Hyman to Head New Century’s Overseas Unit

New Century Entertainment announced Wednesday that Kenneth Hyman, a 35-year veteran of Hollywood movie production, will head a new international operation with headquarters in London.

Irvin Levin, president and chief executive of Los Angeles-based New Century, said the subsidiary will be a new international source of film financing and distribution at a time when “most” major U.S. companies are reducing their international operations.

New Century, whose most recent release, “The Gate,” has earned $13.5 million at U.S. box offices since mid-May, distributes films domestically through New Century/Vista Film Co. Earlier, the company reported a $4.2-million loss for the fiscal year ended Feb. 28, which it attributed to the box-office failure of one movie, “Heat.”

Hyman became head of worldwide production for Warner Bros.-Seven Arts in 1967, and films made during his tenure included “The Wild Bunch,” “Rachel, Rachel” and “The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter.” He produced “The Dirty Dozen” in 1966 for MGM. Later in England, he headed European production for both MGM and Universal. Since then, Hyman organized Inter-Hemisphere Productions Ltd. in London and developed a number of pictures with United Artists, Warner Bros. and First Artists. Levin said Hyman has been in “semi-retirement” recently.