In the 1980s, the use of cocaine on movie sets was such a common practice in Hollywood that Barry Diller, former head of Paramount, refers to it as “the classic Hollywood buffet” in his autobiography Who Knew. In a recent interview, Diller shared surprising anecdotes about the work environment of that time, noting that many actors were under the influence of drugs without it causing any alarm.
A movie where there were no spinach during the filming precisely
One of the most shocking stories revolved around the filming of Popeye in Malta, where according to Diller, there was an unusual use of film cans to transport cocaine to the set. The production faced such an uninhibited environment that he himself stated: “You couldn’t escape it.” The revelation suggests that the crew was largely under the influence of drugs, which could explain the peculiar final result of the film.
Diller recalled how film cans were sent daily to Los Angeles to be processed, and during that process, they were used to transport cocaine. These types of anecdotes not only highlight the criminal relationship between cinema and drugs during that time, but also invite reflection on the entertainment culture in Hollywood during those years.
Currently, the Popeye film set has been transformed into a theme park, left intact by director Robert Altman. Visitors can explore the town that was part of the filming for a cost of 25 euros, and perhaps even find some “unexpected surprises” from 1980. Meanwhile, the story of the production and its turbulent relationship with drugs continues to resonate, offering an intriguing glimpse into a chaotic period in film history.
