Scott Siegler is bored of success stories. But Scott Siegler has had the kind of successful Hollywood career that people write books about.
Before he was 30, he’d earned three degrees. Before he moved to Hollywood, he’d already won an Emmy for one of the nine documentaries he directed and produced. Before he helped launch Netscape, bringing the Internet to the public, he’d already started his own Hollywood studio.
Siegler’s had a lot of success in his life, but he’s not going to talk about it unless you ask him directly. He’ll reluctantly tell you about defending “Married… With Children,” the longest-running live-action sitcom ever aired on Fox, when groups of concerned parents tried to get it banned from Television. But bring up a real struggle, like the time he led the board of Pandora through 25 unprofitable quarters, and he lights up. The challenges thrill him more than the successes ever could.
Now, after spending a lifetime rising to business challenges of every stripe, he’s settling into a more creative role. According to his longtime friend David Chase, creator of “The Sopranos,” it’s about time. Chase, who wrote the foreword to Siegler’s debut book, “Mobsters in the Mansion,” reminisces about meeting Siegler over 40 years ago. While Siegler had all the business sense of a top executive, Chase could tell that there was something wilder and more mischievous than the average Hollywood suit.
That mischief springs to life on the pages of“Mobsters in the Mansion.” The loosely autobiographical collection dives into the humor of hubris and failure. The stories unfold chronologically, from adolescence to midlife, but the characters don’t adhere to any timeline. Instead, Siegler uses new people and perspectives to personify the stories he tells, allowing readers to immerse themselves in the emotional truth of the experiences rather than the particulars of one life.
Writing fictionalized stories based in reality freed Siegler from writing the truth. He believes the heart of the story is what matters more than the literal details. “It’s true,” he claimed during a conversation about his book, “but that doesn’t mean it actually happened.”
On Tuesday, July 7 at the Scoville Memorial Library in Salisbury, Siegler will appear in conversation with renowned journalist Brian Ross. Ross has won six Peabodys, six duPont-Columbia Awards and is the author of the New York Times bestseller, “The Madoff Chronicles.” His career in journalism — a profession that leaves little room for creative liberties — should provide an intriguing foil to Siegler’s relationship with the truth.
To register for the event, visit scovillelibrary.org
To order the book, visit 4fireplacepublishing.com
