The Coney Island Kid Who Made Rocky, Goodfellas, and Raging Bull | Irwin Winkler
Irwin Winkler has spent more than six decades in Hollywood, producing films that have earned 52 Academy Award nominations and helped define generations of moviegoers. His credits include Rocky, Raging Bull, Goodfellas, The Right Stuff, and The Irishman, but the path that led to those films was anything but predictable.
In this episode of Big Shot, hosts Harley Finkelstein and David Segal sit down with Irwin to look back on the twists, turns, relationships, and moments of good fortune that shaped his remarkable career. From the William Morris mailroom to launching an agency with Robert Chartoff, from representing Julie Christie to hearing Sylvester Stallone pitch Rocky, Irwin shares the stories behind a life spent at the center of the movie business.
Along the way, he reflects on the people who changed his life, the opportunities he almost missed, and the unexpected chain of events that led from a kid growing up in Brooklyn to one of the most successful producers in Hollywood history.
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In This Episode We Cover:
(00:00) Intro
(03:13) Growing up in Williamsburg, Brooklyn
(07:11) Moving to the Sea Gate in Coney Island
(08:26) Irwin's first attempt at NYU
(10:22) Why he enlisted in the Army
(10:55) Back to NYU after the Army
(12:00) How he got interested in working for a talent agency
(14:20) From summer mailroom gig at William Morris to full-time job
(18:45) Climbing the ranks at William Morris
(23:18) Leaving William Morris to work with Bob Chartoff
(29:14) How Julie Christie helped launch his producing career
(39:47) Meeting Sylvester Stallone and hearing the Rocky pitch
(48:53) Rocky's reception and the reshoot that saved the film
(51:48) How he started working with Martin Scorsese
(53:54) Managing productions and safeguarding creatives
(57:01) How Rocky II helped get Raging Bull made
(59:45) Funding movies then vs. now
(1:01:47) Irwin’s thoughts on AI and CGI
(1:03:14) The role of luck, hard work, and partnerships in his success
(1:07:12) The story of meeting Jack Warner and the Six-Day War
(1:10:21) Irwin's perspective on Jewish success in business and entertainment
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Where To Find Irwin Winkler:
• Website: https://winklerfilms.com
Where To Find Big Shot:
• Website: https://www.bigshot.show/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bigshotpodcast
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bigshotshow
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bigshotshow/
• Harley Finkelstein: https://twitter.com/harleyf
• David Segal: https://twitter.com/tea_maverick
• Production and Marketing: https://penname.co