You Can’t Fall Off The Floor By Harris Katleman and Nick Katleman

“The years go by, but I’ll never forget how influential Harris Katleman has been in my career. Not only does this book show his leadership in the television business, it shows how strongly he fought for groundbreaking shows that transformed the industry.”—David E. Kelley, Writer & Executive Producer of L.A. Law, Boston Legal, Big Little Lies, and Mr. Mercedes

“Harris Katleman presided over the development and progress of Hollywood’s big and small screens like few others. This memoir is a must-read that brings Hollywood’s Golden Age back to life with untold, firsthand accounts of the stars and star-makers that defined the twentieth century.”—Ron Meyer, Vice Chairman of NBCUniversal

“Harris had an amazing career and it’s fun to relive it through his eyes. You Can’t Fall Off the Floor is a colorful and insightful read… I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.”—Sherry Lansing, Former Chairman and CEO, Paramount Pictures

Harris Katleman had a front row seat to the development of the television industry. In You Can’t Fall Off the Floor And Other Lessons from a Life in Hollywood, (Rosetta Books, June 2019) Harris Katleman shares his epic journey from office boy to talent agent to television producer, and finally to studio head at both MGM and 20th Century Fox.

Co-written with his grandson, Nick Katleman, Harris’ stories bring the reader into the room and offer intimate, behind the scenes experiences with the biggest stars of both the silver and small screens including; Jackie Gleason, Marlon Brando, Joan Crawford, Judy Garland, Dean Martin, Clark Gable, Jimmy Stewart and many, many more.

Along the way are unparalleled tales of industry giants including; Rupert Murdoch, Bob Iger, Barry Diller, Marvin Davis, Kirk Kerkorian, Mark Goodson, and Lew Wasserman. You Can’t Fall Off the Floor by Harris Katleman and Nick Katleman is a collection of vital life lessons for anyone aspiring to establish a career in Hollywood and beyond.

• Turn your opponents into marionettes.
• No one lies when they’re shouting.
• Don’t judge it; sell it.
• Don’t f*#k with gangsters.
• Those who don’t ask definitely won’t receive.
• Think about your tombstone inscription.
• Hollywood doesn’t have checks or balances.
• Never underestimate the back-end.
• People won’t stay angry if you have something to sell.
• Know when to throw out the manual.
• TV doesn’t need stars – it makes stars.
• Trouble is cause for action, not for panic.
• Even bosses fear their fathers.
• In the end, business beats pleasure.

Few in the entertainment industry can say they’ve reached the level of success that Harris Katleman achieved during his career.  In addition to overseeing production on the final four years of M*A*S*H*, Katleman cultivated notable projects including the award-winning and highly acclaimed series, LA Law, The Simpsons, In Living Color and NYPD Blue. This is the story of a boy from Nebraska who started in the mail room and grew to run the studios— talk about a Hollywood ending.