Henry G. Saperstein

Saperstein's feature production credits were a bit eclectic. As a producer of the Warner Bros. children's film "Gay Purr-ee" (1962), he continued his success in animation. Saperstein was also the executive producer of two star-studded concert films, 1964's "The T.A.M.I. Show," featuring performances by The Rolling Stones and Marvin Gaye, and "The Big T.N.T. Show" (1966), with Tina Turner and The Byrds, among others. He also produced the Timothy Leary documentary "Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out" and the John Boorman war movie "Hell in the Pacific" (1968), starring Lee Marvin and Toshiro Mifune as sworn World War II enemies forced to share a desert island. Filmed in the South Pacific Palau Islands, Saperstein was able to use the powers of diplomacy that had made him a successful producer and merchandiser to deal with the clash between native customs and film production demands. Saperstein's longtime association with Japan's Toho Films resulted in his twenty-five year contract handling US licensing for the Godzilla character, including distribution for many of Toho's monster titles. Saperstein was a producer on such efforts as "Godzilla vs. Monster Zero" (1965) and "War of the Gargantuas" (1970). Through his affiliation with Toho Films, he served executive producer of Woody Allen's first film "What's Up Tiger Lily?" (1966), a Japanese spy thriller dubbed in English and given a new plot.