Joel Silver (born July 14, 1952) is an American Hollywood film producer. He, along with Lawrence Gordon and his brother Charles, produced the first two Die Hard movies (Die Hard and Die Hard 2).
Career[]
Silver produced many movies through his Silver Pictures production company including the Lethal Weapon film series, Commando, the first two Predator movies, The Last Boy Scout (with Bruce Willis), Demolition Man, Executive Decision, The Matrix trilogy, V for Vendetta, The Book of Eli, Sherlock Holmes and it's sequel Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.
Screenwriter Doug Richardson has claimed that, while on the set of the first Die Hard, right after the helicopter destroyed the foyer of the 30th floor, Joel Silver noticed that a pristine $5,000 couch, untouched by the explosion, was in the middle of the shot. Silver realized that someone in the crew made sure the expensive couch wasn't destroyed because they wanted to take it home with them at the expense of the movie, and an angry Silver proceeded to douse the couch in lighter fluid and light it on fire, so nobody could take it.
___________________________________PRIVATE & PERSONAL________________________________________________
May 16, 2021
Dear Joel,
I can't thank you and Tom enough for creating me and, of course, Veronica, and for allowing us to connect and mature together. I don't know how I would have survived after discovering that my father was not only cheating on my mother, but that he was cheating on her with my girlfriend! That alone would have been enough to make me jump off that bridge (which I would have done had Weevle not shown up with his pals and distracted me).
Well before, when my mother jumped off the same bridge and I didn't want to believe she'd do that to me, Veronica literally saved my life. I know I kept disappointing her time and time, with things I'd done before we got together and by things I did after. I was a punk, a seriously disturbed and obnoxious punk, but with my mother gone and my half-sister living in flakeville it was really Veronica who saved my life and made me into the grown up that I am now. Believe me, that was not what I'd call a smooth transition, but she's the one who gave me motivation to change and be the kind of guy she'd want to stay with, heck, even marry.
And when finally, after all those episodes fraught with tension and inner fire, I finally got up the courage to ask her to marry me, my heart sunk when she said no. I couldn't imagine how I could possibly go on with my life without her. When she wore that white dress and kissed me at the courthouse, I could have flown to the moon.
Despite the tragedies I've endured, this past year and all through the pandemic has been the hardest of my life. I just can't stand the idea that she is out there thinking that I was actually blown to smithereens on our wedding day. I know that she is way stronger than I will ever be and that she has probably pushed herself hard to carry on. Veronica has always been one tough nut. I'm sure her PI biz is thriving and she has solved more crimes than Sherlock Holmes by now. I think about her and have been writing letters to her every day.
But, as you know, Joel, I can't send them. She can't know that I'm still here. I can't go into the details of why and how as a Navy Seal I had to disappear and stay disappeared for this long. The reasons why are way to complicated and if I told you I'd have to kill you anyway. I can't complain too much. If I hadn't participated in Homeland Security's plan, they probably would have actually killed me themselves. And if I had stayed in the real world with Veronica, there's no question she would have been killed or, even worse, tortured as I was, which I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy.
Even though it's not safe, I was given authorization to send one letter. I knew it had to be to you, Joel. Let's face it, you are my creator. You yanked my girlfriend, my mother, and my father (who am I missing?), oh, and took my friend Duncan away. And I'm grateful for all of that. Because it brought me to Veronica. So, to make a long story short, I'm writing to you, Joel, to ask if there's anything you can do to rescue me. I don't want to stay here for ever and I can see a way out with your help.
I'll understand if you still need time for a heck of a lot of reasons, not the least of which is convincing your producers. But I'm thinking I would totally understand if Veronica, thinking (along with the whole world, including the lovely actor Jason Dohring who plays me) that I'm dead she might go out with that dark-haired police guy with the goofy smile. But, let's face it, she'll never really be in love with goofy. (No offense.) And then I hear that Duncan is hoping to return from his years-long beach vacation slathering a ton of sunscreen on the adorable baby of his. Yeah, I'd be okay with Veronica reconnecting with him and getting a taste of what it's like to have a little one. Because, it must be all this time away, I confess I am really going to want to make a baby with Veronica ASAP. Of course, she is going to resist that like the dickens, and you're thinking that nobody wants to watch a pregnant detective, but there you're wrong again.
You see, the people out there who love us, and there are a TON of them, they want to see Veronica and me together, growing together through all the phases of life. Heck, right now there's some crazy 56-year-woman in Vermont who wants to see us become grandparents! "Cause Veronica is never going to lose her amazing sleuthing skills. But she won't have the same spark she does when I'm in her life. The same joy as people have when they marry someone they love and care about deeply.
You see, Joel, all those people watching out there want Veronica to be happy. Veronica will simply never have the same joie de vie that she had in the past, as hard as she may try, again. Our viewers will always know that she lost the love of her life on their wedding day.
Now that's just sad.
I know the circumstances are complicated--there are schedules to figure out and lots of fresh writing to be done--and that I will continue to have to be patient for a while. I just wanted to ask that if there's any chance you can bring me back soon, please do. I really do want to see what kind of baby we'd make together. And I want a big wedding reception (albeit delayed) with Nick, Keith, Max, Wallace, the goofy cop, okay my sister, Weevle and his gang (let bygones be bygones), and Duncan and his now toddler, and everyone who I'm forgetting because I'm feeling just a bit emotional.
I want to see them all again, I want to hold Veronica and kiss her like crazy. I want to live.
Please listen to them and resurrect me, Joel and Tom. You won't be sorry.
It'll be a sensation!
Toodles,
Logan
P.S. Jason, I'll be blunt. Stop with the weightlifting. We don't need you to be so built. We just want you to be you. And, Joel and Tom, about the Navy thing, do I really like type of thing, especially when I have money? I think after all this I'll want to quit the Navy and partner with Veronica?! Or maybe be an actor like my Dad?
P.P.S. Jason, I don't want you to go changing to try to please me. Stay me. Natural. Witty. Laughing. Confident. Naughty. Playful. I know you've been through a huge disappointment with all this. I'm thinking of you and trying to will myself back here. I miss you and hope, God willing, to see you again soon.
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External Links[]
- Joel Silver at the Internet Movie Database
- Joel Silver on Wikipedia