Gary Kalkin & Laurence Mark

[reviews_and_ramblings]

Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King are some of the most successful films of all time. Among the most important reasons for their box-office triumphs were the brilliant marketing campaigns that encouraged rave reviews and huge audiences. And the man behind those campaigns was Gary Kalkin (1950 - January 6, 1995), senior vice president of domestic marketing for Buena Vista Pictures—which includes Touchstone, Hollywood, and Disney Films.

Kalkin began his career in the 1970s as a press agent for Universal Pictures. In 1975 he went out on his own, creating publicity for Saturday Night Fever, Grease, American Gigolo, Staying Alive, Nine to Five, and other films. He also handled publicity for John TRAVOLTA, Robert DeNiro, and director Martin Scorsese before joining Disney in 1984. Kalkin’s innovative marketing techniques drove the popularity of many films, including Good Morning, Vietnam, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Pretty Woman, The Joy Luck Club, and The Santa Clause.

Kalkin died of AIDS-related illness in 1995. His companion Laurence Mark was a prominent film producer in Hollywood (As Good As It Gets, Dreamgirls, Jerry Maguire, Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion). In Kalkin's memorial quilt, Mark wrote: Old friend, Best friend, My hero, Thanks for 23 years, Love always, Larry.

In October 1995, Laurence Mark established the Gary Kalkin Memorial Fellowship Endowment Fund at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. At the time, about $500,000 had already been raised by such contributors as Jeffrey Katzenberg, David Geffen, John Travolta, Scott Rudin, Dawn Steel, Tom Werner, and Disney executives David Vogel, Richard Cook and Terry Press.


AIDS Quilt
Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King are some of the most successful films of all time. The man behind their campaigns was Gary Kalkin, senior vice president of domestic marketing for Buena Vista Pictures. His companion Laurence Mark was a prominent film producer in Hollywood (As Good As It Gets, Dreamgirls, Jerry Maguire, Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion). In Kalkin's memorial quilt, Mark wrote: Old friend, Best friend, My hero, Thanks for 23 years, Love always, Larry.

Source: Stern, Keith (2009-09-01). Queers in History: The Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Historical Gays, Lesbians and Bisexuals (Kindle Locations 6896-6905). Perseus Books Group. Kindle Edition.

Days of Love: Celebrating LGBT History One Story at a Time by Elisa Rolle
Paperback: 760 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 1 edition (July 1, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1500563323
ISBN-13: 978-1500563325
CreateSpace Store: https://www.createspace.com/4910282
Amazon (Paperback): http://www.amazon.com/dp/1500563323/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
Amazon (Kindle): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MZG0VHY/?tag=elimyrevandra-20

Days of Love chronicles more than 700 LGBT couples throughout history, spanning 2000 years from Alexander the Great to the most recent winner of a Lambda Literary Award. Many of the contemporary couples share their stories on how they met and fell in love, as well as photos from when they married or of their families. Included are professional portraits by Robert Giard and Stathis Orphanos, paintings by John Singer Sargent and Giovanni Boldini, and photographs by Frances Benjamin Johnson, Arnold Genthe, and Carl Van Vechten among others. “It's wonderful. Laying it out chronologically is inspired, offering a solid GLBT history. I kept learning things. I love the decision to include couples broken by death. It makes clear how important love is, as well as showing what people have been through. The layout and photos look terrific.” Christopher Bram “I couldn’t resist clicking through every page. I never realized the scope of the book would cover centuries! I know that it will be hugely validating to young, newly-emerging LGBT kids and be reassured that they really can have a secure, respected place in the world as their futures unfold.” Howard Cruse “This international history-and-photo book, featuring 100s of detailed bios of some of the most forward-moving gay persons in history, is sure to be one of those bestsellers that gay folk will enjoy for years to come as reference and research that is filled with facts and fun.” Jack Fritscher