Lewellen out at Par; Tharp in
Tharp to assume Par distrib'n post as Lewellen exits
Dec 28, 2005
Wayne Lewellen, president of distribution at Paramount Pictures, is stepping down from the post he has held since 1993. Jim Tharp, who heads distribution for DreamWorks, is expected to take over the distribution reins at Paramount once the studio's acquisition of DreamWorks is completed early next year.
Lewellen informed his staff Tuesday, studio sources said. He declined comment, and other executives at the studio could not be reached.
On the television side, Hal Richardson, head of worldwide television distribution for DreamWorks, is expected to take on similar duties, overseeing TV sales for Paramount, sources familiar with the situation said. With Viacom, Paramount's parent company, about to split into two companies, Paramount's TV syndication operation will move to the new CBS Inc., so Viacom will need to assemble a new team to oversee the TV sales of Paramount features and other product from the new Viacom's various units.
Paramount announced Dec. 11 that it is acquiring DreamWorks for $1.6 billion. At the time, DreamWorks co-founder David Geffen said that most of the company's 500 employees would remain in place or take similar jobs at Paramount. But combining the film marketing and distribution teams of the companies inevitably will lead to overlapping positions, like those of Lewellen and Tharp.
Lewellen is one of Paramount's most tenured executives, having successfully worked for a series of management teams, including the new regime headed by Paramount Pictures chairman Brad Grey, who took over the studio in March.
A 33-year veteran of the studio, Lewellen was named president of domestic distribution in 1986. He added foreign theatrical distribution to his portfolio in 1993, when he was promoted to president of distribution for the Paramount Pictures motion picture group by Barry London, then president of the group. He retained that position under London's eventual successor, Rob Friedman, and Friedman's successor Rob Moore, who joined Paramount this year.
Lewellen joined Paramount in 1973 as a branch manager for the studio's Dallas-Oklahoma division. He then served as vp Southern division for five years before being named executive vp general sales manager in July 1984.
Before joining the studio, Lewellen was sales manager at Columbia Pictures from 1969-73. He began his career in the motion picture industry as a booker for Warner Bros.
In 1998, Lewellen was awarded ShoEast's Show "E" Award in the wake of the success that the studio enjoyed with its 1997 release "Titanic." He also has served as chairman of the board of the Will Rogers Memorial Fund, vp of the Foundation of the Motion Picture Pioneers and as ambassador to the board of Variety Clubs International.
Lewellen informed his staff Tuesday, studio sources said. He declined comment, and other executives at the studio could not be reached.
On the television side, Hal Richardson, head of worldwide television distribution for DreamWorks, is expected to take on similar duties, overseeing TV sales for Paramount, sources familiar with the situation said. With Viacom, Paramount's parent company, about to split into two companies, Paramount's TV syndication operation will move to the new CBS Inc., so Viacom will need to assemble a new team to oversee the TV sales of Paramount features and other product from the new Viacom's various units.
Paramount announced Dec. 11 that it is acquiring DreamWorks for $1.6 billion. At the time, DreamWorks co-founder David Geffen said that most of the company's 500 employees would remain in place or take similar jobs at Paramount. But combining the film marketing and distribution teams of the companies inevitably will lead to overlapping positions, like those of Lewellen and Tharp.
Lewellen is one of Paramount's most tenured executives, having successfully worked for a series of management teams, including the new regime headed by Paramount Pictures chairman Brad Grey, who took over the studio in March.
A 33-year veteran of the studio, Lewellen was named president of domestic distribution in 1986. He added foreign theatrical distribution to his portfolio in 1993, when he was promoted to president of distribution for the Paramount Pictures motion picture group by Barry London, then president of the group. He retained that position under London's eventual successor, Rob Friedman, and Friedman's successor Rob Moore, who joined Paramount this year.
Lewellen joined Paramount in 1973 as a branch manager for the studio's Dallas-Oklahoma division. He then served as vp Southern division for five years before being named executive vp general sales manager in July 1984.
Before joining the studio, Lewellen was sales manager at Columbia Pictures from 1969-73. He began his career in the motion picture industry as a booker for Warner Bros.
In 1998, Lewellen was awarded ShoEast's Show "E" Award in the wake of the success that the studio enjoyed with its 1997 release "Titanic." He also has served as chairman of the board of the Will Rogers Memorial Fund, vp of the Foundation of the Motion Picture Pioneers and as ambassador to the board of Variety Clubs International.
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