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A magazine editor, in 1962 Fisher was working at a new magazine called Playboy when publisher Hugh Hefner ordered the creation of a new feature for the magazine: an interview. Fisher looked through a slushpile of celebrity profiles and found an unpublished article about jazz trumpeter Miles Davis. It was written by the then-unknown Alex Haley. Fisher asked Haley to spend more time with Davis and capture more of his "raging commentary," which set the style and tone of the Playboy Interview feature for decades to come. Thomas Weyr, who studied Playboy's beginnings, says Fisher "made the Playboy Interview a form of literary expression that neither the looser models -- from the Paris Review to Redbook -- nor the television version ever matched. [The magazine's interview feature] has become one of the most vibrant and important public-opinion forums in the United States." Fisher stayed at Playboy and edited all its interviews until he left in 1974 -- to help Haley finish his first novel, "Roots". Fisher died in California May 31 from complications of Alzheimer's disease and strokes. He was 69. From This is True for 2 June 2002 Suggestions for further reading:
 By: Stephen Randall List Price: $22.95 Amazon Price: $15.61 Editorial Review: Fame: It's a world unto itself. Only certain people -- the lucky few--are permitted entrance. Their notoriety and influence shape our views on politics, art, commerce, music, even the way we dress and speak. Our lives become defined by how we were before they existed and how we see ourselves after. Everyone remembers where they were the first time they heard the Beatles, watched Muhammad Ali step into the ring, or how they sat in amazement as Marlon Brando filled the big screen. For the last 40 years, Playboy magazine has gone into the living rooms and into the minds of America's glittering few, capturing in candid interviews the thoughts and emotions of these historic men and women at the height of their fame. Now, Playboy and M Press are honored to collect the interviews of 14 people who shaped the world, who can truly be called Larger Than Life.  By: Stephen Randall List Price: $22.95 Amazon Price: $17.21 Editorial Review: The best movies speak in a universal language, communicating effortlessly on both the emotional and the intellectual levels. While there have been many great films, only a few directors have achieved such facility with the filmmaking medium. In this collection of remarkably candid interviews, seventeen of the screen's most widely acclaimed and creative filmmakers discuss what drives and inspires them. These revealing, thought-provoking and highly personal interviews, possible only in Playboy's open forum, range from Roman Polanski's thoughts on the murder of his wife in the Manson Family massacre to Oliver Stone's frank discussions about the challenges he faced in creating his memorable films. Includes interviews with Orson Welles, Billy Wilder, Stanley Kubrick, Clint Eastwood, Francis Ford Coppola, David Mamet, Spike Lee and the Coen brothers, among others.  By: Stephen RandallEditors of Playboy Magazine List Price: $14.95 Amazon Price: $14.95 Editorial Review: For fifty years, Playboy has been asking the candid questions, letting the comedians give a straight response. In this collection of The Playboy Interviews, Jim Carrey talks about life in Hollywood, and George Carlin talks about life in the fast lane. Jon Stewart tackles politics as humor, while Jerry Seinfeld takes on the comedy of socks, sneakers, and cereal. Bill Cosby explains his position on race and entertainment, while Chris Rock tells about his big break. The Comedians digs deep into the heart of comedy, one of America's most vibrant art forms, offering a side-splitting chance to spend time with America's greatest wits.  By: Stephen Randall List Price: $22.95 Amazon Price: $17.90 Editorial Review: Power. Control. Influence. In every business, in every area of professional achievement, only a handful of people have taken control of their industry or marketplace. With vision, determination and passion, these people have bent the world to their will. Some were millionaires from birth, others have risen to the upper echelons of power by their bootstraps. From the computers you use, to the shoes you wear, to the cars you drive, their hands have shaped the fabric of your daily existence. In Movers and Shakers, 15 of the most important people from the last 45 years of American business speak candidly about their rise to power. M Press is honored to collect the historic Playboy Interviews with Donald Trump, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates Malcolm Forbes and Hugh Hefner, among others. These entrepreneurs have moved America forward and have shaken the foundation of who we as Americans believe ourselves to be. Many of these interviews are being presented in this volume for the first time since their original publication.  By: Playboy Magazine List Price: $22.95 Amazon Price: $17.90 Editorial Review: Fact: A large number of Playboy's readers do buy the magazine for the articles-specifically the interviews. The Playboy Interviews is incisive and entertaining, and important figures from all walks of life-many of whom honor no other interview requests-have given life- and career-altering interviews in the magazine's pages. The Playboy Interviews: They Played the Game features some of the most revered-and reviled-American sports stars from the past six decades openly discussing controversial issues including race, gender, drugs, and sexuality. More than just a bunch of jocks talking sports, these interviews are a fascinating reflection of the American psyche and evolving cultural perceptions. Includes interviews with Jim Brown, Joe Namath, Billie Jean King, O. J. Simpson, Pete Rose, Michael Jordan, Allen Iverson, Barry Bonds, Mike Tyson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
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