Robert Mitchum to visit

Press, 27 January 1986, Page 18

Robert Mitchum to visit

PA Wellington

A whirlwind tour of New Zealand next month by a veteran American actor, Robert Mitchum, is part of a combined film and trade industry promotion.

Mitchum, aged 68, will be in New Zealand for eight days as a guest of the Government before his appearance at the Santa Barbara Film Festival, Los Angeles, at which there will be a tribute to him and a focus on New Zealand cinema. A feature of the festival will be a New Zeealand trade exhibition marketing berryfruit, fish, meat, cheese, wine and beer. The exhibition has been organised by the Santa Barbara Film Festival steering committee with the Trade and Industry, Tourist and Publicity, and Foreign Affairs Departments and the Film Commission.

The marketing director of the Film Commission, Mr Lindsay Shelton, said: “We have always known the film industiy has had tremendous import in marketing New Zealand and each side helping the other in Los Angeles to attain maximum exposure is quite tremendous.” Mr Shelton said supermarket chains would carry the produce and a main hotel at Los Angeles, the Biltmore, would feature New Zealand seafoods, spring lamb and venison on its menus throughout the festival. “A big Santa Barbara bookshop will display New Zealand books. A 4.Bkm family fun-run featuring the Ambassador, Sir Wallace Rowling, Rod Dixon and New Zealand T-shirts for all entries is another big feature,” he said.

On the final evening of the festival a large con-

cert would feature country and western and Maori musicians.

Mr Geoff Murphy, the director of “Goodbye Pork Pie,” “Utu,” and “The Quiet Earth”; Bruno Lawrence, the leadinig man in “The Quiet Earth” and Michael Firth, the

director of “Off The 7 Edge,” “Heart of the ’ Stag” and “Sylvia” were ~ some of the invited guests. ti A Tourist and Publicity n officer, Mr Geoff Dillon, said yesterday that most '*’ of the hotels and transport 7 firms involved would be giving their services.

“It is a small amount of 7 money considering the exposure he can give us,” he said. . ?

“A few positive men- ' tions in the American ? newspapers can bring in hundreds of inquiies from 1 potential tourists.”

It was hoped that Mitchum, a leading actor of almost 100 movies, ; would say nice things to his well-heeled American « friends after his visit, Mr Dillon said.

While here, Mitchum would take some time off •? to fish at Rotorua and Nelson. ->