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When I Stop Talking, You'll Know I'm Dead: Useful Stories from a Persuasive Man Paperback – Illustrated, March 23, 2011

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 1,186 ratings
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Here is the story of Jerry Weintraub: the self-made, Brooklyn-born, Bronx-raised impresario, Hollywood producer, legendary deal maker, and friend of politicians and stars. No matter where nature has placed him--the club rooms of Brooklyn, the Mafia dives of New York's Lower East Side, the wilds of Alaska, or the hills of Hollywood--he has found a way to put on a show and sell tickets at the door. "All life was a theater and I wanted to put it up on a stage," he writes. "I wanted to set the world under a marquee that read: 'Jerry Weintraub Presents.'"

In When I Stop Talking, You'll Know I'm Dead, we follow Weintraub from his first great success at age twenty-six with Elvis Presley, whom he took on the road with the help of Colonel Tom Parker; to the immortal days with Sinatra and Rat Pack glory; to his crowning hits as a movie producer, starting with Robert Altman and Nashville, continuing with Oh, God!, The Karate Kid movies, and Diner, among others, and summiting with Steven Soderbergh and Ocean's Eleven, Twelve, and Thirteen.

Along the way, we'll watch as Jerry moves from the poker tables of Palm Springs (the games went on for days), to the power rooms of Hollywood, to the halls of the White House, to Red Square in Moscow and the Great Palace in Beijing-all the while counseling potentates, poets, and kings, with clients and confidants like George Clooney, Bruce Willis, George H. W. Bush, Armand Hammer, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Bob Dylan, Led Zeppelin, John Denver, Bobby Fischer . . .well, the list goes on forever.

And of course, the story is not yet over . . .as the old-timers say, "The best is yet to come."

As Weintraub says, "When I stop talking, you'll know I'm dead."

With wit, wisdom, and the cool confidence that has colored his remarkable career, Jerry chronicles a quintessentially American journey, one marked by luck, love, and improvisation. The stories he tells and the lessons we learn are essential, not just for those who love movies and music, but for businessmen, entrepreneurs, artists . . . everyone.
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  1. Print length
    304 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Twelve
  4. Publication date
    March 23, 2011
  5. Dimensions
    6 x 0.88 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0446548162
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0446548168
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Now, I could tell you stories about Jerry, but Jerry is the first and best to tell them. He's funny and grumpy and perfectly inappropriate. When it comes to work, nobody works harder. When it comes to charities, nobody guilts better. And when it comes to friendship, he has no peers. That's Jerry's great talent. He doesn't just light up a room, he lights it on fire. He's a great producer, a great organizer, a great friend, and truly the greatest showman on earth."―George Clooney

"Edgy and honest but refreshingly spare in his criticism of stars, colleagues and family . . . With a bold voice, a storied career, and a cast of superstars, Weintraub's memoir makes a rousing insider tour of some five decades in the entertainment industry."―Publisher's Weekly

"As the title of the book indicates, Weintraub loves to talk. And the 72-year-old impresario has some amazing stories to tell . . . All the stories are told in Weintraub's shooting-the-breeze voice. Credit for the easy-to-read style goes to Rich Cohen, a contributing editor at Vanity Fair magazine who turned Weintraub's tales into a breezy first-person narrative."―Rick Warner, Bloomberg News

"It reads at times like a screenplay: a rags-to-riches tale complete with stunning reversals of fortune, punchy dialogue, and star cameos galore . . . Even the lows are enviable."―Nathaniel Rich, VANITY FAIR

"Jerry has made a fascinating career for himself by finding ways to put on a show and sell tickets at the door. Jerry has bloomed wherever he's been planted. His life has put him in the company of greats like Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, The Rat Pack, Robert Altman, and Steven Soderbergh, to name a few. Jerry's story chronicles his journey that involved a lot of improvising, love, and of course, luck. This story isn't just for music or movie lovers, or entrepreneurs....it's for everyone. So, pick up your copy of When I Stop Talking, You'll Know I'm Dead by Jerry Weintraub... If there was a Mount Rushmore of legendary show business figures, he'd be one of them."―Don Imus

"When I Stop Talking is anything but a rote, let-the-record-show memoir . . . Although it's packed with stories he's surely been telling at dinner forever, the book is also a modest set of guidelines for how you too can be a successful mogul . . . it's written with stealth and style, doubtless shaped by his co-writer, Rich Cohen . . . The book, really, is a performance, a monologue by a guy comfortable hanging with Armand Hammer at Leonid Brezhnev's funeral or with Joey Bishop at a deli. It's a show based on horse pucky on braggadocio."―RJ Smith, LA Times

"This is a guy who can tell a story. And boy does he have stories to tell."―People Magazine

"Weintraub knows a thing or two about placing bets. And his latest venture sounds like a sure thing-an autobiography, pithily titled When I Stop Talking, You'll Know I'm Dead: Useful Stories from a Persuasive Man . . . [it's] a gripping personal story."―Entertainment Weekly

"Old chestnuts from this journey are lovingly, and often hilariously, burnished in Weintraub's new memoir, When I Stop Talking, You'll Know I'm Dead . . . The book, which is in no way a scandalous, showbiz tell-all, but a good-humored, and often self-deprecating romp of outrageous will and amazing fortune, also paints a picture of uncanny bliss."―Nicole LaPorte, The Daily Beast

About the Author

Jerry Weintraub has spent more than five decades in show business, in the process earning a reputation as one of the savviest negotiators, smartest producers, and shrewdest film investors of our time. He has been praised and honored for his philanthropic work and, as UNICEF's Man of the Year, was presented the organization's Danny Kaye Humanitarian Award.

