Best/worst celebrity career management

[Sublight]

Edward Furlong may have since cleaned up his act, but for a while his behavior was completely over the top and he was absolutely convinced of his own PR. Management plays a big part in his story, since it’s hard to keep yourself on an even keel when your own manager is a shitfaced nutball who just wants to get high and screw your brains out.

[RickJay]

@Sam Stone

William Shatner, despite having limited range and some severe typecasting, managed to avoid the fate of almost every other Star Trek alumni and keep a career going into his 70’s, mostly by cleverly re-inventing himself whenever he started to become stale. In fact, he may be more popular now than he’s ever been, and he’s a big star on one of the most popular TV shows.

We have a winner. How did I not think of Shatner?

He’s now won TWO EMMYS. Acting awards. For being a parody of himself. The man is some kind of genius.

[OneCentStamp]

For a great example of both horrible and great career/personal management by the same person, look at Drew Barrymore.

Seriously, who in 1983 could have looked at the cute E.T. moppet, scion of acting royalty, and predicted the slutty stoned washout of 1988. And who could have looked at that washout and predicted the reborn Barrymore of 1996-present?

[don_t_ask]

@Ethilrist

Well, for one thing, he was already a millionaire. He owned several companies in Austria that manufacture medical devices. So, his track record looks about like this:

1. Become a successful businessman. Millionaire; check.
2. Become a body-builder. Mr. Universe; check.
3. Become a movie star. Conan, Terminator, check.
4. Become a restaurauter. Planet Hollywood, check.
5. Become a politician. Governor of California, check.

What’s next? I don’t know, but this man hasn’t failed yet at anything he set out to do.

So you think, he’ll be back?

[What_Exit]

@OneCentStamp

For a great example of both horrible and great career/personal management by the same person, look at Drew Barrymore.

Seriously, who in 1983 could have looked at the cute E.T. moppet, scion of acting royalty, and predicted the slutty stoned washout of 1988. And who could have looked at that washout and predicted the reborn Barrymore of 1996-present?

Well, the Barrymore’s had some rather famous drunks and her mother was a piece of work. I am less surprised by her problems than her return to success.

Jim

[Nonsuch]

[QUOTE=What Exit?]
Well, the Barrymore’s had some rather famous drunks and her mother was a piece of work. I am less surprised by her problems than her return to success.

[QUOTE]
I remember when she hosted SNL as a kid, her opening monologue (delivered while being held in Tim Kazurinsky’s arms) contained the line “I’m a Barrymore! Give me a drink, and make it a double!”

[ralph124c]

Does POSTHUMOUS management count? Take elvis 9though he may yet turn out to be alive): under his daughter’s management, the estate is making more money now than at any point when he was alive. Who was 'Col". Tom parker anyway? i heard he was a dutch national.

[JohnT]

“Col.” Tom Parker was the “idiot” who bought Elvis’ management contract for $35,000 from Sam Phillips.

Phillips even boasted earlier that if he could find “a white boy with the Negro sound”, he would make a billion dollars. He was halfway right - a billion dollars was made from his find of a white boy with the Negro sound… but it wasn’t made by Sam Phillips.

Don’t despair too much - he was good friends with fellow-Memphian Kennon Wilson who allowed Phillips to buy a number of pre-IPO shares of Wilson’s latest venture - Holiday Inn.