Exploiting Hollywood 1980.

Chapter 1582 Doctor with Russian Accent

"It was a very bad accident. He was riding his own horse, Eastern Express, but at the third obstacle, Eastern Express refused to jump and Reeve was thrown out... Then his hands got tangled in the reins and he landed on his head, breaking the second cervical vertebra and becoming paralyzed instantly."

"How is it, is there a good chance of survival?"

"I don't know. I called his wife and she said he wasn't doing well. When Reeve woke up and learned about the situation, his first words were to ask him to just leave. Oh, he was such a strong and humorous person back then... Before I played Supergirl, he taught me a lot..."

A few days after the tragedy, Ronald came to New York on business. When Helen met him, she talked to him about this terrible accident.

Reeve started learning horsemanship when he was shooting a movie that required horse riding scenes, and he didn't learn horsemanship as a child like other riders. So when he was jumping an obstacle, the reins got tangled around his hands for a few times, and he couldn't let go immediately, so he was thrown off by his horse and fell headfirst to the ground.

Moreover, he was allergic to horses before, but now he loves horses so much that he wants to participate in the competition himself. I wonder how much of this is done to maintain his upper-class circle. Ronald also lamented that it is better to watch others perform such risky sports.

"Reeve's wife Dana is very worried. Reeve is often in a coma and talks nonsense when he wakes up. The only time he was awake, he wanted to leave. She just said that she and the children love Reeve, but she doesn't know what she will do if he wakes up and says he wants to leave next time."

Helen was very sad, after all, he was a big star who helped her back then. And Reeve looked a bit like Ronald, which made the sentimental Helen sympathize with Dana very much. Reeve now needs the help of a ventilator to breathe. Even if he doesn't want to leave, his future life will be very difficult.

"Does he have any friends in the circle? I think it would be best to ask some relatives and friends to come and see him." Ronald knew that this matter was very difficult to deal with, but since Reeve's wife wanted him to survive, he would help as much as he could.

"Well, I heard that Robin Williams had a very good relationship with him. They went to Juilliard School of Acting together, and Reeve was the godfather of Robin's children."

"Okay, I'll call him."

Ronald found Robin Williams, who had just learned from Dana that Reeve wanted to leave on his own and was anxious to go to Virginia. Ronald took the initiative to provide a private plane for him to fly directly over to cheer up his old friend.

"Ronnie, you are really a very good person." Seeing Ronald do all this, Helen felt that she was very lucky.

……

"What happened to Reeve? Oh my god, a horse fall. It's scary just thinking about it."

"I don't know. I just think, hey, he's not a real Superman after all..."

"Who says it's not..."

The person talking to Ronald was Michael Eisner, the chairman of Disney, who invited Ronald to play golf with him.

"I used to think that horses were one of man's most loyal friends, but now it seems that sometimes they can betray you if you don't know how to control them."

With a snap, Eisner hit the ball high and far with his driver.

"So, I don't trust animals as much as I trust humans. Although humans often betray, if you are careful enough, you will always find clues from their words and deeds, instead of being like a horse, which will throw you off directly when it doesn't want to jump anymore."

Ronald also kicked off and the two continued to move forward.

"But sometimes, human betrayal is more deadly than that of animals..."

While playing ball, Eisner said something to Ronald that seemed to have a hidden meaning.

"Yes, people's interests conflict, and as long as the cost is low enough, there will be betrayal. This is why this will never happen between us. My stocks are completely dependent on you for my promotion. No one in this world can replace you in leading Disney."

Ronald probably knew what Eisner was worried about, so he made the matter clear in a semi-seriously manner.

This was not a show of loyalty, but was based on the fact that Ronald held some shares, but not so little that it could be ignored, nor so much that it could threaten Eisner's control over the company.

Only if Eisner continues his good performance on Wall Street and in Hollywood will Ronald have the opportunity to sell the stock at a profit.

It just so happened that the voting power delegation agreement for his shares in Disney was about to expire, so this was equivalent to agreeing in advance to continue to delegate this power to Eisner.

"Hahaha, looks like I'm going to win this hole." Eisner hit the ball onto the green with his second shot, giving him a chance to make a birdie on this par 4 hole.

"Keep winning, Michael..." Ronald also played a shot with a smile. His golf skills were still inferior to Eisner's, and he could only maintain PAR at best on this hole.

"Ahahaha, I like you, Ronald. You are always so wise and able to see the situation clearly. If you didn't have your own listed company, you would be the best candidate for the new Disney CEO.

Hey, why didn't I see that your business talent is higher than your directing talent?"

Eisner lamented that his big plan was about to succeed. After acquiring ABC TV, the most valuable public television station in the United States, the new Disney would be a new giant media group in Hollywood.

Taking into account the value of ABC and the IP value of many of Disney's old movies, the new Disney will surpass Redstone's Viacom and Rupert's News Corporation to become the largest integrated media group in the Americas.

"Haha, isn't it good now? We can still have some leisure time to play ball. If I were working for you, I'm afraid I would have to listen to your instructions with trepidation. Ha, good shot."

Ronald's ball on the green was very close to the hole. Although his score was still behind Eisner, his steady progress and risk-free playing style meant that the gap did not widen, but got closer and closer.

"Very good, you are now speaking more and more like a qualified chairman. Watch the ball." Eisner hit the ball steadily into the hole. At least now he was slightly ahead of Ronald in this round.

Ronald didn't know that Eisner was already negotiating a merger with ABC. In his opinion, Eisner might target the smaller CBS.

