A son's journey to learn about his father's editorial genius, Harold Hayes, the legendary editor at Esquire Magazine from 1963-1973.
It started with a 10 page feature article in the Jan. 2007 Vanity Fair called "The Esquire Decade," which was about how Esquire Magazine, under my father's editorship in the 60s, became one of the greatest magazines ever published. Having once been the magazine publishing Hemmingway, Fitzgerald, Steinbeck and Salinger in the 30s, Dad's years in the 60s published Mailer, Talese, Roth, Vidal, Wolfe and numerous others. The writing and graphic talent within its pages was unsurpassed; complemented by riveting and daring covers that became iconic enough to be featured as an exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art two years ago. Although Dad had been gone for 18 years, the Vanity Fair tribute made me completely rethink my childhood. Perhaps I had underestimated his impact on culture. I had understood him to be a good editor, but I never realized how good, or what it was he exactly did. Armed with a camera and his roladex, I started calling up writers, editors, photographers and anyone else who had worked with him in the same sexy decade as the Mad Men TV show. The response was extraordinary. Here are just a few of the willing participants:
"Smiling Through The Apocalypse" establishes what Esquire Magazine became in the Sixties - a blossoming forum of ironic, satirical journalism that interpreted a turbulent decade. Although Its 3-6 months lead time hampered coverage of time sensitive historical events, it forced the editorial to go to the margins of a story, creating alternative subjects by unlikely authors. It was non-fiction reinvented. The pages became the place where big talent flourished because of the unprecedented freedom Dad permitted his contributors to explore. It was the dawn of what would be known as The New Journalism.
After two years, I have edited a rough cut of these compelling interviews telling details about the various groundbreaking assignments commissioned by Dad. This material is intercut with photo animated scans from the magazine's pages and archival footage and photographs. There are a few more interviews I would like to get including Phillip Roth (Esq writer), Hugh Hefner (A contemporary), Albert Brooks (Esq writer), Lee Eisenberg (Esq editor), Walter Friedenberg (Journalist and Dad's college buddy), Gloria Steinem (a babysitter and Esq writer), Michael Herr (covered Viet Nam for Esq), Irving Schild (Esq photographer), Nat Hentoff (Esq writer), George Frazier IV (Esq editor), Tom Morgan (Esq writer), Gene Lichtenstein (Esq editor), Gordon Lish (Esq editor) , William Calley (Esq subject), Garry Wills (Esq writer), Ray Smart (son of Esq owner), Ben Pesta (Esq editor), Connie Wood (Dad's secretary), and David O'brasky (Esq advtg sales). If your name is on this list, please send me a note when the interview would be convenient.
Most of the money raised will pay for archival footage, photographs and music. Clearance of copyrighted material can be REALLLLY expensive, so without the deep pockets of an HBO, I am hoping the magic of social media portals will prevail. A smaller portion of the money raised will pay for travel to LA, Chicago, Denver, South Carolina and New Orleans where my target interview list is based.
Here are the rest of the cast so far:
FAQ
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I will need to have it finished by March 2012 because it has been invited to premiere at a writer's symposium at Wake Forest University in Winston Salem, NC.
52
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Funding Unsuccessful This project reached the deadline without achieving its funding goal on November 14, 2011.
Funding period
Sep 25, 2011 -
Nov 14, 2011
- 2 created · 4 backed
- Thomas Hayes 166 friends
- Website: telemotions.net
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The first five minutes of the film seen before anyone else
Estimated delivery: Apr 2012Pledge $25 or more
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The completed film on DVD (*Note: Canada, please add in $5 for shipping the DVD; International, please add $10)
Estimated delivery: Apr 2012Pledge $50 or more
8 backers
The completed film on DVD + Additional interview footage with Gay Talese, Nora Ephron, Peter Bogdanovich and Candice Bergen (*Note: Canada, please add in $5 for shipping; International, please add $10)
Estimated delivery: Apr 2012Pledge $75 or more
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The completed film on BLU-RAY DVD + Additional interview footage with Gay Talese, Nora Ephron, Peter Bogdanovich and Candice Bergen (*Note: Canada, please add in $5 for shipping; International, please add $10)
Estimated delivery: Apr 2012Pledge $100 or more
11 backers
The completed film on BLU-RAY DVD and a second copy to give someone (Both signed by Tom Hayes) + Additional interview footage with Gay Talese, Nora Ephron, Peter Bogdanovich and Candice Bergen (*Note: Canada, please add in $5 for shipping; International, please add $10
