Mark Josem(1915-1986)
- Producer
Mark Josem arrived in Melbourne, Australia from Poland in 1945
eventually establishing Buildex, a large home building company in 1956
which was a major contributor to the Melbourne housing boom of the
lates 50s and early 60s, one of their major landmark construction
projects was the Queenslodge Motel in Albert Park, Melbourne. In 1962
he branched out into cinema exhibtion with the opening of the
Sandringham Drive-In Cinema which was one of the biggest (at the time)
in Australia, eventually he expanded out and opened 5 more drive-in
cinemas.
In 1969 he formed the Dendy Cinema chain with 'Robert Ward'(V) which eventually branched into distribution with the formation of Filmways Australasian Distributors in 1971 who became Australia's biggest independent film distribution company who also eventually extended into production with films like The True story of Eskimo Nell (1975), Fantasm (1976), Blue Fire Lady (1977), Patrick (1978), Snapshot (1979), The Naked Country (1985), Kangaroo (1986) & Club Life (1985).
He passed away from a heart attack during an aeroplane flight to a film convention in Surfers Paradise, Queensland, Australia. Following his death Filmways was continued by Robert Ward eventually changing its name to Filmpac. His son Julian, runs a computer marketing company in Melbourne and his daughter Ruth was once the partner of pulitzer-prize winning writer Jason Miller.
In 1969 he formed the Dendy Cinema chain with 'Robert Ward'(V) which eventually branched into distribution with the formation of Filmways Australasian Distributors in 1971 who became Australia's biggest independent film distribution company who also eventually extended into production with films like The True story of Eskimo Nell (1975), Fantasm (1976), Blue Fire Lady (1977), Patrick (1978), Snapshot (1979), The Naked Country (1985), Kangaroo (1986) & Club Life (1985).
He passed away from a heart attack during an aeroplane flight to a film convention in Surfers Paradise, Queensland, Australia. Following his death Filmways was continued by Robert Ward eventually changing its name to Filmpac. His son Julian, runs a computer marketing company in Melbourne and his daughter Ruth was once the partner of pulitzer-prize winning writer Jason Miller.