Levy: Write Whatever You Want

Published by SURFACE, 1991 1 Syracuse University Magazine, Vol. 8, Iss. 1 [1991], Art. 4

SHOW BUSINESS

Write atever You Want But ifit's about Peggy Siegal's client, do better than just spell the name right.

BY RENEE GEARHART LEVY cartons. A neighbor strolls in with a fax. Peggy's three-year-old niece, Mattie, he Hamptons are in full bounds in and out with her grandmother At the Beverly Wilshire: Tom Luddy, producer for Francis splendor. It's one of those in tow. The phone rings again. Coppola; James Toback, screenwriter of Bugsy; Peggy last days of summer, when "Jay and Marla are coming? Terrific," T the sky is so blue, the says Peggy. "And Mike Medavoy can't Siegal; Vogue film critic Joan Buck; and Bugsy star Warren Beatty. Siegal, a top film publicist, is shown opposite in her water so clear, and the heat make it?" She looks disappointed. ManhaHan office. so thick you'd think the season should In four days, publicist Siegal is orga­ be just unfolding instead of sputtering to nizing a special private screening of The a close. Fisher King, at the East Hampton C ine­ With the Georgica beach beckoning ma on behalf of the film 's studio, TriStar mere yards from her back door, and a Pictures. She's got 275 great people com­ cobblestone swimming pool even closer, ing, the "opinion makers," as she calls Peggy Siegal is indoors.· On the tele­ them: writers, actors, journalists, design­ phone. ers, all of them names. "Let's have white pitchers on the The same day, a New York Times article tables fi lled with cosmos," she instructs on the filming of Bugsy, directed by Bar­ a staff member in her Manhattan office. ry Levinson and starring Warren Beatty "Only there are no cosmos left because and Annette Be ning, will appear in the of the hurricane, so I don't know what Arts & Leisure section. She'll get an we're going to do. advance look when the section rolls off "There is a meeting with the town the press later today. police and the theater manager tomor­ The phone rings. "Yes. Yes," says Peg­ row afternoon," she continues. gy. "Women s Wear Daily is coming and so "When you get the photo tip-sheet is the East Hampton Star and the Post. done, please fax it next door. Oh, and as Please make sure you talk to Jeannie soon as you get the production piece Williams at USA Today." from the New York Times, fax that, too. The screening was planned too late Then we'll have to get it to Barry and for engraved invitations. Letters were Warren right away." She is working on sent from TriStar Chairman Medavoy their new film, Bugsy. and followed up with phone calls. But Against one wall, 400 black tee shirts then Hurricane Bob hit, the phone li nes promoting the film The Fisher King sit in were down for days, and no flowers are RENEE GEARHART L EVY is the associate editor ofS yracuse University Magazine.

