Hollywood Column Is Suspended

The Hollywood Reporter on Friday confirmed it is suspending indefinitely publication of “The Great Life” column written for the last 26 years by George Christy, now the subject of both an internal personnel investigation and an “audit inspection” by the pension and health plans of the Screen Actors Guild.

A spokeswoman for the Reporter said the decision to place what she called “an indefinite hold” on Christy’s column pending the outcome of the two investigations was made by Publisher Robert Dowling.

“We felt that we were going to take some time to continue reviewing certain things here internally,” Lynda Miller said, though she declined to be specific.

Dowling refused to discuss the matter.

Reached late Friday, Christy said he had decided on his own to take “a small leave of absence so I can settle all this SAG material that’s been out there and is taking so much of my time.”

Christy also said he would definitely be paid his regular salary during the time he did not write his column, but he declined further comment. In the past, he has denied doing anything illegal or improper.

Miller said she didn’t know whether Christy would be paid while his column is on hold nor when his absence would be announced in the Reporter. Others at the paper said they expected to see it Tuesday, the next issue to be published.

Christy has been embroiled in public controversy since late last month when the editor, executive film editor and labor reporter for the Hollywood trade publication all quit in the aftermath of Dowling’s decision not to print the labor reporter’s story about several of Christy’s questionable activities.

Since then, the Reporter has been looking into disclosures in that story, written by David Robb, that Christy had used rent-free office space provided by one of the film production companies whose movies are involved in the SAG health and pension inquiry. Dowling subsequently reassigned the story to two other reporters and published a brief article. Robb expanded his original article and posted it on Inside.com.

The SAG health and insurance fund is looking into whether Christy was part of a “sham employment scheme” to improperly qualify himself for benefits as a performer--specifically whether he actually acted in several films for which he was paid.

It is the third time in a decade that Christy’s eligibility has been questioned by the Screen Actors Guild-Producers Pension & Health Plans. A 1993 lawsuit was settled, and a 1998 investigation resulted in the union disallowing a $5,000 credit to his health and pension account.

Anita Busch, who quit as editor of the Reporter after Dowling criticized Robb’s behavior in pursuing the Christy story, said Friday that to “launch yet another investigation has the appearance of a [public relations] move. It will be interesting to see how this one turns out.”

Busch developed concerns about Christy’s behavior shortly after she became editor of the Reporter in 1999 and sent Dowling two memos urging him to take action. Among her concerns were reports that Christy accepted many costly gifts, mistreated studio publicists and demanded that studios provide limousines to take him to and from premieres. She was also upset that he required anyone who wanted a picture in his column to hire and pay a photographer of Christy’s choice to take the picture.

Dowling, who generally declined to take action against Christy, ended the latter practice early last year.