Emmy Time

I met a movie and television producer. How did that happen? Well I work for the Department of Parks and Recreation of Los Angeles County. We had our 2009 Employee Symposium held at the Arboretum in Arcadia, California. The guest speaker was Stan M. Brooks who is an Emmy Award winning producer of movies and television. I believe the Emmy award was for producing Rain Man with Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise. In 1996 he was, deservedly, recognized by the Board of Supervisors for his special contribution to the parks and children of Los Angeles. For the short time I listened to him he turned out to be a very nice person.

Stan spoke about his dream as a child to work in movies. He said to be nice to the people going up because you’re going to meet them coming down. He compared that to the actor John Duvall who was such a great actor but everyone he worked with just hated working with him. As a result, he didn’t get many jobs. Then he compared it to Walter. I can’t remember the last name. How much Walter was admired by everyone he worked with and when those that worked with him met others that worked with him and they all shared positive experiences with him. With Duvall, it was different. People wanted to get their guns out and shoot him type of reaction. So he encouraged us to get along with everyone you meet. He said those that may be your assistance today may later on be someone you are working for in the future! He told it better than I am doing here.

Lou Gossett of the movie Roots was the one that handed him the Emmy. He brought his Emmy award to the meeting and he allowed us to hold it and take our pictures with it. I didn’t have a camera but asked another employee, Imee Perius, and she was nice enough to take my picture. I wanted to take it with him in it as well but he was busy talking with some people at the time.

So here is the picture and…. I want to thank my wife and my mom and dad for helping my get this award…. and to my boys who I hope are not in bed yet….



If you want to know more about Stan…. He told us a story of how Beverly Hills, in the 70s, would publish the names and addresses of ALL the residences who live in Beverly Hills. So that included all the famous actors and actresses. For Halloween he dressed up as Groucho and he and his friends knock on Groucho’s door. A woman dressed in a black and white maids outfit answered and said they had no candy and she left leaving the door open. He saw a very large painting of Groucho hanging on the wall so he knew he was at the right home. Then a young woman walked by and saw them and called Groucho over to see his Groucho costume. Groucho invited them in and they had a very nice visit with him.

In 1995, he founded Once Upon a Time Films and the Hollywood Indies Little League Foundation and has two movies coming out later this year.

It was a really nice visit listening to his experiences.