In a 1973 meeting at CMA, the Hollywood talent agency that later became ICM, agent Sue Mengers made a memorable entrance. Arriving ten minutes late and wearing a muumuu, she attempted to comb her hair as the meeting continued, sitting with one foot tucked underneath her, inadvertently revealing she wasn’t wearing underwear.
As she used her tortoiseshell comb, a false nail popped off and fell onto the marble table. She muttered about the nail technician, using a racial slur, and then dropped her comb. When she bent over to pick it up, she exposed herself to the entire room.
This anecdote, from Brian Kellow’s biography Can I Go Now? The Life of Sue Mengers, Hollywood’s First Superagent (Viking), perfectly captures the bold and unconventional personality of Mengers, one of Hollywood’s most influential agents.
Sue Mengers was a trailblazer, becoming the first woman to achieve significant power in Hollywood as a talent agent. She represented high-profile clients such as Barbra Streisand, Gene Hackman, Michael Caine, Candice Bergen, Ryan O’Neal, and Mike Nichols, among many others.
As detailed in Brian Kellow’s biography Can I Go Now? The Life of Sue Mengers, Hollywood’s First Superagent, Mengers was a complex figure full of contradictions. Although she did not conform to Hollywood’s male-dominated power structure, she held staunchly anti-feminist beliefs. She believed in supporting the male ego and thought it was a woman’s duty not to be upset by her husband’s infidelities. This insightful and often humorous book captures the essence of Mengers’ unique personality and influential career.
Sue Mengers, a Hollywood superagent, was known for her unapologetic and bold approach to her career and personal life. She had no reservations about sleeping with clients or potential clients, earning the nickname “F–ker to the Stars,” which she reportedly embraced. She often advised female colleagues and friends that securing a great husband was paramount, and she herself was married to director Jean-Claude Tramont from 1973 until his death in 1996.
Mengers was a chain smoker of cigarettes and marijuana, even continuing the habit on her deathbed in 2011. She was known for her no-filter personality, believing that if you weren’t a winner, you were a loser. Despite her often rude, crude, and cruel behavior, she won the enduring love of friends and clients through her loyalty and wit.
Her career as an agent began at Korman Associates in 1963, where she leveraged her friendship with powerful Broadway producer David Merrick, often suggesting they were more than just friends. When she approached actor Tom Ewell about signing him, she boldly stated, “F–k David Merrick!” This audacity led Ewell to sign with her.
According to Brian Kellow’s biography Can I Go Now? The Life of Sue Mengers, Hollywood’s First Superagent, Mengers had no qualms about using sex to advance her career and even advised others to do the same. She claimed to have had a one-night stand with Paul Newman, boasting, “It wasn’t intercourse, just a b— j– — but it still counted, because it was Paul Newman.”
Sue Mengers joined CMA in 1966, moving from New York to Los Angeles, where she became known for her marijuana use and A-list parties. Her brashness often served her clients well. For example, in 1969, she accompanied Barbra Streisand to England for a screening of Funny Girl attended by Princess Margaret. Mengers unsuccessfully argued that Streisand should enter last to receive a standing ovation.
In 1979, Mengers hosted a party for Princess Margaret, during which Jack Nicholson allegedly offered the princess cocaine, thwarting Mengers’ chances for a palace invite. Despite this, the princess enjoyed the party, spending the night with John Travolta.
Mengers’ biography Can I Go Now? The Life of Sue Mengers, Hollywood’s First Superagent by Brian Kellow highlights her influence on film castings. She pushed for Gene Hackman in The French Connection by undermining journalist Jimmy Breslin’s confidence. She also tried to get Ryan O’Neal cast as Michael Corleone in The Godfather, which producer Robert Evans found absurd.
Her tactics grew more aggressive as her power increased. In 1973, she pressured Jacqueline Bisset into accepting a role in The Thief Who Came to Dinner, warning that her career would suffer if she declined. Barbra Streisand, Mengers’ favorite client, acknowledged that Mengers could manipulate actors by making them feel insecure about their talent or age.
When MGM was casting Network, Mengers wanted Candice Bergen for the role of Diana Christensen, but the studio preferred Faye Dunaway. Mengers tried to undermine Dunaway by badmouthing her at every opportunity.
When Faye Dunaway won the Academy Award for her role in Network, Sue Mengers approached her agent, saying within earshot of Dunaway, “Don’t let this little trophy make Faye think she’s a movie star. She’s not. The only movie star in the whole town is Barbra Streisand.”
Mengers’ bold approach wasn’t for everyone. At a party for critic Pauline Kael, she tried to sign John Travolta as a client but failed when he saw her smoking a joint, leading her to realize he would never be her client.
By the 1980s, many of Mengers’ clients were nearing 40, Hollywood’s considered prime. Her relationship with Streisand soured, particularly over Streisand’s desire to film Yentl. Mengers manipulated situations to cast Streisand in roles that weren’t right for her, like in 1981’s All Night Long. When Streisand fired her but wanted to remain friends, Mengers retorted, “I won’t be your friend if I’m not your agent.” Although they later rekindled their friendship, it was never the same.
As Hollywood shifted towards blockbuster films like Jaws and Star Wars, Mengers struggled to keep up with the changing landscape and lost her knack for identifying successful projects.
Sue Mengers continued to represent stars like Michael Caine and Christopher Walken, but her peak years were behind her. According to Brian Kellow, she fell into a “low-grade depression” from which she never recovered. Mengers retired from ICM in 1986 and made an unsuccessful return to the business with William Morris in 1988, leaving agenting for good in 1990.
She passed away from pneumonia in 2011 at the age of 79, remaining feisty until the end. In his book, actor Griffin Dunne recalls a 2007 phone call from Mengers, where she expressed a desire for his father, Dominick Dunne, to be dead due to past comments about her husband. After her rant, she calmly invited Griffin over for chili, mentioning guests like Warren Beatty and Lauren Hutton.
