A.C. Lyles: Sumner Redstone is just a very
energetic, bright, tremendously elegant business man, and when I
first met him, I noticed his hands, and that told me a lot about
him, because he was in a hotel fire once. And his room as I
understand it, was burning, and he was hanging on to the
windowsill outside, hanging on with his hands, to be rescued, and
the room was on fire. And his hands are scarred from the burns he
got, and that told me a lot about Sumner Redstone, his
determination, his wit, his willpower. And he has become a major,
major force in the motion picture and television industry, and
I‘ve always found him very cordial, and very rewarding with
his words, and I have great admiration for him.
Bruce Edwin: That's great. Has there been any
one message thematically as a producer that you’ve tried to
get across through your films and work?
A.C. Lyles: I’ve had one message all my
life, and that is ‘make entertainment!’ I’ve
always heard people say, lets make entertainment. If you make
good entertainment, you’ll make money. That’s the
most important thing, make entertainment.
Bruce Edwin: That's excellent advice. I
mentioned to you I had a friend and client pass away recently.
That led me to remember to try and not take life for granted. My
grandfather was a minister. I guess too, one of my own obessions
has always been, trying to learn, what will happen when we are
gone? What do you feel will occur when we are gone? After this
life is over?
A.C. Lyles: I don’t know, but I have your
name and phone number, and if there is any way of getting back in
touch, I’ll give you a buzz and I’ll say, ‘This
is what it's like’ dear friend.
Bruce Edwin: (huge laughs)
A.C. Lyles: And then you can have your tape
recorder out, and you can record it, and then you can tell every
body else.
Bruce Edwin: (still laughing)
A.C. Lyles: I haven’t the foggiest idea,
I’ll tell ya,’ I don’t know. I hope it’ll
be pleasant, and I hope there’ll be a Paramount there, so I
can knock on the door and say, ‘I’m
here!’
Bruce Edwin: (more laughter)
A.C. Lyles: It’ll be fun. It’ll be
good, It WILL happen.
And with that positive affirmation even for life beyond, I stop
the tape for some final conversation, and exit A.C.'s office,
proud and grateful to have interviewed one of Hollywood's
greatest living legends of all time.
A.C. Lyles: Its been fun talking with you. I
really enjoyed it.
Bruce Edwin: Thank you A.C., the pleasure is all
mine.