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This chapter examines the issues surrounding the Hal Ashby's next directorial assignment Being There. It discusses Ashby's concerns about Lorimar and his enthusiasm for the story of the film which he called “our favorite film to be.” It also describes the shooting location and Lorimar's budget for the film. The film starred Peter Sellers, Shirley MacLaine and Melvyn Douglas.

This chapter examines the challenges faced by Hal Ashby in “making a fresh start” in Los Angeles, California. For a few months, Ashby drifted around, doing jobs here and there, and reading whenever he could, which he considered all part of the process of finding himself. Around March 1948, Lavon Ashby filed for divorce and Ashby was required to provide $50 a month. His life in Los Angeles was very tough that he sometimes made a Powerhouse candy bar last for three days. He got his first job in the movie industry through the State Employment Department. During this he became friends with Bill Otto and Sammy Davis Jr.

This chapter examines Hal Ashby's directorial job for the film The Slugger's Wife. This film was produced by Ray Stark, written by Neil Simon and starred Michael O'Keefe, Rebecca De Mornay and Randy Quaid. The film received so much criticism that negatively affected its box-office performance. Though it was a high-profile, mega-budget movie made by highly respected individuals, it was a huge flop, taking only $1.8 million in receipts, less than 10 percent of what it had cost.

This chapter examines Hal Ashby's directorial job for the film 8 Million Ways to Die. This film was based on two crime novels by Lawrence Block and the script was written by Oliver Stone. This chapter discusses the problems in getting Ashby to direct the film, including his disagreement with Producers Sales Organization (PSO) about the film's budget. The conflict became intense as the production progressed and PSO executives directed their complaints to the Directors Guild of America (DGA).

This chapter discusses Hal Ashby's battle with cancer of the pancreas. Ashby's doctors recommended an aggressive treatment beginning with surgery, but he refused. When he returned home, Ashby's blood clots made him suffer a stroke that caused hemisphere damage. He was taken care of Lynn Griffis who appointed herself as live-in nurse and girlfriend. She recommended New Age methods and alternative methods but nothing worked and Ashby became visibly more ill. He died on December 27, 1988.

This chapter examines Hal Ashby's directorial job for the film Shampoo. Ashby came to know about this film through his friendship with Jack Nicholson who introduced him to the film's producer and lead actor Warren Beatty. The chapter describes Ashby's directorial style, his relationship with the cast and the cast's observations about his work attitude. It also discusses the critics' review of the film.

This chapter examines the teenage years of Hal Ashby. During this period, Ashby's rebellious side was becoming too dominant, partly because of the impact of his father's death. At the beginning of the eleventh grade, Ashby was sent to the Puget Sound Naval Academy (PSNA), a school often used by parents as a place for straightening out their undisciplined sons. In February 1947, Ashby married the sixteen-year-old Lavon Compton, who was already pregnant. On September 19, 1947, Lavon gave birth to a baby girl and in early 1948 Ashby left his wife and child to make a fresh start.

This chapter examines the developments in the professional career and personal life of Hal Ashby in 1969. This year marks the directorial debut of Ashby for The Landlord. This chapter describes Ashby's directorial style and the atmosphere he created on the set. Norman Jewison had been an absent producer and only came to the location when Ashby had problems with bad weather and transportation. The film came out well though it underperformed financially. On August 21, 1969, Ashby married Joan Marshall.

This chapter examines Hal Ashby's second directorial assignment in Harold and Maude. It discusses Ashby's directorial style and the deterioration in his relationship with Joan Marshall. Though it is unclear when they filed for divorce, Ashby and Joan received a final judgment of dissolution of marriage on May 26, 1971. Ashby's second film, being so steeped in death, was booked by student film societies and repertory cinemas and gradually became a cult phenomenon.

This chapter examines the box office performance of Hal Ashby's film Shampoo. The film earned a total of $22 million and was nominated for four Academy Awards but only won one for actor Lee Grant's performance. This chapter also discusses Ashby's next film Bound for Glory, which was about the life of folk singer Woody Guthrie.

