Howard Levine Parts Ways With Pulse, Vivid

Source: Xbiz.com

LOS ANGELES — Veteran sales executive Howard Levine told XBIZ Thursday he has parted ways Pulse Distribution, where he had been the national sales manager for Vivid Entertainment Group.

“It’s an amicable split,” Levine said. “[Pulse owners] Jim Kohls and Mark Hamilton have been extremely kind to me, they are great guys. … Everything is good, I’m just moving onto bigger and better things.”

Levine said that he is in the midst of exploring several new endeavors both inside and outside the adult industry.

“I have offers from a bunch of different companies that I’m entertaining right now,” he said.

Levine in July 2009 returned to sell Vivid’s line of DVDs after a three-year hiatus, when he sold Club Jenna product. He had previously sold Vivid movies for 17 consecutive years.

Pulse’s Hamilton and Kohls were not available for comment Thursday, and Vivid co-chairman Steven Hirsch was also not available at post time.

Pulse Distribution sales vet Hyland Church is currently representing the Vivid line of DVDs, Vivid's VP of Production Marci Hirsch confirmed.

Meanwhile, Levine on Wednesday shot an episode of “NCIS LA” that will air in two weeks on CBS.

“I was a convict,” Levine said of his role. “I got some really great camera time with LL Cool J.”

Last week the part-time actor also shot an episode of “Southland” that will air in late December on TNT.

“I was an observer watching somebody get shot,” he said.

A member of the Screen Actors Guild since 1985, Levine has appeared on three straight seasons of “Sons of Anarchy" on FX.

“I just finished the third season. And I did technical directing on ‘Sons’ in Season Two," he said. "That was me doing all the technical directing on the porn stuff so I’ve been involved in that in the last couple of years. It’s actually been pretty good and I really enjoy doing that."

Levine, who was in the classic movie "The Deer Hunter" in 1978, continued, “I don’t have the illusion, or delusion, that I’m going to be a Hollywood star at any time. It’s just a little hobby and it’s fun, and I like it. I’m pretty sure I’m not going to be the next Brad Pitt.”

In terms of adult, Levine assured, "I’ll be back in the adult business in January."

"I have 25-plus years of experience and relationships," he said. "My customers have been calling me for the last week and a half and have been really supportive. Wherever I’m going I have great faith that my customer base will follow.”