Lurid affairs with clients and brash fights with stars and royals alike: Inside the wild life of Hollywood's 'first superagent' who made Streisand, Newman and O'Neal

• A new biography reveals the crazy life led by Sue Mengers, Hollywood's first superagent, when she worked with numerous A-list stars
• She once threw a party for Princess Margaret but was furious when Jack Nicholson 'offered COCAINE' to the Queen's sister  
• Mengers also claimed to have had a one-night stand with actor Paul Newman after befriending him and his wife 
• Barbra Streisand - Mengers' favorite client - said: She knew how to push your buttons... she could make you feel very unworthy' 

By Daily Mail Reporter

Published: 09:33 EST, 30 August 2015 | Updated: 14:08 EST, 30 August 2015

A new biography goes inside the life of Hollywood's 'first-superagent' to reveal the crazy, brazen fights and lurid affairs that Sue Mengers had with clients and stars.

In Can I Go Now? The Life of Sue Mengers, Hollywood's First Superagent, the biography tells the story of arguably one of the most powerful agents in Tinseltown history. 

Mengers was the first woman to amass huge power and notoriety for representing A-listers like Gene Hackman, Michael Caine, Candice Bergen, Ryan O'Neal, Mike Nichols, Barbra Streisand and more. 

In the book, author Brian Kellow takes readers behind the scenes to share what Mengers' life was truly like. 

He even recounts one of her parties where the actor Jack Nicholson is said to have offered Princess Margaret cocaine. 

Scroll down for video 

Smiles: The photo above shows Sue Mengers at a book party for Mickey Ziffren in 1976. A new biography goes inside Hollywood's 'first-superagent' to reveal the crazy, brazen fights and lurid affairs that she had  

Sue Mengers (right) attends a screening of 'Black Sunday' with American actor Jack Nicholson (left) in 1977

Glamorous: Mengers attends a gala for PEN America at the Royale Theater in New York in November 1985

One specific passage in the book tells of a time in 1973 that Mengers showed up 10 minutes late to a CMA meeting, the Hollywood talent agency that later became ICM.

Sporting a muumuu, Mengers sat as the meeting continued and attempted to comb her hair, while revealing that she wasn't wearing underwear by sitting with one foot underneath her. 

As she 'fiddled with her tortoiseshell comb, one of her false nails popped off and fell in front of her on the marble table,' the book reads.  

'Aaach,' she muttered, 'that f- -kin' [racist slur for people of Asian descent] didn't do the paste right on my f***in' nails.' 

'The comb then fell out of her hair and onto the ground, and when Sue bent over to pick it up, she exposed her bare bottom to an entire table full of employees.'

Close: Sue Mengers with her client, American actor Ryan O'Neal, at the National Association of Theatre Owners Awards at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim, California in 1976

Mengers was known in Hollywood to refuse to subordinate herself to the male power structure, the author reveals. 

She was staunchly anti-feminist and believed that supporting the male ego was a woman's job. She also believed that wives shouldn't be upset if their husbands cheated. 

The blonde beauty also had no problems about sleeping with clients or would-be clients.

Mengers claims to have had a one-night stand with actor Paul Newman after befriending him and his wife, Joanne Woodward, the book reveals. 

“It wasn’t intercourse, just a b*** j** — but it still counted, ­because it was Paul Newman,” she once reportedly told friends. 

Mengers, who was married to director Jean-Claude Tramont from 1973 until his death in 1996, was a chain smoker of marijuana and cigarettes.

Mengers at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. She was known for her no-nonsense approach

Famous friends: Sue Mengers and movie director Woody Allen chat at an event in New York City

She was known for her rude and crude attitude, no matter if you were her friend or client. 

Despite her flaws, Mengers was truly loved by many in her circle. 

In 1963, she got her start in the business as an agent at a small firm, Korman Associates and had developed a friendship with powerful Broadway producer David Merrick. 

The book reveals that when she was approached by an actor named Tom Ewell about signing him, he asked her 'what she could do for him that his current agent couldn't.' 

Mengers replied, 'F*** David Merrick!' 

Ewell signed with her shortly after.

Party: (l-r) Christopher Walken, Sue Mengers, Paul Newman and David Brown. Mengers once claimed that she and Newman spent a night together

Mengers saw no issue with using sex to advance her career and advised many others to do the same, Kellow writes. 

In 1966, she joined CMA, moving from New York to Los Angeles where she threw parties that became A-list events and smoked huge amounts of pot. 

Another passage in the book reveals a time when Mengers accompanied Streisand to England in 1968 for a screening of the hit singer's film, 'Funny Girl.'

It was to be attended by Princess Margaret. 

Mengers unsuccessfully argued with a Buckingham Palace staff member that Streisand should enter the movie theater last so she could receive a standing ovation instead of being seated before the princess entered the room. 

Eventually, Mengers threw a party in Princess Margaret's honor in 1979 and the two women enjoyed each other's company. 

Early days: Singer Barbra Streisand (right), her hairdresser Fred Glaser (center) and Hollywood agent Sue Mengers attend a Reincarnation Costume Ball at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in 1969

However, Mengers accused actor Jack Nicholson of ruining her chance at an invite to the palace when he reportedly offered Princess Margaret cocaine, who declined. 

The book also reveals that Mengers tried to get producer and good friend Robert Evans to cast O'Neal as Michael Corleone in 'The Godfather.'

The actor's obvious Irish traits made Evans find the idea and notion ridiculous. 

Streisand, who was Mengers' favorite client, shared that the agent's tactics became more aggressive as her power in Hollywood grew.  

'Sue knew how to push your buttons,' Streisand said. 

'She was very clever. She could make you feel very unworthy about your talent or your age. 

'You're getting on. You'd better do this movie.'  

Songwriter Kris Kristofferson and Sue Mengers attend the premiere party for 'A Star Is Born' on December 23, 1976 at the Tavern on the Green in New York City

By the 1980s, many of the agent's clients were past what was considered their prime in Hollywood as they were approaching the age of 40. 

Mengers relationship had grown strained with Streisand as she never supported her desire to film her dream project, 'Yentl.'

Streisand fired Mengers as her agent but wanted to remain friends with her. 

Mengers replied, 'I won't be your friend if I'm not your agent,' according to the book. 

The women later became friends, but were never as close as they had been in the past. 

In 1986, Mengers retired from ICM and made a brief return to the business two years later. 

She started working at William Morris, but left the job for good in 1990.

Mengers died at age 79 from pneumonia in 2011.  

With Rex Reed (left) at Danny Kaye Conducts the New York Philharmonic on September 23, 1981

With Christopher Walken during The American Museum of the Moving Image Tribute to Sidney Poitier at the Waldorf Hotel in New York City in 1989

Comments (120)

Share what you think

• Newest
• Oldest
• Best rated
• Worst rated

 View all

The comments below have not been moderated.

 View all

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

Add your comment

Enter your comment

By posting your comment you agree to our house rules.

Submit Comment Clear

Who is this week's top commenter? Find out now