13 D EC E MB ER 1991 https://surface.syr.edu/sumagazine/vol8/iss1/4 2 Levy: Write Whatever You Want

left standing on the eastern end of the iegal is one of the most sought-after headlines are not created equal, and how island. Things are a little crazv and Peg­ Smovie publicists in the entertain­ those headlines develop depends a great gy's beach house is nerve central. ment industry, with a reputation deal on the decisions made about a film 's And so it will continue through the that spans both coasts and a filmography positioning. Labor dav weekend: phone calls and to match. Rain Jlfan. She represented the "Mississippi Bunting was a case where faxes and details and confirmations. director and producer, Barry Levinson the film was not previewed to the critics It's business as usual, onlv Peggv is and 1\lark Johnson. IVai/ Street and properly," says Siegal of a fi lm she had on Yacation. The IVarofthe Roses. She represent­ no role in publicizing. "It was a terrific ed lead actor Michael Douglas. movie but it became too political. The A'ill•akenings. She handled the New press got on the wrong side of it and York premiere. Movies like Truth scared the audie nce away." or Dare; Total Recall; Miller's Cross­ It's not just how much information to ing; Avalon; The Untouchables; give the press, but what information. Good Morning, Vietnam; Top Gun; "Terms of Endearment was about some­ Bever~v Hills Cop; and The Big one dying of cancer. That's not what was Chill all benefited from the Peg­ said about the film," she says. "You gy Siegal push. didn't find that out until you got into the Whether he r client is the theater. " director, producer, or lead actor T he same control is exercised with on a picture, it's Siegal's job to the personalities involved in fi lms. Sie­ generate press coverage- to gal can influence not only what publica­ make her product the "must­ tions will have access to her clients, but see" film of the moment. also suggest who will write the story and, It's an important role. With sometimes, what they will talk about. the average movie costing "There was a time when the press had $30 million to make, ticket a picnic writing anything they wanted sales can't be left to chance. about major motion pictures," says Sie­ Publicity is one the keys­ gal. T he big money involved has or rather good publicity. All changed the stakes. T here has been a shift in power with publicists such as Siegal gaining more control. "The days of the $5-million film are Oscar eve: Siegal withM ichael Dou· totally gone," she says. "The fi lm talent glas the night before he received his is responsible for carrying this enor­ Best Actor statuette for Wall Street. mously expensive product. Do they Clowning around: Siegal worked have to reveal the innermost secre ts of with actor William Hurt on Body their personal lives? T hey don't think so. Heat and The Big Chill. "The magazines want to use these people who are extremely valuable in an important industry for their commercial advantage and then take total journalis­ tic libe rties with them," she says. "There's nothing wrong with an actor saying, T il do your story, but I want a writer that I know and like and I want a photographer that I know and like." Conflicts lie in the journalist's sense of freedom of the press, she says. It's not that she's looking for a string of puff pieces on her clients. "We don't want hatchet jobs either, but we'd like a piece that's interesting and well-wri tten and thought-provoking as well," says Siegal. A lot de pe nds upon the chemistry betwee n the write r and the subject. Therefore, the key is in making the match. "I thi nk that's what this entire company I have is about," she says. "Networking and bringing people together and getting ideas across."

14 S Y RACUS E UN I V E RSITY M AG AZ I N E Published by SURFACE, 1991 3 Syracuse University Magazine, Vol. 8, Iss. 1 [1991], Art. 4

