Showman of the Screen: Joseph E. Levine and His Revolutions in Film Promotion

ISBN: 9780813168715; Hardcover296 pages, 6.00 x 9.00 in, 30 b/w imagesShowman of the ScreenJoseph E. Levine and His Revolutions in Film Promotionby A. T. McKennaShort, immaculately dressed, and shockingly foul-mouthed, Joseph E. Levine (1905--1987) was larger than life. He rose from poverty in Boston's West End to become one of postwar Hollywood's most prolific independent promoters, distributors, and producers. Alternately respected and reviled, this master of movie promotion was responsible for bringing films as varied as Godzilla: King of the Monsters! (1956), Hercules (1958), The Graduate (1967), The Lion in Winter (1968), and A Bridge Too Far (1977) to American audiences .In the first biography of this controversial pioneer, A. T. McKenna traces Levine's rise as an influential packager of popular culture. He explores the mogul's pivotal role in many significant industry innovations from the 1950s to the 1970s, examining his use of saturation release tactics and bombastic advertisi