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

1. "Mark Damon". lukeford.net. Retrieved 2014-10-01.
2. Damon & Schreyer, p. 47-49
3. Damon, M.; Schreyer, L. (2008). From Cowboy to Mogul to Monster: The Neverending Story of Film Pioneer Mark Damon. AuthorHouse. p. 438. ISBN 9781463465056.
4. "Vestron hired 3 members of PSO's management. - Los Angeles Times". articles.latimes.com. Retrieved 2014-10-01.
5. LA BRIEFLY. Daily News of Los Angeles (August 26, 1986).
6. Billboard (November 1, 1986), p. 48
7. Damon & Schreyer, p. 53-56
8. Damon & Schreyer, p. 58
9. Damon & Schreyer, p. 56-57
10. Damon & Schreyer, p. 60-65
11. "Daily News - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 2014-10-01.
13. "What are the contents of the Buckaroo Banzai Press Kit?". figmentfly.com. Retrieved 2014-10-01.
14. "Movie Review - 9 1 2 Weeks - FILM: '9 1/2 WEEKS,' A SEXUAL JOURNEY - NYTimes.com". movies.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2014-10-01. line feed character in |title= at position 15 (help)

Further reading

• Mark Damon; Linda Schreyer (2008). From Cowboy to Mogul to Monster: The Neverending Story of Film Pioneer Mark Damon. Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse.

External links

• Producers Sales Organization at the Internet Movie Database