Stephen Schochet has worked for over ten years as a tour guide in Los Angeles, collecting literally hundreds of vintage Hollywood Stories to tell to appreciative sightseers. A few years ago he decided to take his tales beyond the tour buses which lead him to embark on several unique and creative entrepreneurial projects.

First came the audiobook Tales Of Hollywood. "The idea was to focus on the origins of how famous things in Hollywood began, and combine it with funny anecdotes about the stars," Schochet says. "I wanted to create a forty-five minute ride for the listener that keeps moving the whole time. It is fast paced folklore; sometimes when I was doing the research there would be two or three different versions of an anecdote and I would chose the most colorful one!"

The background music and sound effects were provided by producer Ivor Francis using orchestrated tunes from APM (Associated Production Music) a Hollywood based company which many filmmakers use for their scores. "Ivor was wonderful in our collaboration. We had very few disagreements as to what music should be used for what stories. He made ninety-nine percent of the choices; once in a while I contributed a suggestion. We were very restrained with sound effects; the goal was never to knock the listener out of the story."

Schochet's second project was a two CD set called Fascinating Walt Disney which actually had its roots years before. "I was going to do a another Hollywood CD but it went in a different direction. As a kid who liked to write I had an idea for a Walt Disney play, it never really went anywhere except for the research. When you give tours you get stuck in traffic and you need something to say to the people on your bus. I have always had a great memory for stories, so on different days my customers would hear about how Walt created Mickey Mouse, Disneyland, Snow White etc. Each time I told the Disney tales, I was armed with a little more information so the anecdotes came out better and the idea for the new audiobook came together."

Once again with Ivor Francis and APM, Schochet set out to do his inspiring project. "It was more a lighthearted look at Walt and his creations, than a pure biography. If you mention Alice in Wonderland or Fantasia in a short oral anecdote they are like song hooks. Ivor did a brilliant job with the music, it starts off quiet while Walt is struggling and then picks up steam as he becomes more successful. There was one part on the second CD where it looked like Disney was going to chuck it, just retire from his career and then gets his fire back. With the orchestra in the background, it evoked a feeling like Walt was running around the bases after hitting a grand slam!"

To publicize his two self published audiobooks Schochet began to do radio interviews with big time National Hosts like Jim Bohannon and Ernie Brown. Not only did the sales of his CDs go way up but it lead to other opportunities. Hollywood Stories is his new one minute syndicated feature which is now heard on several stations throught North America. Stephen connected with Victor Ives, CEO of TalkStar who loved the concept. The sixty second segments are written in Los Angeles by Schochet, who then sends them to Producer William Madden in Florida to add music and sound effects. Stephen says, "The listeners will constantly be surprised; sometimes the vignettes are funny, other times they have twist endings. The next story could be about anyone from Charlie Chaplin to Tyra Banks. The only rules about the show are that every tale is resolved in the alloted time, they are all packed with information, and they are told in good taste."

Another radio program Stephen is involved with is Hollywood Plus, with veteran co-host Judi Paparelli, also syndicated by TalkStar. "Judi had a great show on the Talk America Network and I was her guest every week. We would find ways to tie current news events to Hollywood; for example during the Republican Convention we did a show on the 1939 movie "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington." Broadcast out of the famed Watergate Hotel, the entertaining banter between Judi and Stephen caused members of the Washington Press Corps to stop what they were doing so they could listen. The new show covers a wide variety of subjects. Schochet points out,"We've done episodes on baseball movies, John Wayne, Its a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World and many other topics." This timeless, taped one hour program comes complete with sound bytes from the movies discussed and enough anecdotes and observations that the time breezes by.

Stephen Schochet is available for very entertaining Speaking Engagements and Tours Of Hollywood.