Sandy Frank, Name That Tune Producer, Dies at 97
Frank also brought the Gamera films to U.S. audiences and produced Battle of the Planets through his company.
Sandy Frank, the veteran TV distributor and producer behind game shows including Name That Tune and The Dating Game, has died at the age of 97, according to deadline.com. Longtime collaborator Bob Cohen paid tribute to Frank following his death.
Frank also brought Japanese monster movies to the United States, among them the Gamera films. His company, Sandy Frank Entertainment, produced Battle of the Planets, the U.S. adaptation of Science Ninja Team Gatchaman, which became an after-school hit throughout the 1970s.
His career began in the late 1940s, when he worked as a sales executive for Paramount Pictures. He later joined NBC before becoming President of Worldwide Sales at Wrather Corporation, the company behind Lassie and Lone Ranger. He subsequently launched Sandy Frank Program Sales, selling series including You Asked For It.
Frank later acquired the rights to the autobiography of Egyptian leader Anwar Sadat; in 1983, Columbia Pictures produced a miniseries based on the book. He also fought the repeal of the Prime-Time Access Rule, which limited the hours networks could program.
Quick answers
What shows did Sandy Frank produce?
Frank produced and distributed game shows including Name That Tune and The Dating Game, and Sandy Frank Entertainment produced Battle of the Planets.
What Japanese films did Sandy Frank bring to the U.S.?
He brought Japanese monster movies to the U.S., including the Gamera films.
Who paid tribute to Sandy Frank?
His longtime collaborator Bob Cohen paid tribute to Frank after his death.