New Book Exposes Inner Workings, Wild Behavior of Hollywood

What really goes on behind the veil of celebrity? Rocky Lang, who grew up in the 90210 as the son of mega-producer and screen disaster master Jennings Lang (Earthquake, the Airport movies and 35 other features), dishes all in his new book, Growing Up Hollywood: Tales from the Son of a Hollywood Mogul. Raised around the likes of Steven Spielberg, Clint Eastwood, Walter Matthau and Billy Wilder, Lang serves up—in self-deprecating style—a genuine insider’s collection of bizarre, sometimes ribald, often hilarious and always surprising true tales from the rarefied world of Hollywood, such as:

Finding himself a pawn in the brutal creative war between Dustin Hoffman and director Sydney Pollack during the making of the classic comedy Tootsie.

Spying on Olivia Newton-John being photographed nude in his family’s backyard pool, and the “breast-beating” he endured after getting caught in the act.

Discovering the scandal-sheet affair between his dad and screen siren Joan Bennett—along with the truth behind his father getting shot in the crotch by Bennett’s husband.

Having Steven Spielberg as an “older brother” before and after the famous filmmaker’s meteoric rise.

Being told by his dad that writer Gore Vidal offered to buy young Rocky for $1 million.

Learning his mother had slept with Ronald Reagan, plus the outrageous nickname the future U.S. president had.