THE INHERITORS

"Harold Robbins as he once said is still writing the scene -- the Hollywood scene as it began with The Dream Merchants, continued with The Carpetbaggers, and now what's left of it in The Inheritors; obviously it's changed from Jean Harlow to Sharon Tate. The industry has fallen off, and so to a degree has Mr. Robbins since this book doesn't really have the development or the diversification of the earlier ones but it won't matter. A massive promotion campaign is already well under way and the million dollar understanding has been reached with Joseph Levine. This then, paralleling what's happened, mediates between films and television via the dual careers of Sam Benjamin, who has been trying to reach the top ever since his early days as an exhibitor from the Bronx -- and Steven Gaunt, a good generation younger, with complete autonomy at Sinclair Television. Swivelling through grabs for properties of all kinds, Steve is seen marrying Sinclair's daughter, Barbara, who dies; readily available to all kinds of beautiful women including Benjamin's Italian import who for a time distracts him from his marriage; and Finally in the messy business with Benjamin's daughter whom he calls Darling Girl but, who is lost before he starts to try and reclaim her -- to drugs..."--Kirkus