The pictures: a billion-dollar man.(The Talk of the Town)(producer Mace Neufeld)

Coming soon to the big screen is "The Sum of All Fears," the fourth, most terrifying, and most comprehensive of the Tom Clancy-based action thrillers. This one incorporates everything: international spies, neo-Nazis, corrupt Russian generals, shooting-bombing-garrotting-crashing-exploding-crushing-crippling disasters, with both biological and nuclear attacks. All four movies have been made by Mace Neufeld, a quiet, retiring producer, who belongs to what is known as the One-Billion-Dollar Club. Its single qualification for membership: make movies that collectively earn a billion or more at the box office.

In Beverly Hills the other day, Neufeld calmly entered the Grill, the lunching hub of risen and still rising movie-business bigwigs. He was subtly tanned and in admirable physical shape, with splendid posture and thick, peppered gray hair carefully barbered. He was attired in the classic uniform of a powerful producer: black high-necked Italian sports shirt, black designer suit, black Mephistos. The other lunchers, mostly a bit younger, including fashionably appointed, ultra-slim, cool-eyed female counterparts, were inspecting entrances, but no heads turned as Neufeld came on the scene. A young, harried maitre d', looking somewhat apologetic, led Neufeld to the last booth in a back corner.

"This waiting for a response to the film is a very nervous time for me," Neufeld said, with an easy, non-nervous smile. He crossed the second and third fingers of both hands, put them over his head, and wiggled them. He glanced tolerantly at his fellow-lunchers. "I don't do the socializing," he said. "On my way here, I spotted John Travolta's agent in his car. That's about as close as I get to the celebrated stars. I have three children and seven grandchildren, and I like to go home and be with them. I've lived in the same Beverly Hills house for thirty-seven years." He studied the menu and looked around for a waiter, who was a noticeably long time in appearing.

"In Europe, they tell me about my 'body of work,' " he said, with a genuine bubble of laughter. "Here it's different. Steven Spielberg is the preeminent producer, and rightly so. There are about a dozen other well-known names in the club, like George Lucas, Jerry Bruckheimer, Joel Silver, Scott Rudin, Brian Grazer. My movies are up near the top, in terms of worldwide box-office grosses: 'The Hunt for Red October,' $199.2 million; 'Patriot Games,' $178 million; 'Clear and Present Danger,' $207.5. And, of ...