Exclusive
Producer Marc Fiore removed Marty Ingels as executive producer of the John Gotti biopic "Gotti: Three Generations" on Monday, TheWrap has learned.
Ingels, the comedian and husband of actress Shirley Jones, was booted the same day the New York Post quoted him saying that Johnny Depp, James Franco and Robert Downey Jr. all have declined to play the "Dapper Don," John Gotti, in the movie, because they were too busy.
On Friday, Ingels was quoted in the Post saying that Larry King wanted to do a CNN special about the movie, and that "bad jokes about King having passed away some years ago can be heard in the Gotti office corridors."
An individual close to the production told TheWrap that Ingels' ongoing comments were inaccurate and damaging to the production. Monday's Page 6 comments, the individual said, were "the straw that broke the camel's back."
Ingels told TheWrap, "Nobody ever said Hollywood life was easy. This 'executive producer' hat they toss around like Life Savers is a very shaky gift. Say two wrong words to the wrong investor and you're in the doghouse — and that's what I did, so that's where I am — this week."
Director Barry Levinson and writing partner James Toback recently finished polishing the script — the first Gotti movie to have the cooperation of John Gotti's family.
The movie stars John Travolta, Kelly Preston, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci and Lindsay Lohan. It is slated to begin production in New York in January.
