FRED SPECKTOR - Agent

Team Deakins

James Ellis Deakins

Tv & Film, Filmlighting, Deakins, Movies, Filmmaking, Production, Film, Cinematography, Film Interviews

4.8 • 1.4K Ratings

🗓️ 20 August 2025

⏱️ 55 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 155 - Fred Specktor - Agent

In this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with agent Fred Specktor (CAA). Fred has actually seen it all—now in his 90s, he joined the mailroom at MCA (before its dissolution) after graduating college, and he’s been in the business ever since. After a stint as movie mogul Lew Wasserman’s assistant at MCA, Fred was fired, and he recounts his journey bouncing between outfits until landing at CAA where he has represented top Hollywood talent for the past four decades. Fred’s long career as an agent is populated with moments such as networking at a car accident and attending an acting class with Jack Nicholson, and he shares many of them with us throughout the episode. We also discuss the differences in Hollywood, moviegoing, and filmmaking between today and the previous century, and we learn how he still tackles his work with verve after a lifetime on the job. Plus, Fred makes his prediction for the future of the movies.

If you enjoy listening to Fred, we recommend reading THE GOLDEN HOUR. Fred’s career and life is one of the subjects of the novel which was written by previous guest (and Fred’s son) Matthew Specktor (Season 2, Episode 146).

This episode is sponsored by Aputure & Barco

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi and welcome to Season 2 of the Team Deacons podcast,
0:07.0	a collection of informal conversations between Roger and James Deacons and a guest.
0:13.0	We never know where the conversation will take us, so listen in and see where it goes.
0:21.9	This episode is sponsored by Aperture and its new Storm XT-52, the industry's most
0:29.5	powerful LED point source light. Brighter than a 6K HMI and powered by Aperture's revolutionary
0:36.8	Blair light engine, the Storm XT-52 is both a tunable
0:41.9	white light and also the brightest ever adjustable color LED. Storm XT-52, unrivaled output,
0:50.9	only from aperture.
1:03.4	This episode is sponsored by HDR by Barco, where the magic of cinema reaches breathtaking heights with cutting-edge, high dynamic range, HDR, laser projection.
1:10.3	Don't miss the opportunity to immerse yourself in a spectacular
1:14.1	world of deep shadows, dazzling highlights, and vibrant colors at select theaters near you.
1:21.1	Buy your tickets, learn more, and experience extraordinary today. Visit h hDR by barco.com.
1:30.9	Today we're speaking with a Hollywood legend.
1:33.8	There's no other way to say it.
1:35.9	He's seen and been part of the many changes in Hollywood over the years,
1:39.8	and we're looking forward to hearing his perspective.
1:42.6	He's one of Hollywood's most respected talent agents.
1:46.2	We're pleased to welcome Fred Spector. Fred, thank you for doing this.
1:50.9	My pleasure. Nice to talk to both of you. Yeah, great. Thank you.
1:55.3	When you were a kid, did you want to be in the movie business? I mean, how did you get to where you are today?
2:01.9	Is this something you always wanted to do, or did you happen upon it by mistake?
2:06.5	I think probably by mistake, because I can remember the first movie I ever saw, which was Gone with the Wind.
	...

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