Estimated delivery: Apr 2012Pledge $250 or more
3 backers
The completed film on BLU-RAY DVD and a second copy to give someone (Both signed by Tom Hayes) + Additional interview footage with Gay Talese, Nora Ephron, Peter Bogdanovich and Candice Bergen + A digital copy of "The Personal Writings of Harold T.P. Hayes" by Tom Hayes
Estimated delivery: Apr 2012Pledge $500 or more
1 backer
The completed film on BLU-RAY DVD and a second copy to give someone (both signed by Tom Hayes) + A 1960s 8x10 photo of Harold Hayes at his desk + Additional interview footage with Gay Talese, Nora Ephron, Peter Bogdanovich and Candice Bergen + A digital copy of "The Personal Writings of Harold T.P. Hayes" by Tom Hayes
Estimated delivery: Apr 2012Pledge $750 or more
1 backer
The completed film on BLU-RAY DVD and a second copy to give someone (Both signed by Tom Hayes) + Additional interview footage with Gay Talese, Nora Ephron, Peter Bogdanovich and Candice Bergen + A 1960s 8x10 photo of Harold Hayes at his desk + + A Limited edition of the audio CD "Monday Morning Quarterback" featuring Esquire columnist / legendary film director Peter Bogdanovich singing standards with "City Island" film director Raymond Defelitta on piano + A Thank You in the film's credits
Estimated delivery: Apr 2012Pledge $1,000 or more
3 backers
The completed film on BLU-RAY DVD and a second copy to give someone (both signed by Tom Hayes) + Additional interview footage with Gay Talese, Nora Ephron, Peter Bogdanovich and Candice Bergen + A 1960s 8x10 photo of Harold Hayes at his desk + A copy of Esquire Magazine edited by Harold Hayes + A Limited edition of the audio CD "Monday Morning Quarterback" featuring Esquire columnist / legendary film director Peter Bogdanovich singing standards with "City Island" film director Raymond Defelitta on piano + A Thank You in the film's credits + The anthology, "Smiling Through the Apocalypse" - Esquire's best writing from the Sixties edited by Harold Hayes
Estimated delivery: Apr 2012Pledge $2,500 or more
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The completed film on BLU-RAY DVD and a second copy to give someone (both signed by Tom Hayes) + Additional interview footage with Gay Talese, Nora Ephron, Peter Bogdanovich and Candice Bergen + 1960s 8x10 photo of Harold Hayes at desk + A copy of Esquire Magazine edited by Harold Hayes Thank You in the film's credits + A Limited edition of the audio CD "Monday Morning Quarterback" featuring Esquire columnist / legendary film director Peter Bogdanovich singing standards with "City Island" film director Raymond Defelitta on piano + The anthology, "Smiling Through the Apocalypse" - Esquire's best writing from the Sixties edited by Harold Hayes + A copy of the book, "It Wasn't Pretty Folks, but Didn't We Have Fun - Esquire in the Sixties" by Carol Polsgrove +
Estimated delivery: Apr 2012Pledge $5,000 or more
0 backers
The completed film on BLU-RAY DVD and a second copy to give someone (both signed by Tom Hayes) + Additional interview footage with Gay Talese, Nora Ephron, Peter Bogdanovich and Candice Bergen + A 1960s 8x10 photo of Harold Hayes at his desk + A copy of Esquire Magazine edited by Harold Hayes + A Limited edition of the audio CD "Monday Morning Quarterback" featuring Esquire columnist / legendary film director Peter Bogdanovich singing standards with "City Island" film director Raymond Defelitta on piano + The anthology, "Smiling Through the Apocalypse" - Esquire's best writing from the Sixties edited by Harold Hayes + A Thank You screen credit + A copy of the book, "It Wasn't Pretty Folks, but Didn't We Have Fun - Esquire in the Sixties" by Carol Polsgrove + A Private outdoor screening of the film in Manhattan
Estimated delivery: May 2012Pledge $10,000 or more
0 backers Limited (3 of 3 left)
The completed film on BLU-RAY DVD and a second copy to give someone (both signed by Tom Hayes) + Additional interview footage with Gay Talese, Nora Ephron, Peter Bogdanovich and Candice Bergen + A 1960s 8x10 photo of Harold Hayes at his desk + A copy of Esquire Magazine edited by Harold Hayes + A Limited edition of the audio CD "Monday Morning Quarterback" featuring Esquire columnist / legendary film director Peter Bogdanovich singing standards with "City Island" film director Raymond Defelitta on piano + The anthology, "Smiling Through the Apocalypse" - Esquire's best writing from the Sixties edited by Harold Hayes + A Thank You screen credit + A copy of the book, "It Wasn't Pretty Folks, but Didn't We Have Fun - Esquire in the Sixties" by Carol Polsgrove + A private screening at your home (within U.S. Continental States only) + The Personal Writings of Harold T.P. Hayes by Tom P. Hayes (signed by Tom P. Hayes) + Associate Producer Screen Credit + Signed and framed Esquire cover by George Lois
Estimated delivery: May 2012
