Rolls-Royce Publicity

My dynamic subject is currently working in the New York City and New Jersey area publicizing British automaker Rolls-Royce.

A perquisite of the job is driving one of the company's half-million-dollar convertibles while there.

Photograph copyright Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Aaron Paul Dworkin

President Obama's first nominee to the National Council on the Arts was Aaron Dworkin, founder and President of Sphinx Organization.

Aaron, a consummate violinist, is a member of the National Arts Policy Committee, a MacArthur Fellow, and named one of Newsweek magazine's 15 People Who Make America Great.

He is a Royal Philharmonic Society Honorary Member, a recipient of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra's Lifetime Achievement Award and holds The Luise Vosgerchian Teaching Award at Harvard.

His mother is a White Irish Catholic; his father an African-American Jehovah's Witness. They were not married when he was born, and Aaron was given up for adoption at the age of two weeks. A kind and loving Jewish family adopted and raised him.

Thirty-two years later, he located his biological parents who had ultimately married, and they have a very close relationship.

Aaron describes himself as, "a Black, White, Jewish, Jehovah's Witness, Irish Catholic adoptee who plays the violin, writes poetry and creates artistic experiences."

Not surprisingly, in his lectures Aaron stresses diversity.

He, and his accomplished wife Afa, live in the Detroit area.

Here are books and CD's Aaron has authored.


Photograph copyright 2014 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Bret Iwan

Bret Iwan is the voice of Mickey Mouse®, and you hear him wherever Mickey is - on television, video games, Disney On Ice, Disney theme parks, and Disney Road Shows. 

Bret was cast in 2009, when Wayne Allwine passed after being Mickey's voice for 32 years.
 

Photograph copyright 2014 Larry F. Levenson. 

All rights reserved.

Melinda Petet

Melinda Petet and I have worked in tandem on numerous publicity projects.

Melinda was just honored as one of Kansas City's Most Influential Women for 2014.

Brava, Melinda. You deserve it.

Jewelry: Tiffany & Co.
Location: Kansas City Royals Diamond Club at Kauffman Stadium

Photograph copyright Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Julie Mulhern, Book Author

Congratulations to novelist Julie Mulhern. Her newest book, A Haunting Desire, was recently nominated for the distinguished Golden Heart® Award. 

Winners are announced in San Antonio this summer.

Photograph copyright Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Karen Day (Karen Agron Flattery)

Vocalist Karen Agron's first publicity photographs were made by Bruno of Hollywood when she was a teenager. An agent suggested she change her professional name to Karen Day because, "Agron isn't catchy enough." 

She entertained audiences across the United States, performing with first-class bands and orchestras.

The surname Agron appears to be working satisfactorily for Dianna Agron (Glee). Karen and Dianna are distantly related.

Photograph copyright 2014 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Jason Wiles

After high school, Jason Wiles passed on the opportunity to play college football, working instead for the Parks and Recreation department. 

Jason was interested in movies, and was on the set of Mr. and Mrs. Bridge with Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward, Robert Altman's Kansas City, and Stephen King's movie Sometimes They Come Back. These were shot in Kansas City.

He moved to Los Angeles where he appeared in commercials and in the Bon Jovi music video Always.

Jason's biggest opportunity came when was cast as Colin Roberts in Beverly Hills, 90210, making 32 appearances. He was then cast as Maurice "Bosco" Boscorelli in the television drama Third Watch, where he appeared in all six seasons.

Photograph copyright Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Fashion Model CJ

My regal model, CJ, is six feet tall. Wearing heels, she is as tall as I.

She tends to become the focus of attention in public.


 Jewelry: Tiffany & Co.

Photograph copyright Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Amy Seiwert

Amy Seiwert is a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, and graduated with honors from The School of the Creative and Performing Arts.

She danced with Smuin Ballet, Los Angeles Chamber Ballet, and Sacramento Ballet.  

Amy was included on the 25 to Watch list by Dance Magazine, one of the Hot 20 Under 40 by 7x7 Magazine, and her first full evening of choreography was named one of the Top 10 Dance Events of 2007 by the San Francisco Chronicle. She was awarded the Gerbode Foundation's Emerging Choreographers grant, San Francisco Arts Council's Individual Artist commission, and the San Francisco Foundation's Fund for Artists grant. 

She retired from dancing in 2008, and is an active choreographer. She directs Amy Seiwert's Imagery, a contemporary ballet company based in San Francisco.

Photograph copyright 2014 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

John P. Connolly, Actor

John P. Connolly has scores of television, movie, and stage credits. 

