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David Begelman

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Producer

The Resume

    (April 26, 1921-August 7, 1995)
    Born in New York City, New York
    Talent agent turned Hollywood movie producer
    Head of Columbia Pictures (1973-78)
    Fired for embezzling money and forging $75,000 worth of checks, including a $10,000 check made out to Cliff Robertson that the actor never received
    Became CEO and president of MGM in 1980
    Declared bankruptcy in 1995
    Died of a self-inflicted gunshot to the head in a room at the Los Angeles Century Plaza Hotel at age 73
    Subject of the 1982 David McClintick best-selling book 'Indecent Exposure'

Why he might be annoying:

    In his Who's Who entry he claimed his alma mater was Yale University - records indicate he never enrolled there.
    During the run of 'The Judy Garland Show' (1963-64) he stole thousands of dollars from Garland and blackmailed her for $50,000 to keep pictures of her, half nude having her stomach pumped at a hospital, from reaching the press (no such pictures existed).
    The Cliff Robertson sham caused his ouster from Columbia Pictures, and because Robertson talked about the affair against company wishes, the actor claims he was blacklisted in the 1980s.
    He was sentenced merely to community service for the forgeries at Columbia.
    Having produced only one certified movie hit while head honcho at MGM (1982's 'Poltergeist'), he was shown the door after just three years.
    When he went broke, rather than face his problems he put a bullet in his brain.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He worked at MCA for more than 11 years, eventually becoming vice president, leaving in 1960 to co-found the talent agency Creative Management Associates (CMA).
    His clients included Marilyn Monroe, Woody Allen, Gregory Peck, Rock Hudson, Peter Sellers, Liza Minnelli and Barbra Streisand.
    He produced the movie moneymakers 'Tommy (1975),' 'Shampoo (1975),' 'Murder by Death (1976)' and 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977).'
    He was responsible for getting NBC's 'CHiPs' off the air.
    While running smaller production companies, he had modest successes with 'Mr. Mom (1983),' 'The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984),' 'Mannequin (1987)' and 'Weekend at Bernie's (1989).'
    His suicide instantly solved his financial issues.

Credit: Scar Tactics


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 7 Votes: 28.57% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 11 Votes: 63.64% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 10 Votes: 30.0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 8 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 7 Votes: 28.57% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 56 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 13 Votes: 53.85% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 20 Votes: 55.00% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 14 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 102 Votes: 50.98% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 48 Votes: 83.33% Annoying