Rich Cohen, a contributing editor at Vanity Fair and Rolling Stone, is the author of five books, including the bestsellers Tough Jews, The Avengers, and Israel Is Real. He lives in Connecticut with his wife, his dog, and many masculine children.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Twelve; Illustrated edition (March 23, 2011)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0446548162
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0446548168
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.88 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 1,186 ratings

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  1. Jerry Weintraub

    Jerry Weintraub

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  2. Rich Cohen

    Rich Cohen

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    Rich Cohen is the author of the New York Times bestsellers Tough Jews; Monsters: The 1985 Chicago Bears and the Wild Heart of Football; Sweet and Low; When I Stop Talking, You’ll Know I’m Dead (with Jerry Weintraub); The Sun & the Moon & the Rolling Stones; The Chicago Cubs: Story of a Curse, and Pee Wees: Confessions of a Hockey Parent. His new book, When The Game Was War: The NBA’s Greatest season, will be published on September 5th, by Random House. He is a co-creator of the HBO series Vinyl, an Editor at Large at Air Mail and a columnist at the Wall Street Journal. He has written for The New Yorker, The Atlantic, and Harper’s Magazine, among other publications. Cohen has won the Great Lakes Book Award, the Chicago Public Library’s 21st Century Award, and the ASCAP Deems Taylor Award for outstanding coverage of music. His stories have been included in The Best American Essays and The Best American Travel Writing. Despite frequent predictions, he still lives in Connecticut.

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
1,186 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

José Vera Campello
5.0 out of 5 stars A true adventure of the modern times
Reviewed in the United States on October 24, 2023
Verified Purchase
I got to read this book as it was mentioned in another book, don't remueve which one.

I would've never stumbled upon this gem of a book myself, I was not even aware this person existed. But that's only the first rarity of this book.

The way Jerry tells his story and the way you learn about his amazing life, all is so well told, so interesting, so full of life and joy of life itself.

This folk was really second to none when it comes to arrange a show, and in his life he met the most singular individuals and went to the most exotic locations with them, and befriended everyone on the way.

The book is really from a true old schooler of a man, and it's a very manly book indeed. You cannot read it and not wish you were like him.

There's a passage in the Wikipedia entry for Jerry Weintraub, from George Clooney, which likely describes Jerry the best:

"When it comes to work, nobody works harder. When it comes to charities, nobody guilts better. And when it comes to friendship, he has no peers. That's Jerry's great talent. He doesn't just light up a room, he lights it on fire. He's a great producer, a great organizer, a great friend, and truly the greatest showman on earth."

If only because it's a great story packed with real wisdom, read this book.
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Richard of Connecticut
5.0 out of 5 stars Only in HOLLYWOOD could a story like this be TRUE - 5 Stars for CHUTZBAH!!!!
Reviewed in the United States on December 7, 2010
Verified Purchase
What a story, and who knows what the real truth is, because a book like this is a Hollywood book, and like Hollywood accounting, guys like Weintraub re-invent themselves all the time. You dress the part, you look the part, you drive the big fancy car, and meanwhile, the repo man could be coming around the block. That's Hollywood, and the rest is whatever is in print. Now having said that, what a story and Weintraub tells it as only he can. There's a reason however why the book's cover has a giant picture of Weintraub walking across the Brooklyn Bridge. He's got something to sell each of us.

A young Jewish boy from the Brooklyn and raised in the Bronx, he ultimately has the good fortune to realize, why work for a living if you don't have it, instead just go Hollywood. The early years are very interesting to me, because they set the tone of the life to follow. At a young age, Weintraub realizes he can create a whole new world for himself out of his sheer will. Now in his 70's, he is full of the wisdom that only a long and reflected life can impart to a human being. This book is truly worth reading. Here is just some of the wisdom and fabulous concepts of living that you are going to find in these pages just full of pearls of wisdom:

* Just ENJOY, whatever path you take means there's another path that you can't take. You make one choice, it eliminates another choice.

* His dad was in the jewelry business, and taught him that it's not the gem that the customer buys. It's always the story behind the gem. Customers want the romance; give them the romance by giving them a story.

* He learned early on that in the end, in business, and in life, the only thing that really mattered were RELATIONSHIPS.

