Limato is free to go

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An arbitrator has sided with talent agent Ed Limato's desire to leave ICM after 32 years and take his hot-shot clients -- Denzel Washington is the biggest, along with Mel Gibson (temporary toast), Richard Gere (on the way down), Steve Martin (a lot less than what he was), Billy Crystal (diminishing returns) and Liam Neeson (Abraham Lincoln!) -- with him to the next gig. ICM didn't want that to happen and they tussled, but now it's over and Limato, in the words of ICM General Counsel Richard B. Levy, "is now able to accept new employment opportunities." The Denzel loss alone is obviously bad news for ICM, and is sure to further observations that this once-major super agency isn't what it used to be. Nikki Finke will jump into this sometime soon.

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on August 13, 2007 at 6:29 PM

comment #1

lazarus says ...

Gere on the WAY down? From what, The Bee Season? The guy hasn't been up since 2002. That was 5 years ago.

You'd think Martin would have had the decency to retire by now, or maybe even kill himself. I don't know what disgusted me more, the Disney pandering of Cheaper by the Dozen, the attempt to go Urban with Bringing Down the House, or the unexplainable attempt to fill Peter Sellers' shoes in The Pink Panther. Take your pick; they were all abortions, all soulless jobs taken for the money.

Posted by lazarus at August 13, 2007 7:04 PM

comment #2

D.Z. says ...

lazarus: I'm still not sure why Martin is any worse in Pink Panther than Roberto Benigni.

Posted by D.Z. at August 13, 2007 7:14 PM

comment #3

rgmax99 says ...

Call me insane, but I actually like Martin's "Pink Panther." Granted it ain't Sellers/Edwards, but it gave me some good laughs.

That said, Martin's overall cinematic choices have been horrific, particularly in the past 10 to 15 years. I've always enjoyed his personal comedic style -- whether it be from the SNL days to his brilliant New Yorker pieces, but Cheaper by the Dozen, Bringing Down the House, Sgt. Bilko, etc., etc.

The Spanish Prisoner (hands down his best dramatic role), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, All of Me, Man with Two Brains*, Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid -- all of these and more highlight his film smarts. He has the ability to pick quality product, yet he squanders his wonderful talents on no-brain junk.

I still love him though. Platonically, of course.

*Merv Griffin RIP

Posted by rgmax99 at August 13, 2007 7:42 PM

comment #4

lazarus says ...

D.Z., at that point in time, it really wasn't beneath Benigni, was it?

I wouldn't really expect him to know better anyway.

Were you paid to see Pink Panther, rgmax? Because I can't imagine why anyone would want to contribute to and positively reinforce the studios' worst tendencies.

You can't go willingly to films like that and complain about the state of Hollywood today, really.

Posted by lazarus at August 13, 2007 7:56 PM

comment #5

Josh Massey says ...

From an agent's point of view, Martin has never been hotter. Four of his top six highest grossing movies have come in the past four years.

Yes, the two highest grossing movies of Martin's career are Cheaper By the Dozen and Bringing Down the House. It may make you throw up a little, but it's true.

Posted by Josh Massey at August 13, 2007 8:05 PM

comment #6

PerfectTommy says ...

Aside from the tastelessness of urging suicide upon anyone, I can skip Martin the vehicles coming out, but I would greatly miss Steve Martin the writer. His New Yorker essays are fun as was his novel "The Pleasure of My Company" (not a Shop Girl fan). (And along with the other good films rgmax99 mentioned, he did the two best Hollywood comedies from the 90s that weren't The Player, LA Story and Bowfinger.

Posted by PerfectTommy at August 13, 2007 8:19 PM

comment #7

rgmax99 says ...

Lazarus: I actually watched Panther in a St. Louis, MO hotel room late one night.

PerfectTommu: Forgot about Bowfinger -- good one. I enjoyed Shopgirl.

I haven't seen L.A. Story since it was in theatres -- not sure why, but it never really clicked with me.

And Massey's post is depressing.

By the way, wasn't this about Limato's exit?

Posted by rgmax99 at August 13, 2007 8:27 PM

comment #8

BurmaShave says ...

Count me as another fan of THE PINK PANTHER remake. Martin and Reno were hysterical together. I'm actually looking forward to the sequel. It had its moments, and Emily Mortimer was pretty hot in it. That Beyonce girl (whoever she is) was also all right.

Posted by BurmaShave at August 13, 2007 9:36 PM

comment #9

christian says ...

THE PINK PANTHER was staggeringly unfunny. period.

Posted by christian at August 14, 2007 12:13 AM

comment #10

Dzayson says ...

The Jerk was, and is, funny. I'll fight anyone who says otherwise!

Posted by Dzayson at August 14, 2007 1:39 AM

comment #11

Spacesheik says ...

2002 was the year for Richard Gere with UNFAITHFUL doing solid biz and CHICAGO doing blockbuster business, but he's done excellent work since then in THE MOTHMAN PROPHECIES (a fine thriller), SHALL WE DANCE? (which did solid biz overseas as well) and HOAX (which he was excellent in). I wouldn't underestimate his appeal, as he has a few flicks on the way including THE HUNTING PARTY.

Billy Crystal, however, is not 'diminishing returns,' he's 'over and out.'

Steve Martin is on a roll, he's the only golden age SNL performer who continues to be a star (Bill Murray is an excellent character actor but not a star). BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE, THE PINK PANTHER, and CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN were solid hits and he occasionally does interesting work in flicks like SHOPGIRL.

I am not a fan of the work he did for the PINK PANTHER (personally I would've cast Kevin Kline - his co-star - in the role) or the film itself but it updated the franchise, bringing in audiences and revenue (large credit goes to Sony for the re-editing and marketing of the film - the film could've flopped badly, it didn't making over $80 million domestic jump starting a new Sony franchise).

Posted by Spacesheik at August 14, 2007 5:42 AM

comment #12

Spacesheik says ...

Having said that, I do miss the 'wild and crazy' Steve Martin from movies like THE JERK, DEAD MEN DON'T WEAR PLAID, ALL OF ME etc ---

Here's Martin doing Michael Jackson's 'Billy Jean': http://youtube.com/watch?v=YH7KIWmQDLo&mode=related&search=

Someone bring back THAT Martin!

Posted by Spacesheik at August 14, 2007 5:50 AM

comment #13

buckzollo says ...

The sum of those marquee names seemingly are far more valuable to ICM and their ability to compete as a big boy than say the respective value of the individual stars.

Posted by buckzollo at August 14, 2007 7:22 AM

comment #14