"I say, in your small company, several senior managers seem to listen to you very much, which makes me admire you a little. How do you do it?" Eisner asked.

Disney's equity is very dispersed, and there are several factions within the company. Managing such a large company requires him to spend much more energy and effort than Ronald managing the DDH Group.

Anyway, the purpose of locking in Ronald's voting rights for these shares has been achieved, so Eisner just treated it as a casual chat and talked to Ronald about management experience.

"I have more shares than you do, and now I am richer than you, okay? It doesn't matter whether it's a small company or a big company." Ronald complained in his heart. Although Disney's market value is ten times that of his DDH, his share of the company's equity is much larger than Eisener's.

Combined with Ronald's investments in other blue-chip companies, his personal wealth has far surpassed Eisner's.

"I am different from you. Those people have grown up with me. In addition, I have an absolute controlling stake in the company, so there is no need for them to object. It is most cost-effective for them to work hard in the company and let their options appreciate in value."

Ronald secretly counted his own shares, which were more than Eisner's. Although Eisner was still a little ahead of Ronald in terms of power and ability to mobilize resources, there was a big age gap between the two. In a few years, Eisner would eventually retire, and Ronald was very confident that he could surpass him.

"You're right..." Eisner nodded. He agreed with Ronald's point that his subordinates all grew up with Ronald. Didn't the opponents in Disney rely on their seniority in Disney being older than Eisner? So they often had the idea of ​​making a move?

After the merger with ABC, the market value of the new company will exceed 400 billion US dollars. At this time, his new managers must be younger than Eisner. Only by promoting them will these people follow Eisner wholeheartedly.

But he didn't say this out loud. Even if he did, Ronald would despise him in his heart. Eisner was very strict about his power, and anyone who could replace him would not be treated well.

Previously, the president of Disney died in a helicopter crash, and Katzenberg was the most suitable candidate to succeed him. However, due to his own selfishness and desire for power, Eisner forcibly suppressed Katzenberg and did not allow him to be promoted. Finally, Katzenberg had no choice but to resign and founded DreamWorks with Spielberg and others.

No matter who Eisner promotes or poachs from outside to be the manager of Disney, they will probably have to continue playing this game of thrones with him, and will eventually be ruthlessly kicked out by him.

"Disney is different. This company has a long history. I'm afraid I have to find an outsider to be qualified for the CEO position." Eisner got on the golf cart and continued to chat with Ronald. He found that such a person with good experience in business organization management and no conflict of interest with him was a good person to talk to, and maybe he could give him some more inspiration.

"Hmm?" Ronald adjusted his baseball cap and thought, maybe now is a good opportunity.

"Yes, you know what? I heard that the little Bronfman from Seagram is in contact with Ovitz from CAA. He has the same problem. In his opinion, Ovitz is a good candidate."

"Hey, he's still too green. I'm afraid he'll be ripped off by Ovitz." Eisner knew this friend, who was also Jewish, very well.

"Do you think Ovitz will go to New Universal?" Eisner also had an idea in his mind. A cunning man like Ovitz might be the right person to come to Disney and help him continue to suppress the opposition.

"It's hard to say. I've met the Bronfman family. Although Edgar Jr. may lack some experience in the entertainment industry, his father is a very capable man..." Ronald threw out some useful information...

The two continued to chat and finished 18 holes. In the end, Ronald lost nearly $2000 to Eisner. He happily signed a check and paid him. Being able to plant some seeds in his heart would be of great help to his plan to deal with Ovitz. This small price was nothing.

"Hahaha..." Eisner was also very happy. In addition to winning against Ronald, he also got a new inspiration. When he got back to his car, he took out his phone and called Ovitz.

"Hey, Ovitz, you can come to Disney as my partner, why do you have to go to Universal? Hahaha..."

"Hey, I haven't made any decisions yet..." Ovitz was not stupid. He knew that it was difficult to share power with Eisner. It would be very difficult to work under him. It would be better to stay at CAA and be the boss.

"Michael, don't rush into it so hard. You went to play basketball again today and you were on the phone for so long. I'm worried about your health."

When he returned home, Eisner's wife Jane expressed her dissatisfaction with his busy work.

"Hahaha, I've been very energetic at work for so many years, no problem. Wait for me to finish all this, and then I'll travel around the world with you after I retire."

……

"Drip drip..."

In the hospital where Reeve was, he was about to be wheeled to another place for spinal repair surgery. His first and second cervical vertebrae were broken, and if they were not fixed with metal, Reeve might die at any time because of the rupture of the spinal cord.

The doctor told him that he only had a 50% chance of success. Seeing his wife Dana crying beside him, Reeve felt desperate. It might be better for everyone if he just left.

There was no light in the ward, and the dim environment made Reeve even more sad. Just when everything was about to become pessimistic, the door was opened.

A fat man in a doctor's uniform came in and said to Reeve in a Russian accent, "I am your anorectal doctor. I must examine your condition immediately."

As he spoke, the fat man took out a pair of rubber gloves and put them on himself, then flexed his fingers in the rubber gloves towards Reeve.

Reeve smiled for the first time since the accident. He had recognized that it was his old friend Robin Williams, dressed as his character from the comedy film "9 Months Expected" to cheer himself up.

He suddenly felt that life was not so bad after all.

"I came here on Ronald Lee's private plane. He and Helen Slater, the girl who played Supergirl, missed you very much. I saw your agent outside, and he said that more than 40,000 people around the world wrote to you, asking you not to lose faith..."