Television credits include Without a Trace, The West Wing, NYPD Blue, ER, The Practice, Law & Order, and Star Trek: The Next Generation (Orn Lote).

John served as Executive Director of Actors' Equity Association (AEA), President of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA), and on the National Board of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG).

Photograph copyright 2011 Larry F. Levenson. 

All rights reserved.

Headshot

Professional photographs are always carefully planned. 

Deliberate choices for wardrobe, hair, makeup, background and post-production are made, and all must come together perfectly.

I relied on decades of fine art and people-photography skills to suggest the best elements for this successful book author and actress.

Photograph copyright 2014 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Coleman Barks

Coleman Barks is an internationally-celebrated poet, author, scholar and performer. He is also one of the top-selling poets in the world. 

Coleman has devoted decades to studying 13th-century poet Jelaluddin Rumi, and has been a student of Sufism since 1977. His work with Rumi was the subject of an hour-long segment for The Language of Life series on PBS with Bill Moyers. He was also a featured poet and translator on the PBS poetry special Fooling with Words with Bill Moyers.

Coleman published several volumes of his poetry, including Hummingbird Sleep, Winter Sky, and Early Autumn.

He taught poetry and creative writing at the University of Georgia for 30 years, and resides in Athens, Georgia.
 

Photograph copyright Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Bruce Weber, and Update

Bruce Weber, one of the most successful active Division I basketball coaches, is the head men's basketball coach at Kansas State University.

Weber has over 300 career wins, and eight NCAA Tournament appearances.

He has won numerous Coach of the Year honors, including consensus National Coach of the Year, Naismith Award, honored by The Associated Press, Adolph F. Rupp Cup, U.S. Basketball Writers Association's Henry Iba Award, National Association of Basketball Coaches Award, Chevrolet/CBS laurels, and praise from The Sporting News and Basketball Times.  He was also selected as the Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year, and the Big Ten Coach of the Year.

Photograph copyright 2014 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Update, March, 2022: 

Bruce resigned as basketball coach at Kansas State University.

Dee Wallace

#WomenYouShouldKnow 

Dee Wallace has 207 movie and television credits as an actress. Seven new projects in which she appears are in post-production or completed for 2014 release.

Dee starred as Elliott's mother (Mary) in the Steven Spielberg film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, starred in Cujo (Donna), and played key roles in The Hills Have Eyes, The Howling, The Stepford Wives and 10.

In The Office, she played Andy Bernard's mother in the eighth-season episode, "Garden Party."

Dee was a ballet soloist before she became an actress.

She married actor Christopher Stone, her co-star in Cujo and The Howling. Christopher died suddenly fifteen years later.

Photograph copyright Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

#DeeWallaceStone

Kansas City Ballet & Todd Bolender Center

I previewed the impressive 2014-2015 season for Kansas City Ballet.

New Artistic Director Devon Carney has accomplished in 7 months, what easily could have taken 2 years. Among other achievements, Devon established Kansas City Ballet II (for emerging professionals), and a dashing new logo has been designed.

Congratulations to the Board of Directors, Devon, Executive Director Jeffrey Bentley, the staff, and the talented dancers who make it happen.

Pictured is the home for Kansas City Ballet, the Todd Bolender Center for Dance and Creativity.

Photograph copyright 2014 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Jack Campbell

Attorney Jack Campbell served as President of the Kansas City Jaycees in the 1970's. During his presidency, that group became among the first in the nation to admit women. 

The Kansas City Jaycees were scheduled to host the United States Jaycees Ten Outstanding Young Men conference, however because of Kansas City's new policy to admit women, the national organization cancelled the meeting. This resulted in a lawsuit being filed in United States District Court. Although the Kansas City Jaycees lost the opportunity to host the national meeting, they created a pathway for women in the Jaycee movement.
 
Jack served in the Missouri General Assembly, and was named Legislator of the Year in 1982 by the political action committee of Hallmark Cards. While serving in the General Assembly, Jack co-sponsored legislation, which established payments for adult daycare through the Missouri Medicaid system.  

Jack's wife Marsha, also an advocate for health care, served as Missouri State Representative from 1997 to 2004. Marsha was named Best State Legislator by The Pitch newspaper.

Photograph copyright Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Publicity Photographs

Shooting exemplary publicity photographs for movies, television and theatre is crucial. Produced and finished creatively, images set the mood for the show, and are used for posters, DVD covers and news media.

