Johnny Williams

I met Sid Sheinberg shortly after moving to L.A. in 1994 through a friend. That friend was kind enough to invite me over for Passover dinner as I couldn't afford a plane ticket home. I had an old rangefinder camera loaded with black & white film. As a thank you. I sent some 8x10 prints of his grandkids seated at a piano lit by candles.

With those photos, he referred me to my first paid job as a photographer and later installed me as his CIO of his post MCA startup.

The stories are endless, but I'll share one.

I was sitting across from him at the end of the day in his office on the Universal lot when Marsha, his longtime secretary with a big New York accent shouted.

MARSHA: I have Spielberg!

I stood to give him some privacy and show myself out. He motioned me to sit back down and shouted back "Get Johnny Williams on the phone!"

"Johnny" Williams was of course the legendary film composer John Williams who had just won an Oscar for their latest film "Schinder's List" which had also won best picture a day or two before.

The call connects and I'm gleefully listening to these 3 giants on a call.

JOHN WILLIAMS: Guys. We've done a lot of work together and I'm proud of it all, but this. This is my life's most important work and I thank you both.

SPIELBERG: You weren't our first choice.

Dead silence for 10 seconds.

WILLIAMS: Um...

SHEINBERG: It's true. Mozart wasn't available!

They all erupted with laughter like the big kids they were.

Sid was without peer the smartest man I've ever known. He was also the most charitable. Tough as nails with a heart of gold. Godspeed Sidney. You made the world a better place.