Hy Levine, Veteran Disney and Universal Film Advertising Executive, Dies at 87
variety.comCynthia Littleton Business Editor Herman “Hy” Levine, a 48-year veteran of the film industry who rose through the marketing ranks at Universal and Disney, died Dec.
27 in Rockville, Md. after suffering from pancreatic cancer. He was 87. Levine was an executive Disney from 1986 to 1998, rising to the rank of Vice President of Co-Op Advertising at the time when the studio began stepping up its movie output under CEO Michael Eisner after a particularly fallow period in the early 1980s.
In his position, Levine was responsible for print and outdoor advertising on all Disney features, including those that fell under the Touchstone and Hollywood Pictures banners.
Among the films Levine helped launch were such animated megahits as “The Lion King,” “Aladdin” and “The Little Mermaid” as well as live-action titles such as “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?,” “Down and Out in Beverly Hills” and “Beaches.” Levine worked closely with then film marketing chief Bob Levin as well as studio honchos Dick Cook and Jeffrey Katzenberg.
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