Exterior location: Quality Hill Playhouse, in the heart of Kansas City, Missouri

Photograph copyright Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Frank Haith

Basketball coach Frank Haith was hired in 2004 to lead the Miami Hurricanes into the Atlantic Coast Conference. In his first season, he was a finalist for the Naismith National Coach of the Year Award.

In April, 2011, Frank accepted the head coaching job at the University of Missouri. That year, his Missouri Tigers set a school record for the most regular-season wins at 27. The Tigers were 13-0 in non-conference play, 14-4 in Big 12 play, and 3-0 in Kansas City to win the Big 12 Tournament. 

In March, 2012, the United States Basketball Writers Association awarded him the Henry Iba Award as National Coach of the Year. That same month, he was named the Associated Press College Basketball Coach of the Year.

He has just been named men's basketball head coach for  Tulsa Golden Hurricane.

Frank was born in Queens, New York. When he was 5 years old, he and his older sister went to live with their grandmother. Six years later, when their mother passed, his three siblings joined them.

Photograph copyright Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Geometry: It's Not Just For Dinner

Most of my photographs are more complicated than is evident. This simple image required the use of a scissor lift aerial platform raised high above the table.

Geometry is about shape, size, relative position of the shapes, and the properties of space. I love them all here.

Photograph copyright Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Baby on the Set

My advice when photographing babies is: Don't over-direct. Being patient will pay off. It's good advice for many adult subjects as well.

This little sweetheart was a joy to photograph, and ideal talent for print and broadcast.

Photograph copyright  2013 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

As 2013 Comes to An End...

This is my last photograph for 2013. The view is northeast overlooking the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City, Missouri.

Photograph copyright 2013 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

California Dreaming

B.T. lives outside San Francisco. He is in the Berkeley Hills, about halfway to Grizzly Peak. 

Sounds like heaven.

Photograph copyright 2013 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Jeff & Allison

Meet Jeff and Allison. Jeff is in the touring-cast of The Book of Mormon, and Allison successfully landed co-starring roles in three television projects in Los Angeles.

Jeff's brother, Brian, is in the cast of The Book of Mormon as well, performing in the show on Broadway in New York City.

Photograph copyright 2013 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Advice

My advice has always been, "Present yourself as if you are a gift."


Jewelry: Tiffany & Co.

Photograph copyright 2013 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Ladies Make Accessories Look Good

The jewelry is valued at $100,000.00, and the dresses were delivered from New York City. 

Every lady will make those accessories look good.

Model: CJ
Jewelry: Tiffany & Co.

Photograph © 2013 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

David Von Drehle, Writer

David Von Drehle is Editor-at-Large for Time magazine. Cover stories he has written include the United States Supreme Court's health care decision, and the death of Osama bin Laden. It was he who wrote the story when Barack Obama was named Time Person of the Year in 2008.

David has worked for The Denver Post, The Miami Herald, and was New York Bureau Chief for the Washington Post.

This photograph was made December 6, 2013, the 148th anniversary of the ratification of the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution. The amendment abolished slavery and involuntary servitude. David's most recent book, Rise to Greatness: Abraham Lincoln and America's Most Perilous Year, examines ways President Lincoln dealt with the core issue of slavery.

David holds a master's degree from Oxford University in Oxford, England where he was a Marshall Scholar. The four books he has authored have garnered many awards. He is married to Karen Ball, former White House correspondent for The Daily News in New York City. 

Photograph copyright 2013 Larry F. Levenson. 

All rights reserved.

Jerry Agar

Jerry Agar grew up in Manitoba, Canada and started his radio career as an all-night disc jockey in Dauphin, Manitoba. When he married an American and moved to the United States, he continued his radio career with a show in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Later, in Chicago, he worked on WLS in the morning, while doing an evening show for WABC in New York City from studios in Chicago.

Presently, Jerry is the morning host on Canada's largest talk radio station, Newstalk 1010 Toronto.

Jerry is also a regular Tuesday columnist for the Toronto Sun newspaper, and occasionally appears as a current affairs commentator on various television shows.

He was Senior Multimedia Fellow for the think tank, The Illinois Policy Institute. He has been a substitute host on G. Gordon Liddy's satellite radio show, as well as Mark Levin's radio show, and is a substitute host on The Source with Ezra Levant.

Photograph copyright Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Judith Fugate

Judith Fugate is a former principal dancer with New York City Ballet. During her time there, she danced for both George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins.

She joined New York City Ballet in 1973, was promoted to soloist in 1979, and to principal dancer in 1986.

