Chicago Tribune from Chicago, Illinois • 253

Chicago Tribune, Sunday, May 11, 1936 Section 13 Paoe 3 Aif "A hilarious spoof, a'muat mo Kup, Chicago Sun-Tlmas "An ventrtg of fast and funny arrtrtarwTrt tfc WLS TV, Chicago fp. "An affecttonata A funny revua spoofing Broadway jj kjkm Chicago's Laitg'ftanalng HH IMialcal CosMdy Wawia ytjy 7 Vica Thsta ram i s- lVOW Pailefmamjss mghWy, TMasdai, taa twdsy, oMCaattaratalJ a liidai Matmsa WW GALLONS OF FUN! -Inn i in I if Producers Simpson; second from left and Bruckheimer right with Cruise and McGillis. tplBOYS 11 THE HAPPIEST SHOW IN TOWN THIi HKARTI. A M) SHAPE UP FOR SUMMER WITH THE PUMP BOYS RAFFLE WIN A LUXURIOUS WEEKEND FOR TWO AT THE HEARTLAND HEALTH AND FITNESS RETREAT IN GILMAN ILL EACH WEDNESDAY EVENING IN MAY ONLY WHEN YOU SEE PUMP BOYS AND DINETTES. SPECIAL WED.

MAI 2 PM: 57. 514, 521. 528, 64, 618, 716, 820 LET US PLAN YOUR GROUP'S THEATER PARTY, 975-1202 TUES-SUN, S19.50 S24 FARWNGCKETRONffHEATRE TIX APOLLO THEATER 935-6100 2540 N. LINCOLN all the time we've just never found a movie in one. It's always been an idea first, an instinct about something that's what works for us.

"That, and the fact that we only make the kind of movies we like to see ourselves. If also a matter of trusting your own judgment, and I think we're also lucky enoungh to be veterans of the business and hopefuly still young enough Simpson's 38, Bruckheimer 39 to perhaps share common tastes with audiences as well as each other." In an industry that's legendary for the explosive temperaments and mercurial moods of many of its key players, Simpson and Bruckheimer certainly appear to have found the perfect harmonious partnership in each other. "We complement each other so well because we're basically totally different temperaments," says Bruckheimer, who's tall and ascetic-looking. "That's another reason the chemistey works Don's a great teller, very vivacious, very outspoken, outgoing. "Jerry's shyer, quieter, fairly reserved which is great, because we never clash," interrupts Simspon, who's shorter and heavier.

"I mean, after all these years, we've never even argued. It's scary, extraordinary." "It's a perfect rqatch," agrees Perhaps they should get married. "I would if he'd wear high heels," laughs Simpson. The banter might be light, but Simpson and Bruckheimer are deadly serious about their craft and with good reason. With such bona fide megahits as "Flashdance" and "Beverly Hills Cop" which was far and away the biggest grossing film of '84-'85, leaving even Spielberg behind, the pair have become in a few short years one of the hottest producton teams on the Paramount lot or any other for that matter.

Those two successes alone grossed revenues in excess of half a billion dollars and made Simpson and Bruckheimer rich for life. So it's almost surprising to find that the two still share an office. Granted, its a huge, airy room in a plum postion the Cecil B. DeMille building right smack in the middle of the studio lot, where space is at a premium but it's still 9 shared space. 4 As you walk in, Bruckheimer is sitting on the left with his phones, and Simpson is on the right with his.

A narrow partition between their desk tops makes a feeble stab at privacy, but the overriding impression is of a single space occupied by a single person, a feeling underscored by the unbroken continuity of the interior decor and tasteful appointments. Despite their some say well-deserved reputation for arrogance, there are no self-advertisements in the way of movie posters and awards for their latest achievements hanging on the walls just a brace of cheerful Maos lithographed in bright, primary colors by Andy Warhol "Common tastes, not just in movies, but in art, architecture, music you name it," says Simpson. "That's why we re able to share an office without driving each other nuts." The pair with the Midas touch are quick to point out that their one failure so far the less than memorable "Thief of Hearts" was a direct result of their failure to observe those guidelines. "The pictures that have worked for us have all been ours, our ideas, etc. and we believe in them," states Simpson.

"But we didn't believe in 'Thief of Hearts' and we shouldn't have made it did it as -a favor to management, and we certainly owed the studio a lot, but it was a mistake. Everything was done before we got involved the script was. written, the director was hired, etc. Our strength is as a hands-on, creative team we don't want to go in and patch up someone else's project. We want that control from day one." Of course, the creative producer role is nothing new in Hollywood it was Alexander Korda, David Selznick and Mike Todd who brought us such classics as "The -Private Life of Henry VIII "Gone with the Wind" and "Around the World in 80 Days," rather than their directors who were merely hired and fired to do the job.

But in recent years, the auteur theory of directing and the rapid encroachment of the moneymen and lawyers into the higher echelons of the studio power structure have changed the clout of the traditional producer. It's an evolution that Simpson and Bruckheimer are only too aware of as they consciously strive to redress the balance. "There's no doubt that Hollywood is in a state of flux right now," Simpson comments. "But it's better than it was, say lQTor 12 years ago when suddenly all the studios were being run by agents and lawyers. Fortunately for us, it all gradually changed again when guys such as Barry Diller former head of Paramount, now head of Poxt and Michael Eisner ex-Paramount, now chief of Disney, took They weren't accountants or lawyers, they were filmmakers and smarter about it too, as their success has proven," he adds bluntly.

"I think the '60s and '70s saw the rise Of the director, but now it's the producers who make films again and that's what we are, filmmakers," stresses Bruckheimer. "We're creative people, not financiers. We don't want to run studios or just cut deals. We want to make films." make them our way," add Simpson. "And when we can't, well live in Palm Springs and play III IB i I fW Starts June 3rd! IWeeksOnlv! Winner tony Awards including BEST MUSICAL! Tickets at Box Office Ticketrcn PHONE RESERVATIONS: (312)791-6000 Groups of 40 ir ftwre: (312) 791-6190 BanquXyDtrnwr rctervirtorrt: (312) 791-6300 I MINT RF TllRNFn AWAY- ORDfR TnrtAYI I Ml A A 1966 Nsdefiandsf ACT Musical Subscription SsrwsProssiilatiuii, Ifj iWj 'I! ARIEWOWimrjaRE'Mrtoniw 'Mi OnRCRm Ifl A t9B6 NgderttndBf ACT Musical Subscription Sarws Pwssiiujlion.

ABIE CROWN THEATRE MtComndi nm CMcti..