Researching Robert Evans

Evans began his career in a successful business venture with his brother, selling women's apparel. In 1956, while on a business trip, he was by chance spotted by actress Norma Shearer, who thought he would be right to play the role of her late husband Irving Thalberg (appropriately, another film mogul) in Man of a Thousand Faces. Thus he began a brief film acting career. In 1962, Evans decided to go into film producing instead, using his accumulated wealth from the clothing business, and began a meteoric rise in the industry; he was installed as the head of Paramount Pictures in 1967. While there, he improved the ailing Paramount's fortunes through a string of commercially and critically acclaimed films. In 1974, he stepped down in order to produce films on his own.

In 1980, Evans's career, and life, took a downturn after he pleaded guilty to cocaine trafficking; over the next 12 years, he produced only two films, both financial flops: The Cotton Club and the Chinatown sequel The Two Jakes. In 1993, he began to produce films on a more regular basis, with a mixed track record that included both flops (such as Jade in 1995) and hits (such as How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days in 2003, his final film credit).

At the age of twenty-two, he moved to Indiana Territory in what was then Knox County about two miles north of present-day Princeton in Gibson County. He settled in the wilderness and at the first sale of public lands in 1807, bought the settlement that he had selected for a home.

After living at this pioneer home for four years, he moved to Vincennes and opened a tavern, which he kept for two years until returning to his settlement in the woods. He was a captain in the militia, and after his duties in the War of 1812 was promoted to the rank of brigadier general.

After the war, he returned to his homestead and was elected by his fellow citizens to the office of county clerk. Eventually he was elected to the territorial legislature from Knox County.

Evans remained in Gibson County until about 1820 when he moved to what is now Vanderburgh County, where he had bought land from Hugh McGary, the original owner of the land now called Evansville. He moved to New Harmony for a few years after becoming fascinated with the German socialist movement there, and worked as assistant postmaster. He moved back to Evansville and remained there until his death in 1844.alt=Plaque at Oak Hill Cemetery in Evansville, Indiana which reads:"Within these grounds is the final resting place of General Roberts Morgan Evans, soldier, pioneer, business man and one of the original proprietors of this city, Evansville, which bears his name"|thumb|Plaque at Oak Hill Cemetery in Evansville, Indiana which reads:"Within these grounds is the final resting place of General Roberts Morgan Evans, soldier, pioneer, business man and one of the original proprietors of this city, Evansville, which bears his name"

He was Vanderburgh County clerk, helped plot lots and streets in Evansville, and was a successful dealer in farm implements and real estate. He remained active in the legislature and was elected Speaker of the Indiana House of Representatives in 1825. In the legislature he put forth bills to establish railroad service to Evansville. His efforts were unsuccessful, although shortly after his death the legislature did approve a railroad into Evansville.