Julian Schlossberg - Biography

Biography

Following a tour of duty in the United States Army, Schlossberg studied at New York University, completing his degree and graduating with honors. In 1964 he began his career in television at ABC as an Assistant Account Representative in station clearance. 10 months later he was promoted to head the department.

In 1966 Schlossberg left ABC to become an Account Executive at Walter Reade Organization in the Television Division. He moved to the Theater division in 1969 as an Assistant Vice President, and went on to become the Vice President and Head Film Buyer.

While continuing to work as an executive, Schlossberg began hosting Movie Talk in 1974. This four hour nationally syndicated radio program aired in New York first on WMCA and subsequently on WOR. Over the next nine years, he interviewed hundreds of stars, many of whom rarely did interviews, such as Jack Nicholson, Dustin Hoffman and Warren Beatty. He also hosted Movie Talk on television, which aired in New York and Philadelphia on Wometco Home Theatre.

From 1976 to 1977 Schlossberg served as the Vice President of World Wide Acquisition at Paramount Pictures. He went on to become a Vice President of Production in 1977.

In 1978, Schlossberg left Paramount and went on to establish Castle Hill Productions, a film production and distribution company. They distributed over 500 first run and classic movies to theatres, pay TV, basic cable, home video, TV syndication and all other motion picture outlets worldwide. It became one of the largest independent film distribution companies in the world.

Some of the features distributed by Castle Hill include three Elia Kazan features, Face in the Crowd, Baby Doll and America America, John Cassavetes' collection including Woman Under the Influence and Faces, Orson Welles' Othello, Woody Allen's What's Up Tiger Lily?, John Ford's Stagecoach starring John Wayne, Alfred Hitchcock's Foreign Correspondent, Bruce Beresford's Breaker Morant, The Marx Brothers' A Night in Casablanca, Hell's Angels on Wheels and Rebel Rousers both starring Jack Nicholson, Glengarry Glen Ross starring Al Pacino, Death of a Salesman starring Dustin Hoffman, Seize the Day starring Robin Williams, presented with Martin Scorsese, Fellini's Intervista, two Academy Award nominees - A Great Day in Harlem and Al Hirschfeld: The Line King, and Academy Award winners Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie and Get Out Your Handkerchiefs.

During his 30 year tenure at Castle Hill Productions, Schlossberg distributed films for illustrious names of stage and screen. He also established himself as a producer’s representative for prominent figures such as Elia Kazan, Dustin Hoffman, John Cassavetes, and George C. Scott, Elaine May and Robert Duvall.

Schlossberg also embarked on a career as a record executive when he and partner Danny Goldberg founded Gold Castle Records. The company went on to record artists such as Peter, Paul & Mary, Joan Baez, Don McLean and Judy Collins.

Schlossberg has also had a notable career as a teacher. He has lectured about film New York University, Tufts University, The New School, UCLA, The School of Visual Arts, Columbia University, Judith Crist’s Seminar, Rutgers University, the Cannes Film Festival and in the People’s Republic of China. In 1971 he created and was the key speaker for a course entitled The Business of Motion Pictures, which he ran for five years. Guest speakers included Otto Preminger, David Suskind, Maximillian Schell, Elia Kazan and many others.

In 2006 Schlossberg sold Castle Hill Productions and started two new production and film distribution companies, Jumer Productions Inc. and Westchester Films Inc.