Video Age International May 2016

14 May 2016 V I D E O A G E M ichael JaySolomonhas been recognized as one of two fathers of the L.A. Screenings (the other is the late Jack Singer), among other pioneering distribution achievements. His professional TV career spans 60 years, and is still going strong with his own Truli Media Group. He started with UA in Panama, then moved to MCA studios, co-founded Telepictures and, later, headed Lorimar, ending his studio career at Warner Bros. Stories about Solomon abound: set in the jungle of Central America, in Hollywood, in Italy or in Cannes. Just talking about him will put some people on fire and others will stand in awe. No middle ground here! Solomon is definitely larger than life. He personifies show business: he did not simply sell programs, he sold Hollywood. Solomon got his start in the television business in 1957, at age 18, loading films onto trucks for United Artists while taking classes at New York University at night. Over the next 37 years, hemoved up to president of Warner Bros. International Television, and in the process, managed to contribute to the creation of what is now the L.A. Screenings, in 1964. He founded The Sam Spiegel Film & Television School in Jerusalem, and was founding chairman of The Jerusalem Foundation of the U.S. West Coast. He is also honorary chairman of the Actors Equity of China, the first American to hold that position. During his career, Solomon created four international media companies and co-founded another four. He learned from his overseas experience, which began in 1960 when UA sent him to Panama to open the Central American territory to American films. He was later sent by UA to Bogota, Colombia for a year, before becoming manager of Bolivia and Peru. He lived in Lima for two years. This is how he recalled those days: “The biggest challenge for me was opening the Central American countries in 1960 for UA when I was 21. I lived in Panama and traveled to Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras andCosta Rica. I hardly knew Spanish and didn’t know anyone in those countries. I totally pioneered this territory for American films as this was before television in those countries. It was a memorable time in my life and career.” When Solomon emerged in the U.S. and international press in 1979 at Telepictures in New York City, there were two things he made sure were spelled correctly: “Michael” and his middle name, “Jay.” He would tolerate an abbreviated Jay as “J.,” but never a “Mike.” And so his legend was born, which included traveling in the forests of Central America carrying reels of films and, he added, “a gun.” In 1964, Solomon was hired by MCA (now NBCUniversal) to start up their Latin American television division, and moved to Mexico City and later to Brazil to open offices first in Rio de Janeiro and then São Paolo. Solomon returned to New York City, where, at the age of 30, he was handed wider international sales responsibilities with the title of VP of MCA TV. After 14 years with MCA, Solomon started his own company in 1977, the first of many: Michael Jay Solomon Film International. He then went on to co-found Telepictures Corporation in 1978, taking on the role of chairman and CEO. Telepictures became one of the largest U.S. TV syndication companies and one of the largest international TV distributors. It owned and operated six TV stations in the U.S. (and one in Puerto Rico). While runningTelepictures’ international sales, Solomon’s marketing ability became legendary. During TV trade shows such as MIP-TV, he would schedule press luncheons in the middle of the market’s busiest day and would ask his assistant, to list all the trade paper editors in attendance. The trades that sent junior reporters (or none at all) were removed from Telepictures’ substantial advertising plans. And, because Telepictures had a small library to distribute in those early years, their ads would often consist of birthday cakes with candles indicating the number of years in business. Nonetheless, in eight years Solomon became the talk of any market, to the point that other distributors would wait to hear what Solomon had declared to the press before releasing their own program sales figures. Solomon also enhanced his international visibility with his 1980 marriage to Luciana Paluzzi, a beautiful Italian movie star (and former Bond-girl in Thunderball ). After marrying Solomon and making over 25 films, Paluzzi retired from the acting business and became a media consultant for such companies as Silvio Berlusconi’s Mediaset. However, despite his good sense of humor and friendly manner, Solomon was a tough and demanding boss, often pitting three of his top young salespeople against each other Michael J. Solomon: A Master Salesman For Hollywood and a Marketing Genius Int’l TV Distribution Hall of Fame (Continued on Page 16) Solomon became famous for his fabulous North Beverly Hills house parties given during the L.A. Screenings, which, after swelling to thousands of invitees, were moved to the studio lot. (Continued from Cover) Solomon and his wife, Luciana Paluzzi Solomon (center) in 1971 Solomon in 1969 aaaMay_Issue1_2016_R10.indd 14 5/5/16 2:22 PM