Schwarzenegger aide back to Hollywood

Few people have worked as closely with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger as Walter von Huene. The movie and TV director has been the governor's speech coach and professional friend on the campaign trail, in the Capitol and back home in Los Angeles. It's hard to imagine a harder job than chief dialogue coach to a man known worldwide for his tortured English.

But now Von Huene, a former "Happy Days" director who worked on several Schwarzenegger movies, has left his full-time job at Schwarzenegger's side to return to Hollywood, the administration said. Von Huene had worked with Schwarzenegger on "Terminator 3," "End of Days," and "The 6th Day," but spent much of his time since the 2003 recall traveling with the governor and attending meetings with him in Sacramento.

Von Huene's departure comes two weeks after the Sacramento Bee reported that Von Huene had received close to $600,000 in consulting fees and expenses since the 2003 recall. He was not paid a taxpayer salary, but was compensated through political committees. He was one of dozens of Schwarzenegger consultants, and among the most highly paid. Last year, the newspaper reported, Von Huene received $225,000 in fees - half of it from the California Republican Party, which ended the year several million dollars in debt. It was unclear what work Von Huene had done for the GOP, except aid Schwarzenegger, the highest-ranking Republican in the state.

Adam Mendelsohn, the governor's communications director, said Von Huene's departure from the Capitol scene is simply to work on Hollywood projects and he will continue to consult with the governor. There has been no falling out, he said. "Depending on his schedule, we will work with him," Mendelsohn said. Other Schwarzenegger aides, such as videographer and former stunt double Dieter Rauter and longtime publicist Sheryl Main, have gone on temporary leave in the past to work on movie projects as well. (Main left for a few months to work on "Rocky Balboa.")

Although he rarely mixed with reporters, Von Huene was always laid-back and friendly when he wasn't at the governor's side. With Schwarzenegger in private, he was quick with biting locker-room banter that came with years of friendship. Few people beyond Maria Shriver have worked more directly to correct the governor's mistakes; Von Huene's central job was making sure the governor's unique speech patterns were reflected in speeches and that the governor pronounced words and names correctly, or at least came close. He also was the governor's regular chess partner.

(Photo: Clifford Oto/AP)