n the lobby of the East "You can get incredible cover­ from, and these are her likes I Hampton Cinema, Ed and dislikes in life,' then the Bradley nibbles a minia­ client is less apprehensive." ture quiche out of a brown age with 50 people if they're Her role, she says, is to set paper bag. Tom Wolfe chats it up, make it happen, and with Martha Stewart. Calvin 50 of the right people. You can pray for the best. and Kelly Klein spy Nora She spends her life on the Ephron across the room. And get no coverage with a thou­ telephone, wielding a handy isn't that jimmy Buffet talking mobile phone (complete with to Fran Leibowitz? At the call-waiting) for taxi rides to door, Peggy Siegal greets each sand people if you don't know work and appointments. guest by name and thanks A doctor to whom she com­ them all for coming. what you're doing." plained of back trouble diag­ TriStar is out to court this nosed the culprit as the angle arts-and-media crowd. The her head was crooked over studio thinks The Fisher King the receiver each day. His will play well to a sophisticated audi­ Two weeks later, The Fisher King prescription: using a headset instead. ence. Peggy has culled a list of Who's received two standing ovations at the "That lasted about two days," she Who in the Hamptons, developed over Venice Film Festival, which shows how laughs. The headset now dangles aim­ 20 years of summering there herself. when and where a film is screened can lessly from a bulletin board next to her It's not just knowing who to invite, influence an audience. desk, beside instructions for a high-pro­ she says, but creating an interesting mix tein diet and a thank-you note from and having some sort of relationship hat may set Siegal apart in this Ivana Trump. with the people to make it happen. W business is not her persistence, Siegal knows virtually every major "The process involves having a home which is intense, or her creativ­ magazine editor, every entertainment phone number and being able to call on ity, which is genuine, but her seemingly writer and photographer, and every film the phone and·not offend them because innate understanding of the right way to critic, not to mention the television and you have their number, " she says. get a message across and the boundless radio personalities. Three rolodexes and "They know you, they're glad to hear energy with which she does it. a four-inch-thick stack of phone lists from you." It's a team approach that begins with grace her desk. The crowd is here and every detail is clients. "They know what they're doing," And if she's not in the office, there's in place. Daisies in blue speckled crocks says Siegal. "They usually sit down with nobody better at working a room. and mums in white pitchers dot the me and say, 'This is the film I'm making, Depending on the season, there tables where, keeping with the theme of this is what I intend to say, and this is might be somewhere to go most nights the movie, hors d'oeuvres are served out what I want you to say about my work.' of the week: screenings, charity func­ of brown bags. Only one miscalculation: They're very explicit. They don't get tions, dinners. the guests aren't in the mood for a seri­ where they are by not being exact." If not, she retreats to her upper East ous, somewhat downbeat film (Robin The chaJienge for Siegal is to formu­ Side apartment, reverting to her alter­ Williams plays a street person). They're late ways to translate that message. nate routine. "I have a TV that has two more interested in seeing each other. Perhaps there is something interest­ screens, so I've got CNN and something "The audience was distracted," said ing about the way the film is being shot, else on. I have lots of magazines on my Siegal later. "It was the last day of sum­ or a brand-new breakthrough in special bed, a tray of food, and I'm on the phone mer. We put the darkest view of New effects. Maybe there's a uniqueness to to California," Siegal says. "I've been York in front of them when they were in the musical score, or the film makes a doing this for years." an East Hampton frame of mind." contemporary social statement. "You Nonetheless, it was a good party and could have five or six of those facets of a eggy Siegal used to design belts. the studio was pleased with the publicity movie," she says. "The more the direc­ PAnd handbags. j ewelry. Clothing. generated: items in Womens Wear Daily, tor or actor are willing to discuss, the When she was an art student at USA Today, US, the New York Post, News­ more story angles you have to pitch." Syracuse she designed a wedding dress day, the East Hampton Star, the Daily Interviews, says Siegal, are forced sit­ made out of clear vinyl appliqued with News, and a photo out on AP. uations. "There are maybe a handful of daisies, spaced further and further apart "You can double a film's publicity scenarios that exist for what a journalist down the length of the dress, meant to with a good event," says Siegal. "You can can do with your client: 'Do you want to be worn with white tights. She once said get incredible coverage with SO people if go to my favorite restaurant?' 'Do you she'd wear it if she ever got married. "It they're SO of the right people. You can want to come on the set for fi ve seconds was in my parents' basement in Alpine, get no coverage with a thousand people and observe me and then have lunch in New Jersey, for years," says Siegal. "I if you don't know what you're doing." my trailer?' ' Do you want to go horse­ think they finally threw it away." T he value is in the word of mouth. "If back riding?'" When Siegal graduated in 1969 with a the public sees that all these interesting, Siegal researches the reporters as bachelor's degree in fine arts, it was a bright people are associated with the much as they do her clients. "If I can tell toss-up as to whether she would become product, they'll probably want to see a client, 'This is the background of the a fashion photographer or a designer. what it's all about," she says, reporter, this is where he or she came She really wanted to be a photographer,

