About

Known credits:
50
Birthday:
1930-01-01
Place of birth:
Egypt
Website:
N/A

Frank Agrama

Overview

Farouk "Frank" Agrama (January 1, 1930 – April 25, 2023) was an Egyptian-born American film director and producer, writer and businessman. He was the founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of Harmony Gold USA, Inc.

In the 1970s and early 1980s, Agrama made a number of low-budget films which included The Godfather's Friend, Queen Kong and Dawn of the Mummy. He also began selling broadcast rights from Paramount Pictures, which he then sold to his friend, former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, to the latter's Mediaset broadcasting and multimedia company.

In 1983, he secured a deal with the South African Broadcasting Corporation ("SABC") to distribute the controversial miniseries Shaka Zulu.[3] In the same year, he founded "Harmony Gold USA, Inc.". Despite Shaka Zulu's massive success worldwide, Agrama's skillful negotiations left SABC to actually lose money, while Harmony Gold kept most of the profit. Harmony Gold would eventually be known for producing films such as Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles, other Robotech animated works and the 1993 miniseries Heidi.

According to the Los Angeles Times, prosecutors of Milan, on November 21, 2006, charged Agrama, along with former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and ten others, in a trial over tax fraud, embezzlement and false accounting to Mediaset. In fact, on October 26, 2012, Agrama was convicted after this lengthy trial, where Berlusconi, or his group, had allegedly bought USA film rights by him to the Mediaset media company at inflated prices. As his age was over 70 years, he was exempted from direct imprisonment and served no actual jail time.

In 2013, Agrama and several others, including Mediaset Vice President Pier Silvio Berlusconi, son of Silvio, and the Hong Kong–based Wiltshire Group of Companies were under trial for tax evasion and embezzlement with the broadcasting rights firm, Mediatrade. In 2014, all parties were acquitted in the first instance due to expiring statute of limitations. A new appeals hearing took place on January 20, 2016. All charges against Agrama and five others were dropped, while Mediaset CEO Pier Silvio Berlusconi and President Fedele Confalonieri were sentenced to 14 months imprisonment.

Agrama died on April 25, 2023, at the age of 93.

Known for

Acting
2009 The Zen Master Actor N/A
N/A
1960 Boundless Love Actor الصحفي مجدي N/A
N/A
1960 Love at the Circus Actor حسان زوج وردة N/A
N/A
1958 The Silent Love Actor جلال N/A
N/A
1958 Ayami Al Saaeda Actor Adel N/A
N/A
1958 Ayami Al Saaeda Actor عادل N/A
N/A
1958 A criminal on leave Actor ننوس ابن خاة نازلي N/A
N/A
1958 Maa Al Ayam Actor سمير N/A
N/A
1958 Maa Al Ayam Actor N/A
N/A
1958 Maleesh gheirak Actor N/A
N/A
1956 A Voice From The Past Actor 58
Average

Directing
1981 Dawn of the Mummy Directing Director 57
Average
1976 Queen Kong Directing Director 57
Average
1972 The Godfather's Friend Directing Director 59
Average
1970 Women's Gang Directing Director 58
Average
1969 Gang of Women Directing Director 58
Average
1969 The Sin Path Directing Director N/A
N/A
1969 Wada'an ya Faqr Directing Director 58
Average
1968 The Game Of Luck Directing Director N/A
N/A
1968 Storm Over Petra Directing Director N/A
N/A
1968 Fire of Love Directing Director N/A
N/A
1967 That Man from Teheran Directing Director N/A
N/A
1967 The Conquerors Directing Director N/A
N/A
1966 The Adventures of Filfila Directing Director 58
Average
1965 Bitter Grapes Directing Director N/A
N/A

Writing
2013 The Big Goofy Secret of Hidden Pines Writing Writer 58
Average
2006 Heart of Fear Writing Writer N/A
N/A
2006 Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles Writing Writer 58
Average
1981 Dawn of the Mummy Writing Screenplay 57
Average
1976 Queen Kong Writing Screenplay 57
Average
1972 The Godfather's Friend Writing Writer 59
Average
1969 Wada'an ya Faqr Writing Writer 58
Average
1968 The Game Of Luck Writing Writer N/A
N/A
1968 Storm Over Petra Writing Writer N/A
N/A
1967 That Man from Teheran Writing Writer N/A
N/A
1965 Bitter Grapes Writing Writer N/A
N/A

Production
2013 Robotech: Love Live Alive Production Producer 58
Average
1996 American Strays Production Executive Producer 58
Average
1993 Heidi Production Producer 70
Good
1992 The Lost World Production Producer 58
Average
1989 Brave Frog's Greatest Adventure Production Executive Producer N/A
N/A
1988 The Man Who Lived at the Ritz Production Producer 58
Average
1986 Shaka Zulu Production Associate Producer 69
Fair
1981 Dawn of the Mummy Production Producer 57
Average
1972 The Godfather's Friend Production Producer 59
Average
1972 The Greatest Kid in the World Production Executive Producer N/A
N/A
1972 You Can Do a Lot with 7 Women Production Producer N/A
N/A
1969 Wada'an ya Faqr Production Producer 58
Average
1968 Hamsat Al-Shaytan Production Producer N/A
N/A

Editing
2009 The Zen Master Editing Editor N/A
N/A