"The First Time I Got Paid For It... Writers' Tales From The Hollywood Trenches" Edited by Peter Lefcourt and Laura J. Shapiro - 1st EDITION 1st PRINT Hardcover w/Dustjacket - Published in 2000 by Public Affairs - 254 pages - both book and DJ are in EXCELLENT condition. This outstanding collection of entertaining essays by more than 50 TV and screenwriters is a treat not only for neophytes hoping to break into the business, but also for film buffs. While most of the contributors write about their first paying job in the profession, many of the tastiest tales venture off to detail other "firsts": Chuck Lorre (Roseanne; Cybill) hilariously recalls the first time he was fired (from a Beany & Cecil revival show); Melville Shavelson recollects the first time he was sued (by former First Lady Mamie Eisenhower to stop the filming of a movie about the Ike-Kay Summersby affair); and 12-time Emmy winner Carl Reiner remembers getting $1,000 to write his first novel, Enter Laughing. Many of the short pieces create suspense by withholding the name of a long-delayed or much-rewritten project until the very end. One of the best stories illustrating Hollywood's fickle nature is Australian Jan Sardi's piece on being at the center of a fierce bidding war over Shine; it concludes with the sobering fact that, over 12 years, he's had six movies produced in Australia but none in America. Each reminiscence is only a few pages long (Michael Tolkin's biography at the end of his recollection is almost as long as his story), which keeps the pace quick and the writing lively. The sassy title, eye-catching faux noir cover art and the impressive list of contributors (Steven Bochco, Eric Bogosian, Cameron Crowe, Delia Ephron, Larry Gelbart, Lawrence Kasdan and Joan Tewkesbury just to name a few) make this a compelling item for any film buff. There is some very minor edge wear on the DJ and a small spot of discoloration on the cover at the spine (see the scan), but this book is still in EXCELLENT condition. No collection of books on Hollywood writers items is complete without this one. Check out the scan for the cover and so you can judge the condition for yourself (the book in the scan is the one you will get). You won't be disappointed. Don't get left out; this book is long out of print! All previous buyers of my non-fiction books have been completely satisfied. I have many others available; please inquire. The book will be sent via Media mail shipping in the USA to minimize shipping costs. I will combine shipping to reduce charges for multiple items. If you purchase more than one item, please wait until I send you an invoice with the appropriate combined shipping discount. Credit cards are accepted through PayPal.com. Please see my auctions and my eBay store for hundreds of books and a wide variety of sports and non-sports collectibles. All items are packed with care to insure safe delivery. Please contact me if you have any questions. 3-4-18 -- 17.0