15 D ECEMBER 1991 https://surface.syr.edu/sumagazine/vol8/iss1/4 4 Levy: Write Whatever You Want

but could onlv find a job as a licize by herself was a film stylist ironing clothes. Her "Here you are, supposedly the about the Beatie's first grandfather hooked her up appearance on the Ed Sulli­ with a dress manufacturer agent of information, but van Show, called J Wanna friend who offered her a posi­ Hold Your Hand, directed by tion as a designer's assistant. you have to know how much Bob Zemeckis and produced As fate would have it, the by a young Steven Spielberg. designer was Victor Costa. The movie was not adver­ They were both destined for and when to give it out, tised correctly and never bigger things. reached its audience. After Around the same time, Sie­ which is not what the press the actors had done many gal met 1966 Syracuse gradu­ interviews and photo ses- ate Lois Winebaum Perschetz, wants to hear." sions, magazines dropped who was working as the most of the coverage because designer/ready-to-wear editor Universal Studios had pulled at lVomens Wear Daily, "one of the film. Despite that deba- the most important fashion journalists in had an incredible client list, Siegal says, cle, Siegal's performance proved she had New York," says Siegal. handling everyone from Robert Redford what it took. Assignments like Body Heat, Through Perschetz, she met many and Steven Spielberg to Candice Bergen Blow Out, Diner, and Poltergeist followed. designers. They went to parties. They and Liza Minnelli. It was there that Then in 1982, Siegal was tapped to went to screenings. Siegal met press things fell together for her. Siegal's art publicize Spielberg's E.T., a movie agent Bobby Zarem. "I was fascinated background became an asset. "I knew whose publicity took on a life of its own. by him, by what he did, by his connec­ how to choose photographers and to edit "I handled the film from New York," she tions," she says. Siegal, disenchanted photography," she says. "As an artist, I says. It still remains one of her favorite with fashion, asked him for a job. He knew how to look·at film." projects. said yes. She began to work with directors like The film was a huge success and Sie­ She learned publicity from the ground Spielberg, Brian DePalma, and Barry gal's career really took off. Following a up. "I had been trained as an artist my Levinson. "I would see their films and brief stint working for Spielberg in Hol­ whole life and now I was starting out as a then talk to them, and then see their lywood and four years in partnership secretary in an office," she says. "I re­ films again," she says. "Sometimes a with Smith, Siegal formed the Peggy member teaching myself to write, having third or fourth time. After a while it's like Siegal Company, primarily representing a dictionary under my arm constantly, and reading a book twice: you really begin to producers and directors. learning as much as I could from him." get it. You know which scenes work and "It's much easier with them," she She left after she had, eventually which don't. You understand the timing says. "It's easier for them to talk about landing as assistant to Lois Smith at and the camera movement." their work and people are not as interest­ Pickwick Public Relations. Pickwick T he first movie she was given to pub- ed in their personal lives."

Published by SURFACE, 1991 5 Syracuse University Magazine, Vol. 8, Iss. 1 [1991], Art. 4