Judith danced roles in virtually every ballet in the New York City Ballet repertoire, counting among her partners Peter Martins, Mikhail Baryshnikov and Helgi Tomasson.

She appeared on, “Live from Lincoln Center”, with Ray Charles, and danced in Metropolitan Opera’s production of “La Traviata”, conducted by Placido Domingo.

Judith works as repetiteur for the George Balanchine Trust and the Jerome Robbins Rights Trust, staging renowned choreographers’ works worldwide.

Photograph copyright 2013 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Bill Self

Bill Self, men's basketball coach at the University of Kansas, led the Jayhawks to nine straight Big 12 Conference regular-season championships, and the 2008 NCAA national championship.

He was named Sporting News National Coach of the Year 3 times, the Associated Press National Coach of the Year, the USBWA Henry Iba Award winner, CBS/Chevrolet National Coach of the Year, ESPN.com National Coach of the Year, and won the Adolph Rupp Cup. He was named Big 12 Coach of the Year 4 times. He is also a five-time finalist for the Naismith Coach of the Year Award. He was a United Nations NGO Positive Peace Award nominee for his work with Boys and Girls Clubs Of America and Boy Scouts. 

From 2006 to 2012, Bill had the best six-year record of any men's basketball coach in Division 1 history.

Bill played college basketball at Oklahoma State University, where he was a four-year letter winner, and was an All Big Eight selection in 1982. 

Photograph copyright 2013 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Veteran's Day

My client explained he was being deployed to the Middle East, specifically Qatar and Saudi Arabia, where he would be commanding troops.

"Time for a family photograph.", he said. I knew what he meant because we had done this before; there was a chance he would not return to his family.

Monday is Veteran's Day. My very best to you Brigadier General B.W., and every one of you who served, or is serving, our country. We are thinking of you.

Felisha Mason McDougald

Yes, it is hard to miss Felisha McDougald when she walks into a room. And, yes, she was a finalist on NBC television's, "The Apprentice" with Donald Trump. However, Felisha McDougald is much more.

She is founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer of Mason Development, a multimillion-dollar company, and founder and partner at Midwest Professional Insurance Services.

Felisha is a supporter of March of Dimes. The reason, in part, is to honor her father Roy, who was a neonatal intensive care nurse.

She graduated from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, and is a licensed pilot.

Photograph copyright 2013 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Norm Stewart

Norm Stewart, basketball coach at the University of Missouri from 1967 to 1999.

Highlights of his career include:

* 8 Big Eight Conference regular-season championships.
* 6 Big Eight Conference post-season tournament titles. 
* 16 NCAA Tournament appearances, including 2 Elite Eights.
* 5 National Invitation Tournament post-season appearances.
* 1 CCA post-season tournament appearance.
* 1982 UPI Basketball Coach of the Year, and 1994 Associated Press Coach of the Year.
* Won the most games in school history by a wide margin.
* Had more wins for MU than in its entire 60-year basketball history prior to his arrival.
* 17 seasons with 20 wins or more.
* Coached 9 All-American players, and 21 First-Team All Conference players.

* St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame.

* National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.

There is a story about the University of Missouri Tigers playing in Lawrence, Kansas, against the University of Kansas Jayhawks: Coach Stewart refused to have his team lodge, dine or purchase gasoline in Kansas because the taxes paid would support the rival school.

Norm's intensity on the sidelines earned him the name, "Stormin' Norman".

Photograph copyright 2013 Larry F. Levenson. 

All rights reserved.

Lesley Rausch, Principal Dancer

Lesley Rausch joined Seattle's Pacific Northwest Ballet as a member of the Corps de Ballet in 2001. She advanced to Soloist in 2007, and Principal dancer in 2011.

Photograph copyright 2013 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Kevin Harlan, CBS

Kevin Harlan grew up close to National Football League football. His father, Bob, was President and Chief Executive Officer for the Green Bay Packers.

Kevin is the Play-by-Play Announcer for The NFL on CBS.

In 1994, Kevin began broadcasting the NFL on Fox Sports. In 1998, he joined the CBS Television Network's NFL broadcast team. 

Photograph copyright 2013 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Pearls From Tiffany & Co.

This opera-length, Ziegfeld pearl necklace, owned by Tiffany & Co., is lovely and elegant.

I think the primary function of jewelry, no matter how exquisite, is to simply accent the lovely and elegant lady wearing it - such as my model.

