considered a pioneer of the low-budget genre and his daughters each said a tearful goodbye to their father. As Ashley walked in a daze towards her car, a hand on her shoulder caused her to turn. She found herself facing a short man with close-cropped hair and blue-tinted sunglasses.
“Ashley, I’m Scott Brown.”
“Juliette’s husband,” Ashley recognized the name. He was one of Corbert’s son-in-laws who had occasionally worked on set.
“I’m going to be taking over the company for now and I’d like to talk to you tomorrow.”
“Sure, that’s fine,” Ashley managed to reply. Strange, she thought. Corbert had never talked about Scott in a business capacity before. Usually, he just referred to him as “that little putz,” hardly a term of endearment.
When Ashley arrived the next day, she found Scott sitting at Ronald’s desk, speaking harshly to someone on the other end of the telephone. She was waved inside and took a seat on the black leather couch. Scott hung up and sat down next to her, a little too closer than Ashley would have preferred.
“Thanks for coming, Ashley,” he said. “You’re an asset to Corbert films, no doubt. And I’d like to continue our working relationship.”
“OK,” she replied warily. Scott reached back to pull a script off his desk and slapped it down in front of her. “Biker Babes,” she said, reading the title.
Scott nodded. “I’ve got a new vision for this company, something more contemporary. I’m tired of doing the same old thing, you know?”
“The same old thing seemed to work for Ronald.”
“Yeah, well. He’s not here anymore, is he?” Scott leaned forward, plastering a smile on his face. His breath reeked of Altoids and nicotine. “There are some other changes in how we’re doing things, too.”
“Such as?”
“People today don’t just want shocks and thrills. They want titillation, and that’s what Corbert Films is going to give them.”
“Where are you going with this, Scott?”
“I’d like to see…more of you in the next film.”
Ashley flipped through the pages. “From what I can see, the lead is in almost every scene.”
“More of
you
, Ashley. Know what I mean?”
Ashley knew exactly what he meant and any doubts she may have had were dispelled by his cold eyes and predatory grin. “I’m an actress,” she told him.
“Lots of actresses do nude scenes.”
“I’m not one of them. Ronald never would have-”
“Ronald’s dead,” Scott raised his voice. “It’s sad but it’s the truth.”
“You’re all heart, Scott.”
“I’ll spell it out for you, Ashley. If you don’t do this, I’m canceling your contract.”
Ashley nodded, rising from the couch. “You can go to hell, Scott,” she said calmly. Turning on her heels, she walked out the door.
She did not realize it at that moment but it would be the end of her acting career.
Never having the need for an agent previously, she now found herself in a desperate search for one. Few would take her calls. The ones who did said her only value was in the pictures that were no longer being made by Corbert Films. Three months later, she was still unemployed and nearly broke.
Just as it had a few years earlier at Musso & Frank’s, fate stepped into Ashley’s path to rescue her. This time, it came in the form of an acquaintance that Ashley noticed in the line ahead of her at Starbucks.
“Ashley Kane, where have you been hiding?” the young man asked.
“Here and there,” she answered coyly. She took in his crisp suit and pricey Bluetooth. “What are you doing these days?”
“Making a boatload of money,” he replied with a smile. “You looking for a job?”
She was about to say ‘no’ but stopped herself. Instead, she answered, “As a matter of fact, I am.”
Sales were a natural fit for Ashley. Her effortless charm and negotiating tactics lent themselves easily to the job. Within four months, she was the top salesperson at her server space firm. It
“Ashley, I’m Scott Brown.”
“Juliette’s husband,” Ashley recognized the name. He was one of Corbert’s son-in-laws who had occasionally worked on set.
“I’m going to be taking over the company for now and I’d like to talk to you tomorrow.”
“Sure, that’s fine,” Ashley managed to reply. Strange, she thought. Corbert had never talked about Scott in a business capacity before. Usually, he just referred to him as “that little putz,” hardly a term of endearment.
When Ashley arrived the next day, she found Scott sitting at Ronald’s desk, speaking harshly to someone on the other end of the telephone. She was waved inside and took a seat on the black leather couch. Scott hung up and sat down next to her, a little too closer than Ashley would have preferred.
“Thanks for coming, Ashley,” he said. “You’re an asset to Corbert films, no doubt. And I’d like to continue our working relationship.”
“OK,” she replied warily. Scott reached back to pull a script off his desk and slapped it down in front of her. “Biker Babes,” she said, reading the title.
Scott nodded. “I’ve got a new vision for this company, something more contemporary. I’m tired of doing the same old thing, you know?”
“The same old thing seemed to work for Ronald.”
“Yeah, well. He’s not here anymore, is he?” Scott leaned forward, plastering a smile on his face. His breath reeked of Altoids and nicotine. “There are some other changes in how we’re doing things, too.”
“Such as?”
“People today don’t just want shocks and thrills. They want titillation, and that’s what Corbert Films is going to give them.”
“Where are you going with this, Scott?”
“I’d like to see…more of you in the next film.”
Ashley flipped through the pages. “From what I can see, the lead is in almost every scene.”
“More of
you
, Ashley. Know what I mean?”
Ashley knew exactly what he meant and any doubts she may have had were dispelled by his cold eyes and predatory grin. “I’m an actress,” she told him.
“Lots of actresses do nude scenes.”
“I’m not one of them. Ronald never would have-”
“Ronald’s dead,” Scott raised his voice. “It’s sad but it’s the truth.”
“You’re all heart, Scott.”
“I’ll spell it out for you, Ashley. If you don’t do this, I’m canceling your contract.”
Ashley nodded, rising from the couch. “You can go to hell, Scott,” she said calmly. Turning on her heels, she walked out the door.
She did not realize it at that moment but it would be the end of her acting career.
Never having the need for an agent previously, she now found herself in a desperate search for one. Few would take her calls. The ones who did said her only value was in the pictures that were no longer being made by Corbert Films. Three months later, she was still unemployed and nearly broke.
Just as it had a few years earlier at Musso & Frank’s, fate stepped into Ashley’s path to rescue her. This time, it came in the form of an acquaintance that Ashley noticed in the line ahead of her at Starbucks.
“Ashley Kane, where have you been hiding?” the young man asked.
“Here and there,” she answered coyly. She took in his crisp suit and pricey Bluetooth. “What are you doing these days?”
“Making a boatload of money,” he replied with a smile. “You looking for a job?”
She was about to say ‘no’ but stopped herself. Instead, she answered, “As a matter of fact, I am.”
Sales were a natural fit for Ashley. Her effortless charm and negotiating tactics lent themselves easily to the job. Within four months, she was the top salesperson at her server space firm. It
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