* He goes to the Martha Graham's workshop in New York and studies acting. He takes two great lessons from this experience. One is that he learns what actors really need emotionally. This lesson would stay with him the rest of his life. The second is that he is requested to put on slippers and tights for one of the performance classes. He couldn't do it, but young actor James Caan (The Godfather movie) could, and therein lays the difference. Caan is the actor today, and Weintraub is the producer.

* If you want to understand the importance of the MENTOR in a person's life read this book. From Weintraub's wife Jane Morgan to Hollywood legend Lew Wasserman, there was always the presence of the MENTOR.

* He warns us to never get too attached to things because the world is always changing, and either you change with it, or you get left behind.

* Many people do not like starting at the bottom of an organization, but the author insists that if you start at the bottom, the worst jobs are the most instructive. Such a job allows you to observe, to learn and most importantly to float through an organization virtually unseen during the process.

* Always act like you're the guy in charge. If you do, no one will have the guts to stop you. I have seen this countless times, whether it is at night clubs, theaters, or the White House. Just walk right through. The mental midgets will get right out of your way.

This book is a page turner. It is one magnificent story after another. Every page presents you with wisdom that you can only obtain by living through the author's experiences. Weintraub knew everybody in show business, and he managed the legends. At one time or another he had Joey Bishop, Jack Paar, and the Four Seasons under contract. These contractual agreements led to him getting lucky. He gets a call from the VOICE one day, and it's Frank Sinatra. Weintraub would wind up doing business with Sinatra for years. The same thing would happen with Elvis Presley, and there is no question that the author invented John Denver from scratch. He creates a whole relationship out of thin air with former President George H W Bush. You have to read it to believe it.

CONCLUSION:

This is a book that you want to dig your teeth into. It's a book to give to a young person to teach him how to be successful. The author could have given it another name, and called it AN OPERATOR'S MANUAL FOR SUCCESS. For in this book, you are truly taken into a world that very few people are ever exposed to, but if you take the time to master the lessons that Weintraub has to teach you, it could change your life. It did change his.

I promise you that if you begin to read this book, you will be taken on a transformative joyride. Whether you believe the stories, or just part of them, Weintraub's use of metaphor to explore, to change, and to enlighten you will achieve that goal. You will be better off for it, and you will enjoy the thrill of a first class read. Go ahead; take the chance, and thank you for reading this review.

Richard C. Stoyeck
6 people found this helpful
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Rick Spell
4.0 out of 5 stars A True Player
Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2010
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Here is a great fast read of a Player in the 60s, 70s and beyond in the entertainment business. What makes this biography so fascinating is the breadth of his relationships. Jerry is an agent who hits it big in the music business and concert productions which he controls by redefining the cost structure and negotiating tactics. Names are dropped her fast and furious as he produced Elvis and Sinatra and keeps parlaying his success to others. A fascinating story is how he took a down and out newcomer John Denver and turned him into a star. I liked Denver a lot but his career was unique. A Pop folksy star who quickly does schmaltzy TV shows branding him forever as a lightweight. Jerry was that influence. Later Denver fires Jerry and there is much animosity for years. Weintraub is very forthcoming about the story.

From music Weintraub segways to movies and is still on the scene as a producer for Oceans 11, 12 and 13. Now he's tight with Clooney, Pitt and Damon although frankly these movies that are vehicles to sucker people for another sequel without a great story are not of interest to me and I only saw the first mediocre one and had had enough. He is truly a player in the industry though and has a story to tell.

What may be most fascinating are his relationships with George Bush and Armand Hammer. These interesting sidelights really provide a well rounded book of a guy that has led a fascinating life.

Overall I like this book very much and it read very quickly. Frankly this book is a little choppy and I believe he could have added more depth because he clearly has had an interesting life and recognizes his good fortune.
5 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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bryan g.
5.0 out of 5 stars FUN READ
Reviewed in Canada on October 24, 2021
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What an amazing life, told by a natural storyteller.
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Perry
5.0 out of 5 stars One of my fave books.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 16, 2024
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I’ve read a lot of books and when it comes to biographies/memoirs, this is one of my favourites.
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David Hernandez
5.0 out of 5 stars Se
Reviewed in Mexico on January 22, 2019
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Increible biografía.

El último gran productor del Hollywood antiguo

Todas las historias que se cuentan son increíbles incluso las que son tristes
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Lionel Tillmann
5.0 out of 5 stars Spannende Biographie
Reviewed in Germany on October 21, 2019
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Spannend und motivierend geschriebene Biographie. Kann ich nur jedem empfehlen, der Einblicke in das Leben interessanter Persönlichkeiten mag.
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santhosh
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book
Reviewed in India on September 16, 2018
Verified Purchase
Great stories indeed from a persuasive man Jerry weintraub. The story of him taking Elvis on a road trip is just fascinating. His stories are worth a read. You will get good ideas about on networking and how to influence people. From a nobody in Bronx he became a somebody in Hollywood. Nice read ! 👍
One person found this helpful
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