Richard H. Frank

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Richard H. Frank is a veteran American entertainment executive possibly best known for serving as President of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, chairman of Walt Disney Television and Telecommunications (1994 to 1995) and as president of The Walt Disney Studios (1985 to 1994). From 1977 to 1985, he served as both vice president and president of the Paramount Television Group of Paramount Pictures. At Disney, Frank was part of the leadership team alongside Michael Eisner and Jeffrey Katzenberg, but departed shortly after Katzenberg departed to form Dreamworks SKG; Frank's son Darryl is currently co-President of Dreamworks Television.

Frank was President of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for a six years, a board member of the MPAA for eight, and is currently a Vice Chairman and Executive Board Member of the American Film Institute.

In early 1994, Frank spearheaded the “Information Superhighway Summit,” a conference that drew many of the most influential executives in the media world — including then-FCC chairman Reed Hundt, as well as Barry Diller, Michael Eisner, Bill Gates, Robert Iger, Robert Johnson, Quincy Jones, Jeffrey Katzenberg, John Malone and Rupert Murdoch — to hear keynote speaker Vice President Al Gore discuss the expanding 500-television-channel universe and new technologies such as the internet.

In April 2003, Frank founded Integrated Entertainment Partners (IEP). In 2004, Rich was named Chairman of the Board, The Firm, when IEP was merged into the high-profile management company. With clients ranging from Cameron Diaz, Martin Scorsese, to Snoop Dogg and Korn, The Firm was launched in 1997 by Jeff Kwatinetz.

In 2007, the Television Academy awarded Frank the Syd Cassyd Founders Award. The Award is named in honor of the Television Academy’s founder, and was created to recognize members who have made a significant positive impact on the Academy. The Award has been bestowed only seven times in the history of the Academy.

Frank currently owns a vineyard in Napa Valley, Frank Family Vineyards and sits on the boards of eco-friendly goods firm TerraCycle and mobile marketing and advertising venture The Hyperfactory.

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