Remembering Philip Labhart, Pioneer Ad Producer
Filed by: Patricia Nell Warren
October 16, 2008 9:00 PM
http://www.bilerico.com/2008/10/remembering_philip_labhart_pioneering_pr.phpGay film history should have a category for ads and infomercials -- and Los Angeles producer Philip Labhart should be one of the first stars to be installed on that sidewalk of fame. Ads and infomercials may be despised by some, yet they've become their own kind of art form, a vital part of our culture, with their own awards, their own fans, and an enduring appeal by the best in the genre. Philip was a master at turning a commercial or institutional or political plug into a mini-movie with a focus on real human drama that was rooted in his gay sensibilities. In his lifetime, he won every award in his field, including a Bronze Lion at the Cannes Film Festival.
If Philip was around today, he'd be working for the Obama campaign, turning out the kind of persuasive ads that he did for the Bill Clinton campaign in 1992.
