Sam Neill's Good Name Changed Hollywood—When What an Actor Said Mattered Most

Sam Neill, a New Zealand actor who died July 13 at 78, represents a Hollywood world that no longer exists. Director Phillip Noyce said Neill's personal vouching for him—telling a producer that Noyce had successfully directed *Dead Calm*—helped Noyce get hired to direct *Patriot Games*. Noyce called Neill "the most gentlemanly actor" whose word you could trust completely. This shows how much the industry once relied on personal reputation instead of formal checks.