Chapter 31: The String-Puller

Wed, Apr 15, 1970 (Tax Day)

“Yesterday is history, Tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift of God,

which is why we call it the Present”

-Bill Keane

Red & I were really Grieving over the loss of Blue. We all hated to stop Red from our Rides through Central Park, as he was happily Running his little legs off, keeping up with us.

The solution, was to keep Red in the Trailer until we reached the wide Jogging Path that circled the Jackie O Reservoir, then he could Run free w/o any fear of being hit. It brought me great joy to see him so happy & free. It was 1.7 Miles around Jackie O, so it was a great Run for Red. He Barked all the way until he was let out of the Trailer, very annoying, so I used a little Mindbending on him to relax. He chilled much more on the way Home though, being tuckered out.

The Jackie O Reservoir was featured in the Film, Marathon Man, with Dustin Hoffman & Laurence Olivier. Dustin made Laurence swallow as many Diamonds as he could, otherwise, he would throw the rest into the Water...

Ali & all those around Red & I, tried to help by being super supportive of both of us, giving us much love. Red had always Slept next to my Left Shoulder, while Blue Slept on my Right, between Ali & I.

Of the 2, Red had always been the one who followed me around. Since losing his Twin Brother, Blue, Red was even more Bonded to me, always looking to see where I was. He loved to curl up on a low shelf near me, or under my chair. From now on, Red would go with me as I Traveled, he was my Buddy.

Regular Season, Game 7, at Boston Red Sox. We Lost 2-6. When were our Bats gonna Light Up?

Fenway Park was like Wrigley Field & Yankee Stadium, as it was cranky & old. It was Built in 1912, with its Green Monster in Left Field. Reggie & Curt Hit Long Fly Balls, that Hit high off The Wall, dropping In Play as Doubles, but not Homers, as would have happened at most other Parks.

Grateful Dead & New Riders of the Purple Sage, Day 2 of 6 @ RCMH, 8pm. The Dead never Played the same Songs, 2 Shows in a row, so many Deadheads Bought Seats for all 6 Shows.

Phil Jackson, future Chicago Bulls Head Coach, was there, as he was a huge Deadhead. He currently was a Player for the NY Knicks. He would Retire as a Player in 1980.

The Dead gave everyone a sneak peak at their great new Song that would be Released Nov 1, 1970:

“Truckin’ got my chips cashed in

Keep Truckin’ like the doodah man

Together, more or less in line

Just Keep Truckin’ on

Arrows of neon and flashing marquees out on Main Street

Chicago, New York, Detroit and its all the same street

Your typical city involved in a typical daydream

Hang it up and see what tomorrow brings

Dallas got a soft machine

Houston too close to New Orleans

New York got the ways and means

But just won’t let you be

Most of the cats that you meet on the street speak of true love

Most of the time they’re sitting and crying at home

One of these days they know they gotta get going

Out of the door and into the street all alone

Truckin’ like the doodah man

Once told me “Gotta play your hand

Sometimes the cards ain’t worth a dime

If you don’t lay them down”

Sometimes the lights all shining on me

Other times I can barely see

Lately it occurs to me

What a long strange trip it’s been

What in the world ever became of sweet Jane?

She lost her sparkle you know she isn’t the same

Living on Reds and Vitamin C and Cocaine

All her friends can say is ain’t it a shame

Truckin’ up to Buffalo

Been thinking you got to mellow slow

Takes time, you pick a place to go

Just Keep Truckin’ on

Sitting and staring out of the hotel window

Got a tip they’re gonna kick the door in again

Like to get some sleep before I travel

But if you got a warrant I guess you’re gonna come in

Busted down on Bourbon Street

Set up like a bowling pin

Knocked down, it gets to wearing thin

They just won’t let you be

You’re sick of hanging around, you’d like to travel

Get tired of traveling you want to settle down

I guess they can’t revoke your soul for trying

Get out of the door, light out and look all around

Sometimes the lights all shining on me

Other times I can barely see

Lately it occurs to me

What a long strange trip it’s been

Truckin’ I’m a going home

Whoa, whoa, baby, back where I belong

Back home, sit down and patch my bones

And get back truckin’ on”

Truckin’

By The Grateful Dead

Written by Jerry Garcia, Robert Hunter, Bob Weir & Phil Lesh

Thur, Apr 16, 1970

Adolph Zukor called today, & he was so happy, he was almost cackling. He wanted to meet me regarding Gulf & Western, the Corporation who had gobbled up his old Paramount Pictures Studios.

Adolph, now 97yo, had been forced out as Chairman of Paramount, in 1957. He still owned 19% of G&W Stock, never selling his old Paramount Stock.

Adolph asked me to bring my Top-5 Partners, as they were needed.

D-Rock, Harry Helmsley & Bill Paley went with me to the Paramount Building in Times Square. Warren Buffett was back in Omaha, but he was excited about the Takeover.

We met Adolph in T-SqFilm&TV’s HQ Office in the Paramount Building, as Adolph’s Office was small.

Adolph had been calling the other major G&W Stockholders, & now had Proxies that controlled 66% of G&W’s Stock! Since Adolph Owned 19% already, we were buying another 47%, to reach 66%. We would eventually Buy the rest of the Stock, taking Paramount Private, but for now, 66% gave us Voting Rights to Control G&W. The 47% of Stock we were Buying, was Owned by 2 Insurance Companies.

Adolph had called for an Emergency G&W Stockholders Meeting, for later that night, at the G&W Building, at the SW Corner of Central Park, @ Columbus Circle, @ 8th Ave/CPW & 59th St/CPS & Broadway.

Since D-Rock’s Rockefeller Family controlled Chase Manhattan Bank, we would use Chase to Finance the Deal.

In 1969, D-Rock had reorganized Chase into the Chase Manhattan Corporation, cementing his control over it.

Adolph assured us, that after taking Control of G&W, we could sell most of G&W, keeping only Paramount & the G&W Building. We may even break even, meaning we’d get Paramount & the Building free!

The Meeting was fun as hell, as after the Vote, Adolph personally Fired the Top Execs, who had forced him out 13 Years before.

Adolph then became Paramount’s Chairman again! We would get Barry Diller to Run it, like he did in Ralf’s time, but just a few years before, this time: 1970, as opposed to 1974.

We would funnel most our our future Projects through Paramount, maxing out it’s Studio Capacity.

I asked Barry Duller to recruit 2 of his future Killer Diller’s, right away. Michael Eisner & Jeffrey Katzenberg were just starting out in 1970, but both would be huge soon. I thought they could help Barry out, as he was getting spread pretty thin. He was now in Control of: BS Studios, HBO, & now Paramount. Barry had a Legion of MFG’s doing most of the work he generated though.

Regular Season, Game 8, at Boston Red Sox. We Lost 5-8.

Grateful Dead & New Riders of the Purple Sage, Day 3 of 6 @ RCMH, 8pm.

Fr, Apr 17, 1970

The Top-5 spent the day at D-Rock’s Chase Manhattan Bank’s HQ Building. It was built in 1961, leading the way to newer, Taller Buildings. It had 60 Floors above Ground, the Ground Floor, as well as 5 subterranean Floors. To it’s North, was the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Wall Street was 1 Block South.