David Levine (executive)

David Levine
Occupation	President, promark Music and Television
Website
www.promarkMusic.com

David Levine is a Canadian entertainment executive.^[1][2][3]

Background

At the start of his career, Levine was a news broadcaster in Toronto.^[1] In the 1970s, he worked at CKGM and CKEY. After several years in this field, he joined Vickers and Benson Advertising in Canada as the director of promotion.^[1][4] A&W Root Beer and McDonald's.^[1] Soon thereafter, he became the General Manager of Vickers and Benson’s Analytical Communications, Inc.^[1][5]

In the 1970s, Levine established promark,^[6] which is a producer and distributor of television programming.^[1] Some of the company’s early clients included Planters Peanuts, Fleishmann's Margarine, Oh Henry Chocolate Bars, Baby Ruth,^[7] A&W Root Beer and McDonald's.^[1]

In 1977, Promark landed the contract to promote a daredevil called “The Human Fly.”^{[1][8][9][10][11][12][13]} This project allowed the company to enter into the entertainment industry and the U.S. market.^[1] Levine sold the property to Marvel Comics, who turned it into a comic book superhero.^[1] Levine also went on to sell rights of the "brand" to Alan Landsberg Production for the production and release of a film entitled "The Human Fly."^[14][15][14] Toy rights were sold to Mattel Toys.^[16]

In 1980, Levine signed several acts in the entertainment industry to his company, including Gloria Gaynor,^[17] Chicago, Donna Summer,^[18] Gino Vannelli, Dionne Warwicke,^[19] Lou Rawls^[20] and Patsy Gallant.^[1]

Around the same time, Levine established Talisman Records.^[21][22][23] After the release of one single, Pretty Girls by Lisa Dal Bello, and one LP, he sold Talisman Records to Capitol Records.^[1][21][23] While promoting Dal Bello, he secured a promotional tie-in with Revlon.^[24]

A short time later, he formed Hot Vinyl Records and signed Patsy Gallant^[25] and Dwayne Ford to the label.^{[1][21][26][27]}

In 1982, Levine signed B'ZZ, a Chicago-based band, to the company.^[28] Later that year, he secured nine songs written and performed by the band on to the soundtrack for Reckless starring Meg Foster.^[1][28] He ultimately sold the rights to the band to CBS records in NY.

In 1983, thru his company, Promark Television Broadcast, Levine began selling full length motion pictures and music specials to cable and home video, including Mrs. World, Miss Fitness, From Hawaii with Love and musical specials featuring Dianne Warwick, Fats Domino, Ricky Nelson, Liberace, Johnny Cash.^[1][29]

In 1984, Levine began focusing on TV syndication of over 50 series and specials over 20 years, including “The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne.”^[1][3][30]

Levine is also the president of promarkMusic.^[31][32] In 2012, promarkMusic signed Ella Furmane, a musician and DJ from Latvia.^[31][31] The company’s line up also includes Gloria Gaynor and “Right Said Fred.” ^[31][33][34]

Personal

Levine lives in Los Angeles.^[1]

References