When I Knew Al: The Untold Story of Al Pacino

TWO ACTORS, ONE DREAM… DIFFERENT ENDINGS “When I Knew Al” is a biography of actor Al Pacino through the eyes of his friend and first mentor, fellow actor Ed De Leo. Both grew up in the Bronx and both had the hunger to act -- an inborn feeling that they couldn't suppress. They both studied acting together and remained friends over the years. One became a superstar, the other kept faltering at every turn, unable to get a break. What did Al Pacino do to succeed? What caused Ed De Leo to fall short? In this unique and fascinating story, we experience Pacino's stormy affairs and relationships with Diane Keaton, Jill Clayburgh, Tuesday Weld, Kathleen Quinlan and Beverly D'Angelo… his mental demons… his alcoholism… his fears… and his desires. We follow his rivalry with Dustin Hoffman, his friendship with Robert De Niro, the loss of four close friends from drugs, his problems at the Actors Studio, his bashing by the critics, his refusal to compromise his art. We visit all of his stage and screen performances. At the same time we experience De Leo's struggles, his faltering at every turn, his often humorous career moves and adventures that kept him from making it. Chock full of incidents with famous directors, producers and critics, it is a must-read for people of all ages, film fans, theatre-goers, actors, teachers and performing artists. Aside from being a journey through the worlds of off-Broadway, Broadway and Hollywood, the book contains chapters that are hilariously funny.

DAVID SHELDON David Sheldon, a busy writer-director-producer, is currently producing "Texas Hold 'Em," a ninety-million dollar motion picture which starts filming in Dallas, Las Vegas and Monte Carlo this summer. He wrote the screenplay with Joan McCall. He produced and directed "The Legend of Dark Mountain" which was screened at the Cannes Film Festival. He co-authored the screenplay "Predator: The Concert" which stars George Clooney, Charlie Sheen, Laura Dern, Louise Fletcher, Deborah Raffin and John Rhys-Davies. He has written, directed and/or produced twelve feature films and is also active in television. He wrote and produced "Secrets of a Small Town" for Twentieth Century-Fox Television. He has been in business with most of the Hollywood studios. One of his first feature films, "Grizzly," which he wrote and produced, is one of the most financially successful independent films in motion picture history, earning 50 times its cost worldwide. He wrote, directed and/or produced "Lovely But Deadly," "Just Before Dawn," "The Guardian," "The Evil," "Day of the Animals," "The Manitou," "Sheba Baby," "Peopletoys," and "Abby." He started out in Hollywood as Director of Screenplay Development for Lawrence A. Gordon ("48 Hours," "Field Of Dreams," "Die Hard," etc.) at Orion/American International Pictures. He supervised various aspects of productions such as "Dillinger," "Sisters," "The Reincarnation of Peter Proud," "Futureworld," “Amityville Horror,” and "Walking Tall." He subsequently went into partnership with producer Phil Feldman (“Blue Thunder,” “The Toy,” “A Star is Born,” “The Getaway.”).Sheldon earned an M.F.A. degree in writing and directing at the Yale University School of Drama and has been a member of the Director's Unit of the Actors Studio in New York. During his college years and shortly thereafter, he produced and directed over 100 Broadway plays and musicals at the Gateway Playhouse in Bellport, Long Island, owned by his family. He subsequently became director of the Columbia Pictures Talent Farm developing new writers and actors under the supervision of Columbia Pictures talent scout Joyce Selznick.His outstanding work has been acclaimed in Newsweek, Life Magazine, the New York Times and other publications. .David Sheldon, a busy writer-director-producer, is currently producing "Texas Hold 'Em," a ninety-million dollar motion picture which starts filming in Dallas, Las Vegas and Monte Carlo this summer. He wrote the screenplay with Joan McCall. He produced and directed "The Legend of Dark Mountain" which was screened at the Cannes Film Festival. He co-authored the screenplay "Predator: The Concert" which stars George Clooney, Charlie Sheen, Laura Dern, Louise Fletcher, Deborah Raffin and John Rhys-Davies. He has written, directed and/or produced twelve feature films and is also active in television. He wrote and produced "Secrets of a Small Town" for Twentieth Century-Fox Television. He has been in business with most of the Hollywood studios. One of his first feature films, "Grizzly," which he wrote and produced, is one of the most financially successful independent films in motion picture history, earning 50 times its cost worldwide. He wrote, directed and/or produced "Lovely But Deadly," "Just Before Dawn," "The Guardian," "The Evil," "Day of the Animals," "The Manitou," "Sheba Baby," "Peopletoys," and "Abby." He started out in Hollywood as Director of Screenplay Development for Lawrence A. Gordon ("48 Hours," "Field Of Dreams," "Die Hard," etc.) at Orion/American International Pictures. He supervised various aspects of productions such as "Dillinger," "Sisters," "The Reincarnation of Peter Proud," "Futureworld," “Amityville Horror,” and "Walking Tall." He subsequently went into partnership with producer Phil Feldman (“Blue Thunder,” “The Toy,” “A Star is Born,” “The Getaway.”).Sheldon earned an M.F.A. degree in writing and directing at the Yale University School of Drama and has been a member of the Director's Unit of the Actors Studio in New York. During his college years and shortly thereafter, he produced and directed over 100 Broadway plays and musicals at the Gateway Playhouse in Bellport, Long