The Shows Must Go On with Hawk Koch

Howard "Hawk" Koch is a true son of  Hollywood, the son of legendary producer Howard Koch Sr. In fact, they are the only father-son team to chair the Academy of Motion Picture Academy of Arts & Sciences, hosts of the Oscars. But he went his own route to make his own mark, leaving for England while still in his teens to join the music business as an assistant to the legendary Harold Davison, where he helped manage acts such as the Dave Clark Five. When he returned to Hollywood, he began his steady ascent up the success ladder, eventually producing such classics as "Chinatown," "The Way We Were," "Rosemary's Baby," and even "Wayne's World." Known by colleagues as the "iron fist in the velvet glove," Koch was famous for bringing in his films on time and under budget, all the while creating a fun and creative work environment. Koch talks candidly about his bouts of depression, anxiety and the struggle to find purpose. In fact, he took his Bar Mitzvah at age 50, choosing "Hawk" as his name on his rabbi's recommendation for its ability to see from horizon to horizon, and yet in the most minute detail. He moved to Ojai six years, yet continues to juggle many different projects. Besides the Academy, he was a key member of the Producers Guild of America, credited with professionalizing the craft, and increasing membership exponentially. (Look for the little p.g.a. "bug" on screen credits - that's Koch's innovation). He's confident that the communal experience of going out to watch movies and other forms of entertainment will return as soon as the Covid vaccines are widely distributed, and said that producers have figured out how to create safe workspace through social distances, mask and frequent disinfection. While more difficult for smaller productions, the pace of projects is beginning to pick up again. Married to Molly Jordan, who has her own show business backstory as the granddaughter of the iconic radio show creators "Fibber McGee & Molly," they co-wrote Hawk's memoir, "Magic Time: My Life in Hollywood." Hawk recommended a few shows, "Queen's Gambit," "Hillbilly Elegy," and "On the Record," about the "Me, Too" movement, among them. We did not get around to talking about Warren Beatty, Mike Myers or on-set nightmare scenarios. Next time ...