Frank Agrama obit

Frank Agrama, Founder and Chairman of Harmony Gold, Dies at 93

 He was not on the list.

Frank Agrama, founder and chairman of Harmony Gold, died on Tuesday. He was 93.

Agrama’s career as an entertainment pioneer saw him founding several production companies including the Film Association of Rome and then Harmony Gold, which launched television series such as “Shaka Zulu” and “Robotech.”

He was born on Jan. 1, 1930, and became a child actor in Egypt with his own TV series. While his father was the Surgeon General of Egypt, Agrama initially followed in his father’s footsteps by acquiring a degree in medicine and surgery from the University of Cairo. By the time he was 23 years old, Agrama was a medical doctor.

Agrama left his medical career to pursue his passion for entertainment production, obtaining a Bachelor of Theater Arts from UCLA. He then moved back to the Middle East in 1964 where he would go on to help establish Lebanon’s movie industry.

Agrama then moved to Italy with his family where he founded the theatrical production and distribution company Film Association of Rome. After nine years in Italy, he moved back to the States where he shifted his focus in the industry from film to TV — founding the production company Harmony Gold in 1983.

Harmony Gold played an integral role in the production, acquisition, and distribution of international TV programming. Under its first year of operation, the company launched “Shaka Zulu,” one of the most successful first-run syndicated miniseries in TV history. The company went on to launch “Robotech,” the 1985 Japanese anime franchise that Sony Pictures is set to produce as a full-length live action feature with Mark Canton and Gianni Nunnari producing.

Agrama is survived by his wife; Olfet, his son; Ahmed Agrama (Lena), his daughter; Jehan Agrama (Dwora Fried), his brother; Hani Agrama (Roberta), his sister; Amina Ramzy and his grandchildren; Maya, Natasha, Frankie, Anjoum Anissa, Tayo and Marli.

Donations may be made to Doctors Without Borders, World Central Kitchen or the L.A. Mission.

 

Producer

Robotech: Love Live Alive (2013)

The Making of Robotech: Love Live Alive

executive producer

Video

2013

 

Robotech: The Inside Story (2013)

Robotech: The Inside Story

executive producer

Short

2013

 

Robotech: Love Live Alive (2013)

Robotech: Love Live Alive

executive producer

Video

2013

 

Stepping High (2013)

Stepping High

executive producer

2013

 

Carl Macek's Robotech Universe (2011)

Carl Macek's Robotech Universe

executive producer

Video

2011

 

The Music of Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles

executive producer

Music Video

2007

 

Robotech: The New Generation (2007)

Robotech: The New Generation

executive producer

Video Game

2007

 

Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles (2006)

Robotech: Birth of a Sequel

executive producer

Video

2007

 

Heart of Fear (2006)

Heart of Fear

executive producer

Video

2006

 

Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles (2006)

Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles

executive producer

2006

 

Robotech: Battlecry (2002)

Robotech: Battlecry

executive producer

Video Game

2002

 

Mariel Hemingway, Dennis Hopper, Peter Coyote, and Chris Sarandon in Road Ends (1997)

Road Ends

executive producer

1997

 

American Strays (1996)

American Strays

executive producer

1996

 

Jason Robards and Noley Thornton in Heidi (1993)

Heidi

producer

TV Mini Series

1993

2 episodes

 

David Warner, John Rhys-Davies, and Nathania Stanford in Return to the Lost World (1992)

Return to the Lost World

producer

1992

 

The Lost World (1992)

The Lost World

producer

1992

 

Sherlock Holmes: Incident at Victoria Falls (1992)

Sherlock Holmes: Incident at Victoria Falls

producer

TV Movie

1992

 

Morgan Fairchild, Christopher Lee, and Patrick Macnee in Sherlock Holmes and the Leading Lady (1991)

Sherlock Holmes and the Leading Lady

producer

TV Movie

1991

 

Dragon Ball (1989)

Dragon Ball

executive producer

TV Movie

1989

 

Joss Ackland in The Man Who Lived at the Ritz (1989)

The Man Who Lived at the Ritz

producer

TV Movie

1989

 

Pierce Brosnan, Eric Idle, and Julia Nickson in Around the World in 80 Days (1989)

Around the World in 80 Days

co-producer

TV Mini Series

1989

2 episodes

 

Robotech II: The Sentinels (1988)

Robotech II: The Sentinels

executive producer

Video

1988

 

Shaka Zulu (1986)

Shaka Zulu

associate producer

TV Mini Series

1986

4 episodes

 

Robotech: The Movie (1986)

Robotech: The Movie

executive producer

1986

 

Time Patrol

executive producer

TV Movie

1985

 

Captain Harlock and the Queen of a Thousand Years (1985)

Captain Harlock and the Queen of a Thousand Years

executive producer (1985-1986)

TV Series

1985

 

Birth (1984)

Birth

executive producer (1992 English version)

1984

 

Dawn of the Mummy (1981)

Dawn of the Mummy

producer

1981

 

Goldwing (1978)

Goldwing

executive producer (english version)

1978

 

The Godfather's Friend (1972)

The Godfather's Friend

producer

1972

 

Si può fare molto con 7 donne (1972)

Si può fare molto con 7 donne

executive producer (as Farouk Agrama)

1972

 

Hamset el shaytan (1969)

Hamset el shaytan

producer

1969

 

Love Game (1966)

Love Game

producer

1966

 

Hub fi hub (1960)

Hub fi hub

producer

1960

 

Director

Dawn of the Mummy (1981)

Dawn of the Mummy

Director

1981

 

Queen Kong (1976)

Queen Kong

Director

1976

 

The Godfather's Friend (1972)

The Godfather's Friend

Director

1972

 

Khata-karan (1968)

Khata-karan

Director

1968

 

Fire of Love (1968)

Fire of Love

Director

1968

 

Game of Chance (1968)

Game of Chance

Director

1968

 

Gang of Women (1968)

Gang of Women

Director (as Faruq Ajrameh, Seyfettin Tiryaki)

1968

 

Storm Over Petra (1968)

Storm Over Petra

Director

1968

 

Wadi al mot (1967)

Wadi al mot

Director

1967

 

The Adventures of Filfila

Director

1966

 

Love Game (1966)

Love Game

Director

1966

 

Al kahirun (1966)

Al kahirun

Director

1966

 

El ainab el murr (1965)

El ainab el murr

Director (as Farouk Agrama)

1965

 

Writer

The Big Goofy Secret of Hidden Pines (2013)

The Big Goofy Secret of Hidden Pines

screenplay

Video

2013

 

Heart of Fear (2006)

Heart of Fear

screenplay

Video

2006

 

Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles (2006)

Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles

screenplay

2006

 

Dawn of the Mummy (1981)

Dawn of the Mummy

screenplay

1981

 

Queen Kong (1976)

Queen Kong

screenplay

1976

 

The Godfather's Friend (1972)

The Godfather's Friend

Writer

1972

 

Si può fare molto con 7 donne (1972)

Si può fare molto con 7 donne

story and screenplay (as Farouk Agrama)

1972

 

Game of Chance (1968)

Game of Chance

Writer (as Farouk Agrama)

1968

 

Storm Over Petra (1968)

Storm Over Petra

writer

1968

 

Love Game (1966)

Love Game

writer

1966

 

Al kahirun (1966)

Al kahirun

Writer (as Farouk Agrama)

1966

 

Ski Fever (1966)

Ski Fever

story

1966

 

El ainab el murr (1965)

El ainab el murr

scriptstory

1965