Robin Williams’ "Popeye" Set Was Awash In Cocaine Says Former Paramount CEO Barry Diller

Do you know anything about the old school Hollywood buffet?

In a candid moment during a recent book tour event at NYC’s 92Y, media mogul Barry Diller revealed that the most drug-fueled film set he ever visited was Robert Altman’s 1980 musical comedy Popeye, starring Robin Williams and Shelley Duvall. Diller, who served as CEO of Paramount Pictures at the time, described the production as “the most coked-up film set” he had ever seen.

During a Q&A with Anderson Cooper, Diller didn’t hesitate when asked about the wildest set he encountered: “Oh, Popeye,” he replied. “Everyone was stoned. You couldn’t escape it.”

The film, shot in Malta, was allegedly so saturated with cocaine that film canisters intended for transporting daily reels were instead used to smuggle drugs. “They were actually shipping [cocaine] in film cans,” Diller claimed.

Despite the chaos, Popeye marked Robin Williams' big-screen debut and was a box office success, grossing $60 million worldwide—nearly double its budget. However, reviews were mixed. Variety noted that while Williams visually embodied the beloved sailor, his muttered delivery made him difficult to understand.

Diller, who also oversaw hits like Grease, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Saturday Night Fever during his Paramount reign, recalled Popeye with a blend of awe and disbelief: “It runs like a movie on cocaine—sped up and slowed down at the same time.”

Altman’s Popeye may not have been a critical darling, but its behind-the-scenes lore has secured it a curious place in Hollywood history.

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Source: Variety

Photo Credit: Paramount