| Frank K. Wheaton | |
|---|---|
| Born | Frankert Kahlil Wheaton September 27, 1951 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Alma mater | CSUN, University of West Los Angeles |
| Spouse | Jean Carne (divorced), Robin Green (divorced), Jennifer Jones |
| Relatives | Father: James Wheaton, Mother: Helen Alford |
Frank K. Wheaton is an American sports agent, personal manager and actor.
Frank(ert) Kahlil Wheaton was born September 27, 1951 in Los Angeles, California,[1] but raised in nearby Compton. He is the son of James Wheaton,[1] an accomplished stage actor and director who frequently appeared in movies and television in the 1970s.
After graduating from Centennial High School in Compton, he attended Willamette University in Salem, Oregon before transferring to Cal State Northridge,[1] where he received a degree in broadcasting. He attended Cal Northridge with Geoff Witcher, who later became a popular sports announcer. Upon graduation, Frank began working at KPFK and other radio stations in the Los Angeles area. Eventually, he relocated to the East Coast, where he added acting and modeling to his resume. On September 23, 1975 he married vocalist Jean Carn[1] in Washington, DC. Together, he would help raise her three children from her previous marriage. While their marriage also ended in divorce, they maintain an amicable relationship.
After a successful career as an actor, model and radio personality, Wheaton founded The Management Group Sports/Entertainment Representatives in 1984. There he began guiding the careers of athletes and entertainers, specializing in securing product endorsements and producing special events such as the Michael Jordan Celebrity Golf Tournament for the United Negro College Fund[2] and working with Milton Berle on the Ruth Berle Celebrity Golf Tournament for the benefit of the American Cancer Society.[1]
For several years, Wheaton served on the board of the Black Entertainment and Sports Lawyers Association (BESLA).
Throughout his career as a personal manager, producer and agent, he has represented leading clients in sports and entertainment. These include Laker basketball great James Worthy, Olympic Gold Medalist Bob Beamon, actress Marla Gibbs and the late Florence Griffith-Joyner. For three years, he produced the James Worthy All-Star Basketball Clinic in his hometown of Compton. It was unique among basketball clinics in that in addition to teaching young people about the fundamentals of basketball, the clinic invited leading people from a variety of fields to serve as motivational speakers. Sponsored by the Compton Unified School District in association with corporate donors, the clinic was free to all participants.
In addition to numerous athletes and entertainers, his clients have included Essie Mae Williams, who made headlines when she revealed that she is the daughter of the late senator Strom Thurmond.[3] In the wake of the publicity surrounding the revelation, Mr. Wheaton told the LawCrossing website that six people claiming to be the children of five U.S. Presidents have approcahed him for representation.[4] One of them is Anne Morrow, who believes that she is the daughter of Dwight Eisenhower.[5]
Wheaton has also served as a producer of sports-related programming. He was an executive producer of an hour-long special entitled, "Sports Greats:One on One with David Hartman" which aired on ESPN. Hosted by David Hartman of Good Morning America, the program featured interviews with legendary sports figures Troy Aikman, Hakeem Olajuwon and Ken Griffey, Jr..
In 2001, he made an unsuccessful bid to unseat incumbent Compton, California City Councilmember Yvonne Arceneaux.
Currently, Mr. Wheaton is in pre-production with Italian opera star Beppe Cantarelli of a major event entitled, “Live From The Vatican…Listen to your Soul.”[6]