Nick Counter, Rest in Peace

Whoa. This took me by surprise:

Nick Counter, the long-standing former negotiator for the major studios who squared off against Hollywood's writers during a 100-day strike in 2008, died Friday night. He was 69.

The former president of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers was taken to West Hills Hospital earlier this week after collapsing in his Los Angeles home. His family declined to specify the cause of death ...

TAG representatives sat in negotiations with Nick Counter at every IA Basic negotiation, even though Nick pushed TAG out of the bargaining unit in 1982. He was always calm, always prepared, and I was sure he would go on forever.

Shows what I know.

Nick was always a tough negotiator, and disliked by newer bargaining representatives from SAG and the WGA. Yet it was a studio rep who told me several months ago: "I wasn't a big fan. Nick would have walked over his mother to nail down a deal ..."

I found him likable. What many didn't realize was that, on his side of the table, Nick had to forge a consensus among the studios before any deal got done, something akin to herding cats. I was startled to learn he was only 69.