64. INT. ADJOINING OFFICE – DAY
FRANKIE walks into the office from the executive’s office. Another SECRETARY sits at her desk.
SECRETARY
You can take it right over there, Mr. Fane.
Frankie picks up the phone.
FRANKIE
Hymie?
65. INT. ACADEMY HEADQUARTERS – DAY
HYMIE is on the other end of the phone. He can barely hear because there is bedlam as scores of reporters and other representatives are all phoning the breaking news.
HYMIE
You’ve just been nominated for an Oscar!
INTERCUT BETWEEN FRANKIE AND HYMIE
FRANKIE
What? I can’t hear you.
HYMIE
I’m at the Academy, and they just released the Oscar nominations. Frankie, do you hear me? I said they just nominated you for the Best Actor for “Breakthrough.” You and Burt and Lancaster and . . .
FRANKIE
Hymie, if this is a gag, I’ll kill you.
A MAN standing near Hymie grabs the phone from him.
MAN
(into the phone)
Frankie, congratulations!
HYMIE
So help me, Frankie, it’s no gag. It’s the emmis, the truth. You’ve been nominated. Frankie? Frankie?
FRANKIE
I’ll talk to you later.
Frankie hangs up the phone. KAPPY walks in from the executive’s office.
KAPPY
Frankie, they’re getting impatient.
FRANKIE
I don’t think I can make it.
KAPPY
What are you talking about?
FRANKIE
I’m not doing that nitwit series.
KAPPY
Wait a minute, Frankie. This is one of the major networks, they’ve already put money into the project, they brought out an important sponsor.
FRANKIE
That’s their problem. No one told them to go ahead.
KAPPY
I told them to go ahead.
FRANKIE
Then it’s your problem. I never authorized it.
KAPPY
You didn’t sit there in the Polo Lounge and say “Go ahead, Kappy. Save my life, Kappy. Let me keep my car, my home, my yacht.” You didn’t do this?
FRANKIE
One phone call and I’m not dog meat like I was in Regan’s office, like I was in there a minute ago. One phone call. So just go sliding back in there and tell ’em game called on account of Oscar. That’s right, Oscar. That phone call from Hymie. Academy nominations were announced. I was nominated for “Breakthrough.” So go tell old QuentiPlak and his wife, Phyllis, I won’t be able to come to their house party Saturday night.
Frankie walks away as Kappy stands there dumbstruck.