Joseph E. Levine

Joseph Edward Levine September 9 1905 July 31 1987 was an American film distributor financier and producer At the time of his death it was said he was involved in one or another capacity with 497 films Levine was responsible for the American releases of Godzilla King of the Monsters Attila and Hercules which helped revolutionize American film marketing and was founder and president of Embassy Pictures Levines biggest hit was director Mike Nichols The Graduate 1967 a blockbuster hit that was considered then and now a watershed film that inaugurated the New Hollywood and made Dustin Hoffman a superstar At the time of its release The Graduate became one of the Top Ten AllTime Box Office hits With the great success of the film Levine sold his company to the conglomerate Avco though he continued on as the CEO of the renamed AvcoEmbassy film production division Other films produced andor financed by Levine included Two Women 1960 Contempt 1963 The 10th Victim 1965 Marriage Italian Style 1964 The Lion in Winter 1968 The Producers 1968 Carnal Knowledge 1971 and The Night Porter 1974 After leaving AvcoEmbassy he became an independent again producing A Bridge Too Far 1977 Description above from the Wikipedia article Joseph E Levine licensed under CCBYSA full list of contributors on Wikipedia