Former movie director, producer Steve Zakman relishes retirement in Fox Chapel

Steve Zakman has come a long way from sleeping on the floor of an unfurnished apartment above Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles.

Zakman hit the road in 1994, driving from his hometown of Pittsburgh solo, with a dream of having a career in the film and entertainment business in Hollywood — and beyond.

His arrival in Los Angeles was less than posh.

“My second day there, I was sleeping on a raft because I didn’t want to bring a bunch of crap. I looked out from my window below at Hollywood Boulevard and saw a guy in a diaper, a full Indian headdress, walking down the road — staggering — hitting a telephone pole and lying on the sidewalk, out cold. I thought, ‘This isn’t Pittsburgh. This is different.’ ”

Zakman’s early memory endures as a reminder of the first of countless other professional and personal recollections as the Fox Chapel native enjoyed a successful 30-year career as a producer, director, actor and talent manager.

With only a few thousand dollars to kick-start his new life in L.A., a then-married Zakman drew on his previous Pittsburgh-based connections with talent agent Nancy Mosser, landing his first job as an office production assistant on the film “The Prophecy.”

And his car deserves some credit for helping Zakman to land what would prove to be a fortuitous job.

“I had the nicest car of all the PAs, so on the next movie, ‘God’s Army’ starring Eric Stoltz and Christopher Walken, my job was to drive Christopher around. Unbelievable,” Zakman said.

Only 26 and suddenly grateful for the appeal of his new Nissan Maxima, Zakman never looked back as he forged his film, acting and producing career, working on dozens of projects.

“I was driving down the freeway with Christopher Walken and we’re talking about our parents and I thought, ‘What weird world did I fall into?’ ” Zakman said.

And he couldn’t have done it without a little help from Mosser.

“It’s such a coincidence that I referred Steve,” recalled veteran Pittsburgh-based casting agent Nancy Mosser of Nancy Mosser Casting. “In 1993, I was working on ‘Money for Nothing’ and went to Philadelphia and worked with production coordinator Tom ‘Doc’ Boguski for three days. Doc is really good at his job, really funny and we remained friends, so when Steve asked me if I knew anyone, I referred him to Doc, who gave him a shot.”

Mosser said encouraging those interested in the film industry is a priority.

“I always really like to help people. Steve was smart and personable and Doc was happy to get a referral,” Mosser said of facilitating the professional connection.

Retirement fuels foodie focus

Joyce Hanz | TRIBLIVE

Fox Chapel resident Steve Zakman cooks in his kitchen on Sept. 29.

Divorced and the father of three grown children, Zakman is relishing retirement and enjoys cooking meals for his fiancée, Angela Lauria, and family and friends.

Zakman honed his cooking skills in Los Angeles.

“I went and bought a Bon Appétit magazine and made the first thing that looked good,” he recalled. “I followed the recipe and it came out delicious. Cooking is kind of like making movies. It’s a creative way to get where you have an idea, you do stuff and you drive it toward the end of what you’re looking to do.”

Steve Zakman prepares bananas Foster at his home. “Cooking is kind of like making movies,” he says. “It’s a creative way to get where you have an idea, you do stuff and you drive it toward the end of what you’re looking to do.”

Zakman cooks everything from artisan salads to all kinds of meat.

He pondered his proudest accomplishment while cooking at home in his chef’s kitchen.

“My kids,” he quipped.

Retirement life affords Zakman more time with his parents, and they frequent the Pittsburgh Field Club in Fox Chapel to dine together.

“He does the kind of cooking, his food is excellent — pasta, lasagna, steak — I don’t even always know what I’m eating, but it tastes good,” said his father, Don “Zak” Zakman.

Zakman gets inspiration from memorable meals enjoyed while dining out, like the watermelon, pistachio and feta cheese salad with balsamic dressing he enjoyed at Senti in Lawrenceville and a recent dinner at the newly opened Palm Palm located in Shadyside.

Palm Palm co-owner Herky Pollock met Zakman earlier this year and appreciates Zakman’s foodie pursuits.

“He’s such a nice guy,” Pollock said.

Pittsburgh proud

Born in New Kensington and raised in Fox Chapel, Zakman graduated from Fox Chapel Area High School in 1984 and earned degrees in business and communications from the University of Michigan and a master’s in marketing from the University of Business Katz Graduate School of Business.

“I’ve been interested my whole life in movies and worked on a couple of movies when I was in Ann Arbor, including the TV show ‘Events This Week,’ interviewing people,” Zakman said. “I’m a complete film snob.”

Steve’s parents, Don and Margi Zakman of Fox Chapel, reflected on their son’s journey during a phone interview from their seasonal home in Naples, Fla.

The couple, both 88, said they didn’t expect their son to end up in the film business, but they’re happy he found success out West.

“It came as a surprise to us, because he originally said he wanted to be a dentist,” Don Zakman said.

Margi Zakman noted Steve’s love for films and adventurous spirit.

“We traveled a lot and Steve was independent,” she said. “We’re both very proud of him.”

Courtesy of Steve Zakman

Fox Chapel resident Steve Zakman is retired from an almost 30-year career as a producer, director, talent manager and actor in Los Angeles.

Zakman’s industry awards include the 2005 International Family Film Festival’s Best Motion Picture Drama for “Come Away Home” and a 2000 US Comedy Arts Festival Audience Award for Comedy Film Best Picture for “We Married Margo.”

“We Married Margo,” which Zakman produced, has a flurry of celebrity cameos that include Kevin Bacon, Cindy Crawford and Tom Arnold.

Joyce Hanz | TRIBLIVE

Steve Zakman of Fox Chapel holds two films he produced “We Married Margo” and “Come Away Home.”

“Come Away Home” was co-created and produced by Zakman and starred ’80s movie darling Lea Thompson.

“With Thompson, we could just sit on set and talk with people. Lea was special because she was a big movie star, but she wasn’t a movie star to us. She would beat me senseless at Scrabble. She always wanted to be with the working crew,” Zakman said. “She didn’t spend a lot of time in her trailer and that’s rare. She was like any other day player.”

Zakman said the success of “Come Away Home” brought added satisfaction when moviegoers responded tangibly to the film’s theme of family bonds.

“I wanted to make a good family film, but we got hundreds and hundreds of letters from fans who had let their relationship with their parents go and they sent us these letters thanking us,” Zakman said. “We happened to make something that resonated and that meant a lot to us.”

In 2002, Zakman wrote and directed the short film “Autopsy Room Four,” based on a short story by Stephen King.

“My goal when I went out was to do something where my great-great-great-grandkids could see that I actually did it,” Zakman said. “I wanted a bridge, I wanted a monument. I wanted something and the movies were my monument because they last forever now.”