Ray Stark(1915-2004)

In 1977, when Cliff Robertson began an investigation into financial discrepancies regarding Columbia Pictures' dealings with him that revealed Columbia president David Begelman had forged checks made out to Robertson, Stark warned him that if he pressed ahead with his investigation, Begelman would commit suicide. Robertson said he would do "what a citizen should do in this situation." Begelman was sacked from Columbia but his eventual suicide many years later wasn't connected with the incident. Stark made sure Robertson was blacklisted. The story is detailed in David McClintick's book, "Indecent Exposure.".

How could [David] Puttnam say the American dream is dead? He spent one year here and left with millions of dollars. Only in America!