LOS ANGELES COUNTY - News from June 11, 1985

MGM/UA Entertainment Co. announced a restructuring of its beleaguered television unit, dividing the production and distribution duties once consolidated under MGM/UA television group President Lawrence E. Gershman.

Independent producer David Gerber has been named president of the TV broadcast group in charge of worldwide production, while Gershman will serve as president of the MGM/UA TV group in charge of worldwide distribution, the Culver City-based company said.

Each executive will report to MGM/UA Entertainment President and Chief Operating Officer Alan Ladd Jr. and to MGM/UA Chairman and Chief Executive Frank Rothman, Gerber said in a telephone interview.

MGM/UA has sold just one prime-time TV show to a major network for the upcoming season, and that show, “Lady Blue,” was developed by Gerber’s production company in its joint venture with MGM/UA.

Gerber, who moved his independent production company to MGM/UA in 1981, said that he will find a new executive to handle that company’s ongoing affairs and added that no new projects will be undertaken by the independent company.

Gershman, Rothman and Ladd could not be reached for comment.

Meanwhile, at MGM/UA Entertainment’s executive offices, Sidney H. Sapsowitz has been promoted to executive vice president. The appointment makes Sapsowitz the company’s third-ranking executive and its principal officer in the area of finance, business operations and administration. He has also been elected to the company’s board of directors.

Sapsowitz, who previously had been executive vice president-finance, joined MGM in 1957. He will continue to report to Rothman.