
Frank Agrama
Personal Info
Known for
Directing
Gender
Male
Birthday
1930-01-01
Day of Death
2023-04-25 (93 years old)
Place of Birth
Egypt
Frank Agrama
Biography
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)
(1960)
Love at the Circus
as حسان زوج وردة
(1958)
(1958)
Ayami Al Saaeda
as Adel
(1958)
(1958)
A criminal on leave
as ننوس ابن خاة نازلي
(1958)
Maa Al Ayam
as سمير
(1958)
Ayami Al Saaeda
as عادل
(1958)
The Silent Love
as جلال
(1956)
Crew
(2013)
Robotech: Love Live Alive
Producer
(2009)
The Zen Master
Editor
(2006)
(2006)
Heart of Fear
Writer
(1996)
American Strays
Executive Producer
(1992)
The Lost World
Producer
(1989)
Brave Frog's Greatest Adventure
Executive Producer
(1988)
The Man Who Lived at the Ritz
Producer
(1981)
Dawn of the Mummy
Director, Screenplay, Producer
(1976)
Queen Kong
Director, Screenplay
(1972)
The Godfather's Friend
Director, Writer, Producer
(1972)
The Greatest Kid in the World
Executive Producer
(1972)
You Can Do a Lot with 7 Women
Producer
(1970)
عصابة النساء
Director
(1969)
Taryq Al-Khataya
Director
(1969)
Wada'an ya Faqr
Director, Writer, Producer
(1969)
Gang of Women
Director
(1969)
Sin Path
Director
(1968)
Hamsat Al-Shaytan
Producer
(1968)
Luebat Alhaz
Director, Writer
(1968)
Storm Over Petra
Writer, Director
(1968)
Fire of Love
Director
(1967)
The Conquerors
Director
(1967)
Valley of Death
Writer, Director
(1966)
The Adventures of Filfila
Director
(1965)
Bitter Grapes
Writer, Director