker" and "scumbag," respective1y. evinced its power to stir up the social con degrees of commitment and sophistica Lost decisive battle with Heston over science. The influence cuts both ways: tion on issues that range from handguns to union merger between Screen Actors and during the Hollywood Dark Ages, the Hanoi. Who knows what about what? Who Screen Extras guilds. Lost big in prime blacklisting era, the film community leans left and who runs right? To shed time as well. A few days before the merger learned the grim consequences of its sup some light on the scramble of stars and vote, the lights in Asner's city room were posed insularity. Often, around a war or a causes, Penthouse presents the authorita turned out and the presses stopped. cause, Hollywood has purposefully tive guide on Hollytic's Top Forty. Entrants CBS's cancelation of "Lou Grant" worries helped rally the rest of the nation. During are arranged, for convenience, in alpha some that militant Hollyticking is ushering World War II it was Liberty Bonds and pa betical order. In new era of blacklisting (see Howard triotism. The onset of the Vietnam War Hesseman). provoked many segments in Hollywood to ALAN ALDA: Strictly a single-issue advo voice their protest-most infamously, of cate, the man from M*A*S*H was one of IRVING AZOFF: One of two heavyweight course, Jane Fonda. However, since that the first big-name male celebrities to come "polirockers" in Hollywood (see Jeff war subsided, quite some time ago, actor out of the macho closet and proudly call Wald), the manager of the Eagles, Chica activism has gone into quiet decline. Until himself a feminist. A longtime supporter of go, Stevie Nicks, Dan Fogelberg, and Boz recently. the women's movement and an activist for Scaggs has organized and staged numer In part, Hollywood's resurgent interest the Equal Rights Amendment, Alda con ous political concerts for Democratic can in politics can be traced to the election to tributed both time and money in the push didates and popular issues. Raised nearly president of a former actor named Ronald for ERA ratification, donating funds for a half-million dollars for Jerry Brown's ill Reagan. Limits imposed on individual drives in nonratified states and champion fated presidential campaign. Has also campaign contributions also prompted ing the cause on the media and university staged concerts and fund-raisers for Sen. many political candidates to seek out ce Alan Cranston and Los Angeles Mayor lebrities and music performers to grab at Tom Bradley. Azoff is also a mover and tention and fatten the campaign coffers. shaker on the no-nuke concert scene, lin The political concert was born. Linda Ron ing up his clients and their friends for the stadt and the Eagles rock 'n' rolled for Jer collective musical abolition of fusion, fis ry Brown, Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin sion, and critical mass. Although he favors crooned for Reagan. Star power seemed On one occasion, when gun control as well, Azoff likesto maintain to promise votes, as evidenced by the he was contacted' to contribute a low profile about his political affiliations. successful New Jersey senatorial cam "His politics are his personal affair," a paign of ex-basketball star Bill Bradley, to a conference on nuclear spokesperson says, "and he wants t~em which attracted glamorous biggies like disarmament, Newman opened to remain private. All I'll say is that he's an Robert Redford and Jack Nicholson. American. But don't quote me." In addition to certain key electoral cam his checkbook and calmly paigns-Brown's, say, or Bradley's or wrote a check for $50,000. WARREN BEATTY:Described by many as New York feminist Bella Abzug's or the ''father of modern Hollywood politics,'' George McGovern's presidantial bid Beatty was the first major star to immerse political activity was also aroused by sev himself in the drudgery of campaign orga eral pivotal 1970s movies, "issue" films nization and tactics during George Mc like Coming Home, Norma Rae, All the Govern's 1972 presidential bid. Also President's Men, The China Syndrome. credited with being the first to organize a lecture circuit. Political' beliefs are liberal political concert as a fund-raising tool, On occasion, the stars of such films con sidered the movie a forum, giving the and fueled by a deep underlying-and staging three such events during McGov "polformance" of their life; and some sincere-sense of morality. With ERA ern's unsuccessful quest. Highly idealis stars, though certainly not all, found them lapsed into political oblivion, however, tic, expressed utopian views in many of selves politicized by the roles they played. Alda may well be an activist without a fo his films, influenced perhaps by an early And let us not forget the home screen, rum. admiration for John Kennedy's Camelot which has often upstaged the silver ian philosophy. Member of the Hollywood screen in terms of actor activism. Thus a EDWARD ASNER: Late bloomer in Holly summit that formed Energy Action, the landmark in Hollytics history was the day tics. Asner's political rise coincides with anti-oil lobby. Supported Edward Kenne last year that America's trusted prime-time his success as TV's Lou Grant. Upon dy in the last election and Robert Kennedy newspaper editor, Lou Grant/Ed Asner, graduation from the comedic, curmud in 1968. Political films: The Parallax View bolted from the city desk and, along with geonly editor of "The Mary Tyler Moore and, last year, the biggie, Reds. fellow TV actors Howard Hesseman Show" to the crusty trusty star of his own (Johnny Fever of "WKRP in Cincinnati") series, Asner bloomed into an actor with a PATBOONE: Anyone who still drinks milk and Ralph Waite (Pa Walton), stormed political conscience; or, as Tom Shales of when he's hitting age fifty can't be any Washington on behalf of left-wing El Sal the Washington Post described the trans thing other than a Republican, and Pat vador insurgents. And let us not forget that formation, "a case of the role taking over Boone is one of Hollywood's most visible most galvanizing of "polevents," the "I the man." Considered a radical liberal, conservatives. Unabashedly hypes Mom, Love Liberty" extravaganza-staged by Asner is associated with the American the flag, and apple pie. Member of the Re TV's very own Norman Lear. Civil Liberties Union, the Equal Rights publican National Committee. Good friend Not unexpectedly, in Washington Amendment, the Institute for Higher of Ronald Reagan. Very good friend of where the real political lions roar-the Learning, Common Cause, Americans for Vice-President George Bush. Affiliated politics game in Tinseltown has occasion Democratic Action, the National Commit with numerous Christian organizations, in ally been mocked as "Hollywood tee for an Effective Congress, and the cluding the Bethel Bible College, and is of Squares." Yet such a slur badly distracts Jewish Chautauqua Society, among other ten seen on television Sunday morning from the tremendous clout and political in organizations. Walked picket line on be services. Also active in many charities, no fluence wielded by the star folks from Cali half of air controllers during PATCOstrike. tably the Boy Scouts and Easter Seals fornia. Certainly, some Hollytickers Tough unionist stance led to presidency of (he's chairman). Recently appeared in wouldn't know a redwood from dead- Screen Actors Guild. Co-founder of Medi- pro-school prayer rally. 76 PENTHOUSE MARLON BRANDO: Chief Hollywood ad of the publicity firm Rogers and Cowan. am the most apolitical person in the United vocate of Indians rights. As millions of tele Honorary chairman of the United Way and States," he says flatly. "I don't endQLse.I vision viewers around the world well all-around benevolent guy, Cowan works don't campaign. I don't vote. And I don't recall, Brando sent as his representative the celebrity-charity connection better get involved." Like Burt Reynolds, Clint Sacheen Littlefeather to accept the Oscar than anyone else in the business. With the Eastwood, and a handful of other Holly for 1972 Best Actor role in The Godfather. finesse of a wheeler-dealer high on altru wood apolilicals, Dern is often called but Caused a flap when he gave land to the ism, he matches the right celebrities with seldom serves.

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