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July 10, 2025 49 mins

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Peter Samuelson, legendary film producer and philanthropist, shares his journey of combining Hollywood success with meaningful social impact through his foundations and new book "Finding Happy."

• Film credits include Revenge of the Nerds, Return of the Pink Panther, Arlington Road, and many other classics
• Founded First Star organization in 1999 to house, educate and encourage foster youth through university partnerships
• Created a program where 89% of foster youth participants go to college versus standard 6% national average
• Shares harrowing story of rescuing a cat in Morocco during Pink Panther filming as lesson in risk assessment
• "Random Acts of Kindness and Pay it Forward" program teaches foster youth to help others despite their own challenges
• Co-founded Starlight Children's Foundation with Steven Spielberg to help seriously ill children
• EDAR initiative provides mobile, single-user shelters for homeless individuals at $800 per unit
• Believes that helping others creates ripples of positive impact that extend far beyond initial actions
• Films should have "double bottom line" - both commercial viability and positive social impact
• Defines himself as "career producer, philanthropist, dad"

Get Peter Samuelson's book "Finding Happy" on Amazon or wherever books are sold.

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https://www.firststar.org/about/

About your Host- Alexia Melocchi

Buy My Book - An Insiders Secret: Mastering the Hollywood Path

Alexia Melocchi - Website

The Heart of Show Business - Website

Little Studio Films - Website

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