Watch Flyboys Youtube' title='Watch Flyboys Youtube' />How David Ellison, Son of Larry Ellison, Scored Big With True GritThe following article appears in the current issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine on newsstands now. Subscribers can read the magazine here. The premiere of Flyboys was a big night for David Ellison. It was September 2. James Franco. Acting was Ellisons ambition, and as he is a skilled stunt flier, the story about heroic young daredevils was close to his heart. When he told an interviewer on the red carpet, To be a part of a movie like this. But Ellisons dream met cold reality when Flyboys flopped hard. The movie grossed less than 1. Ellison family coffers. In December, Ellison, now all of 2. True Grit and this time in the role of executive producer, having co financed the 3. Paramount. Talk about dreams coming true The film has soared past 1. Hoovered up 1. 0 Oscar nominations, including best picture. True Grits performance has shocked everyone, and Ellison has launched his producing career in a bigger way than anyone could have imagined. Certainly no one in Hollywood would mistake Ellisons decision, late in the process, to help finance a small movie by auteur directors for proof of producing prowess. But lucking into a critical and commercial hit doesnt hurt, and no doubt the industry hopes that success will encourage him to stay in the game. For many years, those in the business have regarded moneyed newcomers as lambs to be fleeced. The fate has befallen many contenders, including the German company Intertainment, which financed films like the 2. John Travolta bomb Battlefield Earth. Despite his Oracle cofounder fathers help on everything from the 20 millionplus Malibu house and Skydance Productions the young mogul is being taken seriously. But times have changed, and financing is so hard to come by that at this point, a wealthy young man like Ellison may be regarded as a resource to be conserved for as long as possible. More important, his wealth and connections assure that he is well guarded. Just a few years ago, Ellison looked like a prime candidate to be played. Those who knew nothing else about him knew he was the son of Oracle co founder and CEO Larry Ellison, who has a reported net worth of 2. And they knew that David, still a senior in college, had co financed Flyboys with his father. Enjoy Risen online with XFINITYs highquality streaming anytime, anywhere. Watch your favorite movies with XFINITY todayWhenever a rich newcomer puts money into a bomb, the sharks start to circle. The fact that this newcomer was a young man who wanted to act would only make the sharks swim faster. Since then, Ellison has made great strides toward being taken seriously. Hes managed to raise 3. Paramount. He also not only has his fathers money behind him but also, according to a source, Dad has established him as a billionaire in his own right. And those who have met with David say they find him smart, polite, earnest and disciplined though for some a bit too eager to appear knowing. Industry veterans say he reads scripts and does his homework. You know how these guys blow into town, and the first thing they tell you is how rich they are and how theyre going to whip the business into shape says a producer whos met with Ellison. Watch Flyboys Youtube' title='Watch Flyboys Youtube' />Hes not like that. A leading agent concurs that Ellison is driven and disciplined. Speaking of Ellisons 4 year old Skydance Productions, he says, David is trying to build a studio financing engine like Legendary that is a long term business and is sustainable. Legendary, founded by moneyman Thomas Tull, has a massive deal with Warners and has partnered on hits including Inception and The Hangover. Even if Ellison were inclined to be profligate, he appears to be operating within certain constraints. A source says he still needs approval from a Skydance executive committee before investing in any film. The company does not disclose who sits on that committee, but Ellison has been well tutored. His father has connected David with an enviable set of advisers, including Steve Jobs and David Geffen. Geffen and Larry Ellison once co owned the 4. Rising Sun, which reportedly cost 2. Geffen has bought out Ellison and is not associated with Skydance. David is also represented by ultimate deal lawyer Skip Brittenham, who put together the deal that led to Ellisons involvement with True Grit. One producer who has seen Ellison in action suspects that Geffen, who has long proclaimed his skepticism about making money in the movie business and only reluctantly became involved in what proved a trying exercise with Dream. Works, must have reinforced the message that Hollywood has to be approached with trepidation David wants to help the kid, to make sure he doesnt get taken. Between Paramounts conservatism and Geffens conservatism and wanting to show his father that hes doing it on his own, hes cautious. Which is just as well because in the movie business, millions of dollars can disappear quickly. Not that there isnt plenty more where that came from. Larry Ellison rose from humble origins to become the third richest man in America. He has not only invested in Davids company Skydances money includes 1. Ellison but he also bought a Cape Cod style house on Carbon Beach in Malibu that cost more than 2. Malibu during the past seven years in which Larry has laid out more than a half billion dollars. CONTINUED on next page. In 2. 