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Thursday, September 02, 2010

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Haskells to entertain at Historic Northside scholarship benefit Thursday evening

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Mary Donnelly Haskell, right, and husband Sam will entertain Union Countians Thursday to help raise money for the HNNA scholarship. Mary will sing and Sam will talk about his career as a talent agent and his book about his mother’s influence. Patricia Wiseman, left, was the first recipient of the HNNA scholarship this past year.

Ticket sales were reported brisk for Thursday night’s scholarship benefit performance by former Miss Mississippi Mary Donnelly Haskell and her husband, internationally known talent agent and TV executive Sam Haskell.

The program will help endow a scholarship created the Historic Northside Neighborhood Association last year to be given to an outstanding high school student based on achievement and contribution to the quality of life in the Northside neighborhood. (Patricia Wiseman was the first recipient of the $500 award. Read her comments later on the opinion page.)

It also will provide an evening’s entertainment as recording artist Mary sings and Sam talks about his book, “Promises I Made my Mother,” his career and his growing up in Amory.

Those attending will be able to sample “A Taste of New Albany” before the performance and enjoy food treats provided by nearly a dozen local restaurateurs and caterers. After the show, they may meet Haskell and have copies of his book personally autographed.

Tickets for the event are $35, which includes either one or two persons to attend and includes receiving one copy of Haskell’s book, as well as sampling “a taste of New Albany.” (For those who want to attend but are unable to, an autographed copy of Haskell’s book can be reserved for $24.95)

The program will begin at 7 p.m. with Mary performing songs. Sam will talk about his life and Mary will close with more music. From 6 to 7 p.m., those attending can sample “A Taste of New Albany.”

Tickets can be reserved through the New Albany Main Street office, 534-3438 and should be confirmed in advance, if possible, in order to make sure enough books are on hand and to let those providing food know how much to prepare.

Haskell, a native of Amory, rose to prominence as Executive Vice President and Worldwide Head of Television for the William Morris Agency, representing a roster of top-flight actors, entertainers and other stars.

His wife is the former Mary Donnelly, who served as Miss Mississippi and is a Martingale recording artist.

Sam forgot neither his roots nor the positive upbringing by his mother and, for years, has hosted a star-studded benefit to fund a scholarship program in his mother’s name, at Amory.

More recently, the Haskells have re-established Mississippi residency with a home in Oxford, where both received their college degrees, and Sam completed his autobiographical book, “Promises I Made My Mother,” this past year.

This is some of what Amazon.com has to say about “Promises I Made My Mother:”

“When Haskell was young, his devoted mother, Mary, instilled in her son the values of character, faith, and honor by setting an example and asking him to promise to live his life according to her lessons. He did, and those promises have served Haskell consistently from his Mississippi boyhood to his long career at the venerable William Morris Agency in Beverly Hills.

“In this inspiring memoir full of touching stories and amusing anecdotes, Haskell reveals how he kept his pledge to his mother to live a decent life–even in the shark-infested waters of Hollywood, where he handled the hottest stars and packaged the highest-rated shows–by refusing to become the cliché of an amoral agent. “Here is Haskell as a child in Amory, Mississippi (pop. 7,000), discovering the power of hope as he waits for an unlikely visit from the “Cheer Man” (a representative of the detergent company who gave ten dollars to anyone using the brand), learning humility after pursuing an eighth-grade “Good Citizenship” award he cockily assumed he’d win, confronting the complications of human character when a near-fatal car crash exposed his judgmental father’s true nature.

“Years later, in Hollywood, Haskell would rely on his mother’s teachings–honesty, self-reliance, and belief in God–as he swiftly rose from the William Morris mailroom to eventually become the company’s Worldwide Head of Television. His capacity for friendship and his insistence on living his version of the Golden Rule (being “thoughtfully political”) allowed him to handle various client crises and the tense negotiations that nearly scuttled the last years of Everybody Loves Raymond and the entire existence of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

“Haskell has achieved success through self-respect, and from his story we learn how we, too, can maintain our dignity when faced with life’s challenges. This stirring memoir is a testament to mothers everywhere who instill in their sons the lasting values they need to become good men and devoted fathers.”

Quotes from friends (and clients):

“My friend Sam Haskell’s journey has taken him from rural Mississippi to the great cities of the world—including The White House and Buckingham Palace. This book will tell you exactly how he did it. He had an inspirational mother who taught him life’s lessons!”—Morgan Freeman

“My friend Sam Haskell’s Promises I Made My Mother is a portrait of character—something mothers and sons should read together while celebrating one of the greatest bonds that exist in the world today!”—Lily Tomlin

“Sam Haskell is an anomaly in Hollywood. He brings to this book his humor, his honor and his unique perspective on how to live life. He is a great friend.”—Leslie Moonves, President and Chief Executive Officer, CBS

“I’ve always wondered how Sam Haskell survived in Hollywood, a viper’s nest that would make any asp jealous! Sam always treated everyone with respect and behaved with honor. Now having read Promises I Made My Mother, I understand that Sam found success by being true to himself and keeping his promises to his mother. It’s all in the breeding, and for you, it’s all in the reading!”—Doris Roberts, actress, Everybody Loves Raymond

“My friend Sam Haskell has revealed aspects of his life that even I didn’t know…Promises I Made My Mother is an eye opening read for anyone who has the capacity to dream.”—Dolly Parton

“It has been over 30 years since I signed on as Sam’s first client right out of the mail room at the William Morris Agency. He has kept his promises to his beloved mother and to all the rest of us who owe him so much. This book is a must read for anyone who hopes to find ‘true’ success in any field…the kind that lasts forever.”—Kathie Lee Gifford

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