Island, owned by his family. He subsequently became director of the Columbia Pictures Talent Farm developing new writers and actors under the supervision of Columbia Pictures talent scout Joyce Selznick.His outstanding work has been acclaimed in Newsweek, Life Magazine, the New York Times and other publications. . JOAN McCALL One of the most prolific writers in Hollywood, Joan McCall has written over forty screenplays on assignment including the recent sale of three “spec” scripts "Timelapse," "Between Two Worlds," and "Respect." She is co-author of "Texas Hold 'Em," a major motion picture which starts filming this summer. Her screenplay, "Shirley," about the racecar driver, Shirley Muldowney, was developed and produced as a popular motion picture under the title "Heart Like a Wheel." Her feature film, "Predator: The Concert," which she co-authored with David Sheldon, filmed in Europe starring George Clooney, Charlie Sheen, Laura Dern, Deborah Raffin, Louise Fletcher and Deborah Foreman, is in post-production. In addition to her screenplay writing, Joan has written over 200 scripts for network television. She was a staff writer for NBC's "Santa Barbara," for New World Television, and has written many scripts and stories for " Days of Our Lives" (NBC). As a contract writer for "Another World" (CBS), Ms. McCall wrote two scripts a week. She was a continuing writer for "Capitol," and she wrote a bible (a six-month story projection) for "Search For Tomorrow" (CBS). Joan McCall has also had a successful career as an actress. She has starred on Broadway in several hit plays by writers such as Neil Simon, Woody Allen and Evan Hunter, in a number of national tours of Broadway shows, and in several Hollywood motion pictures. A native of Kentucky, Joan graduated from Berea College with a B.A. degree in art and theater. She trained for the theater in New York and studied with Lee Strasberg and Charles Conrad. A novelist as well as a screenwriter, she just completed two new books, "Maggie” and “When I Knew Al,” a biography of Al Pacino. Speaking fluent French, she is a member of the French Circle in Los Angeles and has served as President of the prestigious Salon Francaise. ED DE LEO (The first-person voice of the book) ED DE LEO was an actor and an acting coach. He and Al Pacino studied acting together at the Herbert Bergoff Studio in New York in the 50s. De Leo coached Pacino and encouraged him to pursue an acting career. They stayed in touch over the years while pursuing separate careers. De Leo appeared in several movies including “Gettysburg,” “The Pope of Greenwich Village,” "My Favorite Year," "Sunrise at Campobello" and “Author, Author.” His television appearances include “Mission Impossible,” "Search For Tomorrow," "Naked City," "East Side West Side," "Fantasy Island," and a recurring role on “City.” He performed in New York in productions of “A Hatful of Rain,” "End as a Man," and “Death of a Salesman.” Many of his acting students have gone on to achieve success in film, television and on Broadway. He died in June, 2004. DAVID SHELDON David Sheldon, a busy writer-director-producer, is currently producing "Texas Hold 'Em," a ninety-million dollar motion picture which starts filming in Dallas, Las Vegas and Monte Carlo this summer. He wrote the screenplay with Joan McCall. He produced and directed "The Legend of Dark Mountain" which was screened at the Cannes Film Festival. He co-authored the screenplay "Predator: The Concert" which stars George Clooney, Charlie Sheen, Laura Dern, Louise Fletcher, Deborah Raffin and John Rhys-Davies. He has written, directed and/or produced twelve feature films and is also active in television. He wrote and produced "Secrets of a Small Town" for Twentieth Century-Fox Television. He has been in business with most of the Hollywood studios. One of his first feature films, "Grizzly," which he wrote and produced, is one of the most financially successful independent films in motion picture history, earning 50 times its cost worldwide. He wrote, directed and/or produced "Lovely But Deadly," "Just Before Dawn," "The Guardian," "The Evil," "Day of the Animals," "The Manitou," "Sheba Baby," "Peopletoys," and "Abby." He started out in Hollywood as Director of Screenplay Development for Lawrence A. Gordon ("48 Hours," "Field Of Dreams," "Die Hard," etc.) at Orion/American International Pictures. He supervised various aspects of productions such as "Dillinger," "Sisters," "The Reincarnation of Peter Proud," "Futureworld," “Amityville Horror,” and "Walking Tall." He subsequently went into partnership with producer Phil Feldman (“Blue Thunder,” “The Toy,” “A Star is Born,” “The Getaway.”).Sheldon earned an M.F.A. degree in writing and directing at the Yale University School of Drama and has been a member of the Director's Unit of the Actors Studio in New York. During his college years and shortly thereafter, he produced and directed over 100 Broadway plays and musicals at the Gateway Playhouse in Bellport, Long Island, owned by his family. He subsequently became director of the Columbia Pictures Talent Farm developing new writers and actors under the supervision of Columbia Pictures talent scout Joyce Selznick.His outstanding work has been acclaimed in Newsweek, Life Magazine, the New York Times and other publications. . JOAN McCALL One of the most prolific writers in Hollywood, Joan McCall has written over forty screenplays on assignment including9781936183623\Lee Harmon now lives in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, and works as a computer programmer but wrote this book while residing in Oregon on a small hobby farm. He grew up in a strict Christian home, surrounded by fundamental Bible beliefs.