00. 9, Skydance reached a four year co financing, production and distribution agreement with Paramount. Studio sources indicate it is limited in scope, committing Ellison to co finance the next Mission Impossible as well as the Jack Ryan reboot and possible Top Gun remake assuming the latter two fall within certain budget parameters. But sources say it is up to Paramount whether to offer Ellison a role in financing its other projects. Weve had a great start to our relationship with Skydance and are deeply proud of how well True Grit has performed, says Adam Goodman, president of the Paramount Film Group. David is building a quality company with smart people, and we look forward to a mutually beneficial working relationship for years to come. Skydance has also agreed to partner on My Mothers Curse, a comedy pairing Barbra Streisand and Seth Rogen, and is planning to make four to six movies a year, including some moderately budgeted projects. So with abundant backing from his father, Ellison is determined to prove he can make it on his own. Thanks to Larry, David started flying planes when he was 1. Davids parents divorced when he was 3, and his father wasnt greatly involved when he was growing up. But flying was something the two could share. America Has Been At War 9. Time 2. 22 Out of 2. Years Below, I have reproduced a year by year timeline of Americas wars, which reveals something quite interesting since the United States was founded in 1. In other words, there were only 2. U. S. did not wage any wars. To put this in perspective Pick any year since 1. America was involved in some war during that calendar year. No U. S. president truly qualifies as a peacetime president. Instead, all U. S. The U. S. has never gone a decade without war. The only time the U. S. went five years without war 1. Great Depression. U. S. wars And here is the year by year timeline of Americas major wars Year by year Timeline of Americas Major Wars 1. American Revolutionary War, Chickamagua Wars, Second Cherokee War, Pennamite Yankee War. American Revolutionary War, Chickamauga Wars, Second Cherokee War, Pennamite Yankee War. American Revolutionary War, Chickamauga Wars, Pennamite Yankee War. American Revolutionary War, Chickamauga Wars, Pennamite Yankee War. American Revolutionary War, Chickamauga Wars, Pennamite Yankee War. American Revolutionary War, Chickamauga Wars, Pennamite Yankee War. American Revolutionary War, Chickamauga Wars, Pennamite Yankee War. American Revolutionary War, Chickamauga Wars, Pennamite Yankee War. Chickamauga Wars, Pennamite Yankee War, Oconee War. Chickamauga Wars, Northwest Indian War. Chickamauga Wars, Northwest Indian War. Chickamauga Wars, Northwest Indian War. Chickamauga Wars, Northwest Indian War. Chickamauga Wars, Northwest Indian War. Chickamauga Wars, Northwest Indian War. Chickamauga Wars, Northwest Indian War. Chickamauga Wars, Northwest Indian War. Chickamauga Wars, Northwest Indian War. Chickamauga Wars, Northwest Indian War. Northwest Indian War. No major war. 17. No major war. 17. Quasi War. 17. 99 Quasi War. Quasi War. 18. 01 First Barbary War. First Barbary War. First Barbary War. First Barbary War. First Barbary War. Sabine Expedition. No major war. 18. No major war. 18. No major war. 18. U. S. occupies Spanish held West Florida. Tecumsehs War. 18. War of 1. 81. 2, Tecumsehs War, Seminole Wars, U. S. occupies Spanish held Amelia Island and other parts of East Florida. War of 1. 81. 2, Tecumsehs War, Peoria War, Creek War, U. S. expands its territory in West Florida. War of 1. 81. 2, Creek War, U. S. expands its territory in Florida, Anti piracy war. War of 1. 81. 2, Second Barbary War, Anti piracy war. First Seminole War, Anti piracy war. First Seminole War, Anti piracy war. First Seminole War, Anti piracy war. Yellowstone Expedition, Anti piracy war. Yellowstone Expedition, Anti piracy war. Anti piracy war see note above1. Anti piracy war see note above1. Anti piracy war, Arikara War. Anti piracy war. Yellowstone Expedition, Anti piracy war. No major war. 18. Winnebago War. 18. No major war. 18. No major war. 18. No major war 1. 83. Sac and Fox Indian War. Black Hawk War. 18. Cherokee Indian War. Cherokee Indian War, Pawnee Indian Territory Campaign. Cherokee Indian War, Seminole Wars, Second Creek War. Cherokee Indian War, Seminole Wars, Second Creek War, Missouri Iowa Border War. Cherokee Indian War, Seminole Wars, Second Creek War, Osage Indian War, Buckshot War. Cherokee Indian War, Seminole Wars, Buckshot War, Heatherly Indian War. Cherokee Indian War, Seminole Wars. Seminole Wars, U. S. naval forces invade Fiji Islands. Seminole Wars, U. S. naval forces invade Mc. Kean Island, Gilbert Islands, and Samoa. Free Episodes Of Defiance Season 2. Seminole Wars. 18. U. S. forces clash with Chinese, U. S. troops invade African coast. Texas Indian Wars. Texas Indian Wars. Mexican American War, Texas Indian Wars. Mexican American War, Texas Indian Wars. 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