The Hollywood Trilogy

July 15, 2014
A re-issue of three Hollywood novelsby a West Coast author and screenwriter who died in 1995, following the recentpublication of his last novel, Fridays at Enrico's (2014).Meet the comedy team of Jim andDavid. A Couple of Comedians (1979) is a raunchy, high-spirited ramblefrom David's Northern California ranch to Hollywood, where they make one moviea year followed by a stint at a Vegas nightclub. Yes, they're famous; they'realso free spirits, chasing chicks and scoring dope. David is the narrator, andhis view of Hollywood is nuanced, for among "Hollywood's collection of contemptibles"is one of the original moguls who, combining self-interest and magnanimity, gave them their winning big-screen formula. David skips the moviemaking-it'sboring-but we feel a frisson before their nightclub act. Jim may be having abreakdown: Will he show? Less quirky is The True Life Story of Jody McKeegan(1975). Jody has had a hard life. In her hometown of Portland, Oregon, shewatched her big sister die after a back-alley abortion. Failing to find actingwork in New York, she became "a thief, a pimp, a blackmailer, a junkie." InHollywood, however, close to washed up at 35, she catches a break. She meetsthe producer Harry Lexington; they fall in love. Jody's perfect for a role inhis current movie. Overcoming his scruples about casting girlfriends, Harrygets her the part. But will self-destructive Jody keep it together? Thesuspense goes down to the wire. Turnaround (1981) has less edge andenergy than the other novels. None of the three principals (two studioexecutives and an aspiring screenwriter) has the vital spark of Jody or thosehell-raising comedians. The real story, the painful coming-of-age of ascreenwriter, something close to Carpenter's heart, arrives too late to grabus.Two of these insider's novels, atleast, give fresh impetus to the Carpenter revival.

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