The promises Sam Haskell made to his mother guide him from a small-town Mississippi boyhood, through the cutthroat world of Hollywood as Worldwide Head of Television at the William Morris Agency, to a life of philanthropy, in this inspirational, moving, and heartwarming memoir

When he was growing up in small-town Mississippi, Sam Haskell saw a TV commercial promising that “The Cheer Man” was visiting homes across America, distributing $10 checks to anyone who could produce a box of Cheer detergent. Sam was convinced “The Cheer Man” would come to his house. Nearly a year later—to everyone’s surprise—“The Cheer Man” arrived and young Sam was ready for him.

In this powerful and inspiring book, “The Cheer Man” becomes a parable for Haskell’s extraordinary life and a metaphor for the way he’s lived it: believing in dreams, especially the unattainable ones, and making them come true.

Haskell’s core beliefs—humility, integrity, character, honesty, and confidence—were taught to him by his beloved mother, Mary. Each chapter focuses on a promise Sam made to his mother to adopt those values and shows how they led him to a fulfilling and successful life: as a precocious boy, a student at Ole Miss, and a young man in Hollywood with no money or connections, who rose from the William Morris mailroom to become the Agency’s Worldwide Head of Television.

In this heartfelt book, Haskell shows us how, even in the cutthroat, shark-infested waters of Hollywood, you can get ahead by being true to yourself.


From the Hardcover edition.

 

Character Is All You Have in the Dark  


Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through the experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved. --HELEN KELLER 

Always let character be your guide. --MARY KIRKPATRICK HASKELL 

My mother grew up during a time when people had few material possessions, so her character and reputation were her most valuable assets. She nurtured and guarded them with her every breath. Character is the rock on which my mother built her life, and she passed that value on to me. It is the foundation that supports everything else. 

To some, character means integrity. Selflessness. The ability to inspire. Kindness. I think character is simply a unique combination of mental and moral qualities that distinguish us from one another. The Boy Scout Law best describes the complete recipe for good character: "Trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent."

 Character tells us most of what we want to know about someone, but more important, what's essential to know. 

Here's how to tell: In the absolute dark, you can't tell if a person you meet is good- looking, plain, tall, short, fat, or thin. You don't know eye or hair color, or if they have any hair at all. You can't judge them by their clothes or body language. In fact, the only way to really assess who they are is by what they say and, more important, by how they act. 

When you take away everything, when you strip a person of the superficial add- ons, all they have left is their true self. Character is what gives a person meaning. Character is the core of our being. I first learned about character where we all do: at home. Since my father traveled often for work, my mother embraced the chance to show me the way. 

HONESTY 


Momma expected nothing less than honesty from all her sons, and she never missed an opportunity to teach us the importance of always telling the truth. 

My mother loved to read, and she worked hard to instill that same passion in her children. When Jamie, Billy, and I were little boys, my mother took us to the nearby Amory Municipal Library every Saturday. In the '50s and early '60s, the library was housed in the City Hall, a large old building from the '30s. The outside walls were smooth concrete, and the inside smelled of history. I loved walking between the stacks looking at the newest selections, and I also loved the more timeworn volumes. Often, I would open those old books and read the names on the card that revealed who had read the book before me. 

When I was eight years old, my mother thought I was mature enough to walk to the library by myself and be responsible for checking out and returning my own books. That meant I got to have my own library card, which made me feel so grown- up. I have always loved English history, and one Saturday I rushed to the library to check out a new book on the kings and queens of England. When I got home to show my mother the book, she asked if I had returned the books I'd checked out the week before. I hadn't, but I lied and told her that I had. I knew those books were still in my bedroom, but I figured that I could put them in my book satchel and drop them off at the library on my way home from school on...

 

"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!"

 

"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!"

 

"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."

 

"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!"

 

"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."

 

"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."

 

Promises I Made My Mother by Sam Haskell
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