The Inheritors

In 1969, Harold Robbins began his "trilogy of greed" with The Inheritors, a tell-all novel about the entertainment industry. Spanning the years 1955 to 1965, and based on the lives of actual network executives and movie moguls, the novel exposes the sex, power, and politics of mass media. Steve Gaunt is working hard to build his television empire. He's a visionary and a bit of a rebel, making him a hit, both in the ratings and with beautiful women. Sam Benjamin, meanwhile, is building his career through the movies. When they join forces, the partnership has the potential to make them very wealthy and powerful. But it's a dirty business and a rogue industry, and friendships can fall in a heartbeat when money is on the line. In its initial publication, The Inheritors was a timely indictment of an industry on fire. Today, it is a fascinating look back at a time when television was just coming into its own, and how the movie industry dealt with this new threat.