This chapter examines Hal Ashby's directorial job for the film Coming Home. When Jane Fonda offered Ashby to direct the film he immediately made it his own by bringing in his writers and editors and casting the major roles. After a few arguments about the cast, it was decided that the final main cast would be Fonda, Jon Voight and Bruce Dern. The film grossed more than $8 million in the box office.

This chapter examines Hal Ashby's directorial job for the film Lookin' to Get Out. It explains the storyline of the film which starred Jon Voight, Ann-Margret and Burt Young. The film cost $7 million to produce and it had staggeringly grossed less than $10,000. This chapter also discusses the film Second Hand Hearts, which seems almost inconceivable that Ashby made it.

This chapter examines the entry of Hal Ashby to the field of film editing. During the 1955 shooting of the film The Naked Hills, his friend Bill Otto took him along to watch. Determined to make the most of the opportunity, Ashby volunteered to carry cans of film and soon was hired as an assistant editor. Ashby's entry into the editing world marked the start of a period when work took precedence over everything else. After this first editing job, Ashby applied to the Society of Motion Picture Film Editors (SMPFE) in order to join the union. His first film editing mentor was Bob Swink.

This chapter examines the life of Hal Ashby as a family man. He met Shirley Citron in 1962 and fell in love with her, though she was already pregnant then with another man. Citron gave birth on June 23, 1962 and her daughter was given the surname Ashby even though they were not married yet. His life with Shirley and Carrie improved Ashby's disposition and his relationship with his mother. In July 1963, Ashby married Shirley in Las Vegas.

This chapter provides information on Hal Ashby's personal and family background. Ashby was born on September 2, 1929 in Ogden, Utah. He was the fourth child of James Ashby and Eileen Hetzler. Ashby had a dysfunctional family and though about 80 to 90 percent of Ogden residents were Mormons, his family never became active practitioners. His parents got divorced in 1935 when Ashby was only six years old, and on March 22, 1942, his father committed suicide. The impact of James' death on his family is incalculable, but it was arguably Hal who struggled most with the loss.

This chapter examines Hal Ashby's directorial job for the film The Last Detail. It describes Ashby's directorial style, his relationship with the cast including Jack Nicholson and Randy Quaid and the cast's observations about Ashby's work attitude. The film grossed $4 million at the box office but everyone knew it could have earned more. This chapter also mentions the death of Ashby's mother on November 9, 1973.

This chapter examines Hal Ashby's directorial job for the Let's Spend the Night Together, a live concert film documenting the 1981 North American tour of the rock band The Rolling Stones. It discusses the occupational hazards of this project for Ashby who overdosed before a show in Arizona. Though the film was completed it had limited box office success. This chapter also mentions Ashby's decision to edit the films Second Hand Hearts and Lookin' to Get Out himself.

This chapter examines Hal Ashby's decision to start over and make a fresh start. The 1980s had been a challenging decade for Ashby. He had four films taken away from him in the editing room and then flop at the box office, had turbulent business relationships with Ray Stark and the Producers Sales Organization (PSO) and a nightmare partnership with Lorimar that descended into a prolonged legal battle. To start anew, Ashby stopped smoking dope, took greater care in his appearance and took long walks along the beach at Malibu which almost immediately made him look healthier. When his long-time friend Warren Beatty advised him see a doctor he was diagnosed with cancer of the pancreas.

This chapter examines the developments in the professional career of Hal Ashby after his first Academy Award for film editing. When Ashby told Norman Jewison that he wanted to become a film director, the latter again offered him his help. To prepare Ashby for directing, Jewison kept him on as associate producer but reduced his editorial duties so he could be on set to watch and learn. These projects include Gaily, Gaily and The Confessions of Nat Turner. After these films, Jewison offered Ashby to direct The Landlord.