John Pearson; Writer, TV and Film Marketer

John Elliot Pearson, writer and international television and film distributor who marketed Lucille Ball sitcoms around the world, has died. He was 81.

Pearson, chairman of Fairhill Media Corp., died Sept. 27 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

The British-born Pearson came to Hollywood in 1964 to work for Desilu Studios as director of international operations, a post he retained after Desilu was bought by Paramount in 1967. Two years later, he formed his own television distribution company, John Pearson International, and began selling a single sitcom, Ball’s “Here’s Lucy.”

His company later added such popular shows as “The Doris Day Show,” “Lassie,” “The Lone Ranger,” “The Andy Williams Show” and specials such as Grammy and Golden Globe award programs.

When it came to marketing comedy abroad, Pearson told The Times in 1971, Lucille Ball was in a class by herself.

“I don’t think of Lucy as situation comedy,” he said. “She’s like Chaplin. They want to see her whatever she does, whatever the story. I think of her like a vaudeville act that everyone loves. They watch her. She must have 95% saturation of the televisions of the world from her various series.

“You always can tell when Lucy has arrived in a new market,” he said. “You go into parts of black Africa and find scores of newborn babies named Lucy--and you realize the show is there!”

Pearson sold his interest in the distributing company in 1982 and created Fairhill, which works on co-production and development of films and television programs as well as distribution.

A writer for television and radio, Pearson also penned a novel, “The New Adventures of Heidi,” more than 80 poems and the play “The Road to Kharkov.” Last year he published “The Spirit of Jerusalem.”

Pearson served with the British army during World War II, escaping five times after being taken prisoner and retiring as a major.

After a stint at the London Stock Exchange, he immigrated to Toronto and became involved in Canadian television. He wrote and performed in the weekly show “These Foolish Things,” and later got into distribution.

Pearson is survived by his wife, Barbara; a daughter, Carol, and a son, Clive.

The family has asked that any memorial donations be made to the Emphysema Foundation, 5858 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 300, Los Angeles, CA 90036.