Recently, she's gotten involved with And its not always Siegal who's calling fashion spread in the Las Vegas desert more events and special projects: a west­ the shots the media doesn't like. Some­ using supporting actors Joe Mantegna, ern-style hoe-down for the New York times the gag order comes from the Ben Kingsley, and Lewis Van Bergen premiere of City Slickers, an event to client itself. wearing gangster-style suits. launch the new editor and columnists of "The studios go through love/hate Nearly all this publicity is the result of Esquire magazine. She mailed a thou­ relationships with the media," she says. the combined efforts of Siegal and a west sand Phillipe Starck toothbrushes to "They're best friends if they're selling coast associate, Andrea Jaffe, who have mid-level studio executives for friend an Oscar-quality film. If they've got a had persistent discussions with the writ­ and fellow SU alumnus Ian Schrager to turkey on their hands they just lock the ers and editors at the various magazines. promote his three hotels, the Royalton, doors as tightly as possible." "It's knowing their personalities and Paramount, and Morgans (Starck de­ interests and pitching the right story to signed the interiors). She's also a consul­ he phones at the Peggy Siegal the right person," she says. tant to Home Box Office. T Company are ringing off the It's that kind of personal attention­ hook. Peggy is en route to the the hours and hours of phone calling, o know Peggy Siegal is not nec­ office, so her four employees field the note writing, and detail attending-that T essarily to love her. That should calls, funneling anything important to her. make her services in demand. not be taken as a comment on "Patricia Hearst just called you from Siegal's characte~, but rather a symbol of home," one staffer tells her. "She says ugsy is Siegal's "baby" of the how she operates. you won't believe the news she has for Bmoment. "It's an excellent script, "She really knows how newspapers you. I gave her your portable-phone great talent, and a departure from work and magazines work and what peo­ number." the gangster genre, with humor and ple are looking for," says her old friend Another employee is busy calling var­ romance," she says of the movie that Perschetz, now a free-lance writer and ious celebrities and socialites, verifying debuts in December. editor after 13 years with Womens Wear what designer they will be wearing to She believes the finished product will Daily and W. "And she knows what's Princess Yasmin Aga Khan's "Black & be Oscar-caliber. "This is a well-crafted enough information for somebody to White Magic" event coming up on Hal­ film," says Siegal. "You have to be very have and when to hold off." loween night. Isabella Rosselini will be careful not to tell people any 'ilm is an "It's very hard in this business when wearing Giorgio Armani. Deborah important film because they'll resent you the columnists are calling you and every­ Norville plans to sport Marc Jacobs. and the film makers immediately." one wants to know the latest inside The event is the seventh annual Rita She's about to turn her attention to scoop-to know what to say and what Hayworth benefit for the Alzheimers Levinson's next movie, Toys, a satirical not to say," says Siegal. "I mean, here Association. This year, on the 25th look at the toy industry starring Robin you are, supposedly the agent of infor­ anniversary of Truman Capote's famed Williams. After eight films, she's still flat­ mation, but you have to know how much Black and White Ball, the organizers have tered to be put on Levinson's projects. and when to give it out, which is not chosen to recreate one of the great galas "Even though you build up a client what the press wants to hear. They want of the century. Seventh Avenue's finest list, they still have to go to the studio nothing edited." have been recruited to design black-and­ every single time they do a new film and This is sometimes frustrating to col­ white gowns for the celebrities. Siegal ask the studio to hire you," says Siegal. umnists and publications like Vanity Fair, was asked to help with publicity. "It's always a struggle to get the studio to GQ, and Premiere, Siegal says. She can She whirls into the office and is in­ add additional money to their budget for live with that. Her function is to serve her stantly on the phone with Sonia Braga, outside offices. It's the biggest drag of clients first, and she is very loyal. confirming the actress's dress fitting. life." T hat loyalty is returned by the people Next she calls Chane!, to straighten out a She may not like it, but it doesn't who value her services. In fact she lists misunderstanding about whether the seem to be keeping her down. New pro­ many of her clients among her friends. design house will loan dresses. jects are rolling in daily: Man Trouble, She has done eight films for Barry The phone rings again and this time starring Jack Nicholson and E llen Levinson, seven for Brian DePalma, and it's California. There's a big meeting at Barkin, which she's doing for producer four for producers Don Simpson and Jer­ TriStar this morning and the studio Bruce Gilbert; The Double Life of ry Bruckheimer. Michael F uchs, chair­ wants a list of all publicity that's been Veronique; which opened the New York man of HBO, to whose publicity staff generated or scheduled for Bugsy. Film Festival. And she hopes to be put Siegal serves as a full-time consultant, Siegal switches gears instantly, rattling on client Michael Caton-Janes's next provides her with office space. off a list to her assistant: cover stories in movie. The director of Scandal, Memphis "Peggy doesn't understand or even Harpers Bazaar, Vanity Fair, Premiere, Belle, and Doc Hollywood will direct the hear the word no," Bruckheimer has and Film Comment. Details plans to do a film version of SU creative writing pro­ said. "She's good to have on your side. Q&A with Bill Graham, who plays fessor Toby Wolff's book This Boys Life, Lucky Luciano in the film. Allure wants produced by Art Linson and starring to do a piece on the real Ben Siegel's fas­ Debra Winger and. Robert DeNiro. cination with his appearance. Condr!-Nast "The studio is Warner Brothers, and On the set of Wise Guys: film critic Roger Ebert, star Danny Traveler and Elle plan to run photo they don't usually hire outside offices," DeVito, producer Aron Russo, an unidentified crew member, spreads of the old Flamingo Hotel and . she says. "But I'm working on it." Siegal, and unit publicist larry Kaplan. the "new" Flamingo that's been recreat­ And what Peggy wants, Peggy usually ed for the filming. GQ is going to do a ~~ . . 17 D EC EMB E R 1991 https://surface.syr.edu/sumagazine/vol8/iss1/4 6