Hi everyone and thank you for tuning in to a special 273 edition of Awards Chatter, the Hollywood Reporters Awards Podcast.

I'm the host Scott Feinberg, and today we are remembering and celebrating David V. Picker,

one of the most influential film executives of the last 60 years, who died on Saturday

night in New York at the age of 87 following a battle with colon cancer.

David was a remarkable guy. In 1969, at the age of just 38 he became the president and

CEO of United Artists the historic Hollywood studio and he subsequently ran Paramount

in Columbia as well he was subsequently ran Paramount and Columbia as well.

He was over the course of his career closely associated with five best picture Oscar winners.

1963's Tom Jones, 1969's Midnight Cowboy, 1977's Annie Hall, 1980's Ordinary People, and

1987's The Last Emperor.

He brought James Bond, The Beatles, and Steve Martin to the movies, and he gave a start to many others who went on to great success behind the scenes of showbiz just like him, including Jeffrey Katzenberg, Tom Rothman, Larry Kramer, Mark Gordon,

Lawrence Mark, Bonnie Arnold, and the late Jonathan Demi.

After reading David's 2013 memoir, Mus, Mabies, and Nevers, a book about the movies, I decided

that I had to meet and interview this fascinating man.

I connected with David through a mutual friend, and he very kindly agreed to sit down with me at his apartment on New York's

Upper West Side on April 1st, 2016. But before we get to the audio let me on

behalf of all of David's friends and fans, I'm sure, extend my condolences to his survivors.

His sister, Jean Picker Firstenburg, the former president and CEO of the American Film Institute,

his wife, the photographer Sandra Lynn Jedden Picker, his first wife, Carol Schlossman, and his two

children from that marriage, Karen Picker and Pamela Lee Picker, and his second wife, Nessa

Hayams. As they know, and you you soon will we will not see David's

like again. And now without further ado let's go to that conversation.

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