Barger was in charge of security at the
Rolling Stones' disastrous Altamont gig
Posted on 04/22/2008 7:27:54 AM PDT by yankeedame
Page last updated at 09:55 GMT, Monday, 21 April 2008 10:55 UK
Barger was in charge of security at the
Rolling Stones' disastrous Altamont gig
Hells Angels veteran Sonny Barger is suing US TV company HBO over a biker drama which he claims he helped to develop, says the Hollywood Reporter.
In legal papers filed last week, he accuses producers of cutting him out of the project after he demanded changes.
He also says the drama, called 1%, too closely resembles his own life story.
Mr Barger was the leader of the Hells Angels' chapter who organised security at the Rolling Stones' disastrous Altamont concert in 1969.
The free gig descended into chaos when his crew tried to control the audience by beating them with pool cues.
One fan, who appeared to be pointing a gun at the stage, was fatally stabbed by a Hells Angels member who was acquitted at trial.
Nickname
Barger has written two memoirs of
his time as a Hells Angel
In his legal case, filed in Los Angeles, Mr Barger says he originally sold his best-selling autobiography to 20th Century Fox for movie development.
Fox then hired Michael Tolkin, who wrote the screenplay for Robert Altman's The Player, to work on the script.
Mr Barger claims he shared with Mr Tolkin a series of novels he had been working on about a fictional motorcycle club, and the pair subsequently pitched a series to HBO.
HBO subsequently turned to Mr Tolkin to create it, and "refused to acknowledge" Mr Barger's contributions, court papers say.
Mr Barger was given the option of serving as a consulting producer on the project but turned it down.
There was also talk of his appearing in the pilot in the potentially recurring role of Chief, the oldest member of the Death Rangers, but the casting never came about.
In his legal case, Mr Barger says that Chief is a "well-known nickname or alias for Sonny Barger", and that the drama is set in Carefree, Arizona - "which is the town adjacent to where Sonny Barger presently resides".
He wants the court to declare the 1% script as a joint work of Sonny Barger Productions and Tolkin, to forbid the sale or broadcast of the programme, and to award damages for exploiting Barger's publicity rights.
The case comes as HBO prepares to shoot the pilot episode. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the cast had motorcycle training last week, and production is due to begin Friday.
It says the name of the Chief character, played by Hans Howes, has been changed to Cap, and the setting of the show has been moved to Apache Junction, Arizona.
I couldn’t find any biker threads today.
Which is good, I don’t post on them
So how smart is HBO, taking on the Pope and the Hell’s Angels at the same time?
They are all pumped up after winning the “Sopranos” law suit.
Jersey girls rock.
Thank you.
Me either.
[they always attract riff-raff].....;]
LOL! Good one!
We have a thread winner.
It’s the new “Victim Lottery”!
1. you can’t really quit the HA
2. those who have “went away” for personal reason kept both their tats and choppers.
3. you can’t really qui the HA
I knew him in the early 50’s, we frequented the same bar on E 12th st in Oakland, CA.
Back when he had his '36 Knucklehead? Or had he gotten his Sportster by then?
I dont know what he rode, I didn’t have a bike in those days, I was driving a ‘50 Ford 2 door. This was before there was a Hells Angels, just a few guys at a neighborhood bar that I stopped at on the way home. I lived on 12th Ave about 8 blocks from there.
He wasn’t even 21, like most guys in those days, he had a phony ID, I had one when I was 16. ;)
In the late 60’s I drove truck with some Angel members, I never saw Sonny again after the 50’s in that E 12th St bar.
During that time, he was in the Army for a few months, he got discharged for faking his birth certificate.
When did you live there?
I didn't live there, but my grandmom's two sisters did. In 1956 or '57 we spent some time there while my dad was doing some company [CalTex/Texaco] pipeline work after a job in Argentina- being a refinery brat is like being an Army brat except that the towns smell worse [sometimes!] and nobody wants to grow up to be a fireman.
The *new* XL Sportster was the big thing then, said to outrun an EL Harley if riding single, due to it's lighter weight. Sonny had one of the first ones around, the first one I'd ever seen- and our home town wasn't all that far from Milwaukee.
I had a '91 1200 cc Sportster that I rode until 2000 when I got the SV650.
It was a pretty good runner, it had Sifton cams, Screaming Eagle ignition, 42 MM Mikuni carb, Works Performance rear shocks and reworked front forks.
Me and the Sportster
I was getting a divorce from my second wife in late '58 and got into sports cars for the next five years and three sports cars.
In '64 I got back into bikes and haven't been without one since.
This is my first bike; a 45 Harley, I got it in '48.
Nice looking SV650 my friend! Custom paint?
Thanks my friend - no it’s the stock red for 2001.
It’s a great ride; perfect for the two lane twisties of Oregon. There is nothing like an adrenaline rush, even at my advanced years. Old guys like to go fast, too!! >:-}
No one ever has anything bad to say about the SV650.
As a longtime rider with lots of experience, do you think it’s too much for a first?
That’s looks darker than the stock, maybe my monitor is dark or something.
No - I don’t think it’s too much bike for a “first”, it wheelies very easily, just be smooth, get the big picture; look forward, left, right and the rear view mirrors. Keep your eyes moving and know where you are all of the time. Pretend you’re invisible - when you start thinking the whole world sees you is when you get crunched.
Just pay attention and have fun!!
I think Suzuki changed the red shade in ‘02 or ‘03?
I like the red on the ‘01 better.
That's a nice old flattie. Former WLA?
I've been looking at the new Triumph Scrambler, a bit heavier than the old 650s, but with a little more motor, too.
The old flat head 45 had WLDR cams and it was ported, relieved and polished (just like a flat head Ford.) I think it was an Army bike - originally.
If I was going to buy a another bike, it would be a Triumph, they make damn good products. I like the 675cc Road Triple and the 1050cc Speed Triple.
One of my best friends here in Eugene, is the Triumph dealer and he’s a conservative. ;)
I wish they still made the Thunderbird.
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