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Hi, listeners. I'm excited to share

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the details of a new podcast series

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that I think you'll enjoy. Glitter and

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Might tells the story of Lou

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Wasserman, a symbol of ruthless

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power in a dark suit, oversized

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sunglasses, and a permanent tan

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who ruled Hollywood from the shadows

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for 50 years. Wasserman

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oversaw seismic innovations

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in the rise of television, in blockbuster

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movies, in the transformation

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of film studios into theme parks,

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and in actors' earnings, and

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was a critical figure in ending the famed

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labor strikes of 1960 and 1981.

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Even more, the mogul connected

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Hollywood to political power in

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a way that endures to this day.

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Every president from Kennedy to Clinton

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took his calls, and he was as

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comfortable dealing with gangsters as

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with politicians. Now,

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more than 20 years after his passing,

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film historian and best-selling author

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Sean Levy is shining

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a light on this powerful and mysterious

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figure, unpacking his extraordinary

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life and legacy, and examining

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the ways in which his impact is

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still felt today. Enjoy

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this preview of Glitter and Might,

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an Odyssey original documentary,

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available now on the Odyssey

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app or wherever you listen to your podcasts.

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They called him the most powerful man

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in Hollywood, and he really was, and he really

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was for decades. He extended

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his tentacles like an octopus

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throughout the entire entertainment industry.

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And they believed that he was considered

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royalty. We are proud

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to honor him tonight, Mr.

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Lew Wasserman.

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We

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talk a lot today around disruption

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in business, and whether it's Airbnb

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or Uber, that's something that Lou

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was doing in the 40s and the 50s. At

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a time and a place where everybody

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wanted to be a peacock, Lou

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stood up by making himself

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such an unseen figure. His

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famous line was, stay out of the spotlight.

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It fades your suit. People look

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at Elon Musk today, Jeff Bezos. These

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are all very wealthy individuals, and

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we've confused wealth with power. Lou

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had relationships with every president

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until he died, right up until Clinton.

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My name is Ronald Reagan. I was a sports announcer

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on a radio station in Des Moines, Iowa. One day

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I ran into one of these movie talent scouts.

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You have to kind of feel like Ronald Reagan to

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some degree was just an invention of Lou Wasserman.

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Wasserman was the powerful

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shadowy figure, obviously

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somewhat in league with the mafia.

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All the other studios deferred to

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Lou to handle the dirty work to

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get things done. We have not had

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anyone of that ilk since

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he left us. This is

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Glitter and Might, an Odyssey Originals

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documentary podcast series written

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and narrated by me, Sean Levy.

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I

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was at a party and met Lou

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and told them that my aspiration

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was to make a film about him, and he

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shoved his thumb deep into my

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neck and warmly said, you

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won't make that film whether I'm alive or dead.