During a book discussion at 92Y in New York City, Barry Diller was asked by moderator Anderson Cooper to disclose the film set with the highest drug usage during his time as CEO of Paramount Pictures. Without hesitation, Diller revealed that it was the set of Robert Altman’s “Popeye” (1980).
Diller replied (through Entertainment Weekly) regarding rumors of a drug-fueled film set: “It was ‘Popeye,’ not a coke-filled set.” He added, “When you watch ‘Popeye,’ think of it as a movie that runs at twice the normal speed. It’s like listening to a record playing at 78 RPM and 33 speed.
Diller held the position of CEO at Paramount Pictures from 1974 to 1984, during which time some iconic films like “Saturday Night Fever,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “Grease,” and “Beverly Hills Cop” were produced. However, it was Altman’s production of “Popeye” that notoriously held the title of having the “most chaotic film set due to drug use.
Diller stated that drug use was prevalent on the film set, and it couldn’t be ignored. During filming, they would send film cans to Los Angeles for daily processing, but it turned out these cans were also being used to transport cocaine between locations and the set. Essentially, everyone on the set in Malta seemed to be under the influence of drugs.
Robin Williams made his debut in feature films by portraying the lead character in “Popeye,” following his rise to fame on the popular TV shows “Happy Days” and its spin-off “Mork & Mindy.” In this movie, Shelley Duvall, a frequent collaborator of director Milos Forman, played Olive Oyl. The film was financially successful, earning $60 million globally (not accounting for inflation), approximately twice its production cost. Critics’ opinions were divided on the movie though.
In a review for “Popeye”, EbMaster remarked that it was significantly better than expected, given the difficult obstacles it faced. However, simply avoiding failure doesn’t equate to success. Robin Williams does an excellent job portraying Popeye, but at times his dialogue can be hard to understand.
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2025-05-28 01:46