Swifty

Here, at last, is the long-awaited book by one of show business's most notorious, beloved, and legendary figures, the man who elevated the deal to an art form. For over fifty years Irving Paul Lazar (known to the world at large as "Swifty") reigned supreme as the agent and deal-maker extraordinaire on both coasts, a tiny, fast-talking, gravel-voiced powerhouse who elevated chutzpah to a philosophy of life. Lazar's annual Oscar party became an event that threatened to outshine the awards ceremony itself, and his deals made headlines. Lazar's friends and clients included almost every star of…