Photograph copyright 2013 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Hartmut Feyhl

Car enthusiasts around the world send their cars to German-born Hartmut Feyhl in Florida, who modifies the engines, brakes, and suspension for extreme performance. He is the owner and founder of RENNtech, one of the world's most respected automobile-performance companies. 

Feyhl's high-performance cars have been featured on the covers of leading automotive magazines, including Car and Driver, eMercedesBenz, Motor Trend, AutoWeek, Modified Luxury & Exotics and others. Modified Luxury & Exotics described RENNtech as, "one of the foremost Mercedes-Benz tuners in the world." 

Hartmut spent 12 years at AMG Germany, a performance-engineering firm, then was North American Technical Director for AMG before it became a part of Mercedes-Benz. He left AMG to launch RENNtech.

Photograph copyright 2013 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Aeronautical Pre-flight Gloves

This early-morning photograph was made for a company specializing in aeronautical accessories. 

Who knew pre-flight gloves could be chic?

My Tanzanian model helped make this shot wonderful.

 
Photograph copyright 2013 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Dianne Cleaver

Dianne Cleaver is a civic leader and community activist. She is Chief Executive Officer at Urban Neighborhood Initiative in Kansas City, Missouri, a consultant for Swope Health Services, President of Symmetry Consulting and a consultant for the Institute for Research and Reform in Education.

Ms. Cleaver holds an undergraduate degree from Bryn Mawr College, and a Master's degree from University of Missouri at Kansas City.

She is married to Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II.

Photograph copyright 2013 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Christian Vedder

Christian Vedder is a busy fellow on Kansas City Chief's Football game days. He does radio reporting for Sirius NFL Radio, WFAN in New York, CBS Sports Radio Network, Yahoo! Sports Radio, YahooSports.com Fantasy Football Live TV Show, and Fox Sports Radio.

Christian says he has a telephone at each ear the entire game.

Photograph copyright 2013 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Devon Carney

Devon Carney has been named Artistic Director of Kansas City Ballet. 

Devon's distinguished career includes principal dancer for Boston Ballet and Associate Artistic Director at Cincinnati Ballet. 

As a dancer, choreographer and now Artistic Director, Devon is set to lead the Kansas City Ballet into an exciting, promising future. 

He is married to dancer Pamela Royal Carney.

Photograph copyright 2013 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Fred Willard

   Fred Willard is an actor, comedian, voice actor, and writer. 

   He is an alumnus of The Second City in Chicago, and a founding member of the improvisational-comedy group Ace Trucking Company. ACT performed sketches on The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson over 50 times.

   Fred's acting credits are extensive and include Silver Streak, Fun with Dick and Jane, Austin Powers:The Spy Who Shagged Me, The Wedding Planner, This Is Spinal Tap, Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, A Mighty Wind, and For Your Consideration.

   He received three Emmy nominations for his recurring role on the television series Everybody Loves Raymond. In 2010, he received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his role on the ABC TV series Modern Family. For his performance in Waiting for Guffman, he received an American Comedy Award nomination and a Screen Actors Guild nomination for Funniest Supporting Actor.

   Fred also received a Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Talk Show Host for What’s Hot, What’s Not and received the Boston Film Critics Award, an American Comedy Award, a Sierra Award, and a tribute from the American Film Institute for his portrayal as Buck Laughlin in Best in Show. 

   Photograph copyright 2003 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Todd Bolender

Ballet dancer Todd Bolender, moved to New York City to study theatrical dance about the same time soon-to-be-famous choreographer George Balanchine arrived in the United States. 

Balanchine supervised Todd at the emerging School of American Ballet. 

A versatile dancer, Todd danced from 1936 to 1972, an unusually-long period. 

He went on to choreograph dozens of ballets for Kansas City Ballet, New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, San Francisco Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, The Joffrey Ballet, and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. 

Todd also choreographed for musical theater, opera and television. He choreographed the opera Samson and Delilah for which the dancing received a better review than the singing.  

In 1981, he was appointed Artistic Director of Kansas City Ballet, and held that position until 1996.  

In 2006, he was notified that he had been granted the Dance Magazine Award for his lifetime achievement in dance. 

To make this photograph, I visited Todd at his residence. As I loaded film into my camera, I asked if his preference was to stand or sit. When I looked up, he had taken a seat on this bench, and he looked so comfortable and relaxed that is where we stayed.

The Todd Bolender Center for Dance and Creativity opened in 2011, and is the new home for Kansas City Ballet and the Ballet School.

Photograph copyright Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.