Producers Sales Organization
Producers Sales Organization was an independent production/sales company founded in 1977.[1] Initiated by Mark Damon, an actor-turned-producer,[1] PSO (its otherwise known moniker) largely handled foreign sales of independent films. It was initially was a partnership between Damon, producer Sandy Howard, and Richard St. Johns, who worked for Arthur Guinness Son & Co. At one point, it was a subsidiary of Guinness.[2] In its final years of existence, PSO briefly became a full-fledged production company.
Despite releasing many successful films, PSO ended up running into financial problems and was forced into bankruptcy in 1986, effectively ending the company.[3] Many of its employees were soon hired by Vestron Pictures to run a new foreign sales unit dubbed Producers Distribution Organization, later renamed Interaccess Film Distribution, Inc.[4][5][6]
A year after PSO ended, Damon founded a new company, with Peter Guber and Jon Peters, called Vision International.[1]
A majority of the PSO library would ultimately end up with Mel Gibson and his Icon International company.
Among the most notable films PSO represented or financed include:
- Matilda (1978)[7]
- The Wanderers (1979)[8]
- A Change of Seasons (1980)[9]
- Little Lord Fauntleroy (1980)[8]
- The Final Countdown (1981)[10]
- Das Boot (1981)
- An American Werewolf in London (1981)
- Dead and Buried (1981)
- Endless Love (1981)
- Young Doctors in Love (1982)
- Cujo (1983)[11]
- The Day After (1983)[12]
- Fire and Ice (1983)
- Never Say Never Again (1983)[11]
- The Outsiders (1983)[11]
- Silkwood (1983)[11]
- La Traviata (1983)
- The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension (1984)[13]
- The Neverending Story (1984)
- Once Upon a Time in America (1984)[11]
- Prizzi's Honor (1985)
- Heavenly Bodies (1985)
- 8 Million Ways to Die (1986)
- Flight of the Navigator (1986)
- 9½ Weeks (1986)[14]
- Short Circuit (1986)
References
- ^ a b c "Mark Damon". lukeford.net. Retrieved 2014-10-01.
- ^ Damon & Schreyer, p. 47-49
- ^ Damon, M.; Schreyer, L. (2008). From Cowboy to Mogul to Monster: The Neverending Story of Film Pioneer Mark Damon. AuthorHouse. p. 438. ISBN 9781463465056.
- ^ "Vestron hired 3 members of PSO's management. - Los Angeles Times". articles.latimes.com. Retrieved 2014-10-01.
- ^ LA BRIEFLY. Daily News of Los Angeles (August 26, 1986).
- ^ Billboard (November 1, 1986), p. 48
- ^ Damon & Schreyer, p. 53-56
- ^ a b Damon & Schreyer, p. 58
- ^ Damon & Schreyer, p. 56-57
- ^ Damon & Schreyer, p. 60-65
- ^ a b c d e "Daily News - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 2014-10-01.
- ^ [1]
- ^ "What are the contents of the Buckaroo Banzai Press Kit?". figmentfly.com. Retrieved 2014-10-01.
- ^ "Movie Review - 9 1 2 Weeks - FILM: '9 1/2 WEEKS,' A SEXUAL JOURNEY - NYTimes.com". movies.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2014-10-01.
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Further reading
- Mark Damon; Linda Schreyer (2008). From Cowboy to Mogul to Monster: The Neverending Story of Film Pioneer Mark Damon. Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse.