Sandy Frank
Chairman, Sandy Frank Enterprises
Since starting his own film syndication company 35 years ago, Sandy Frank has built his company into the longest established and most successful independent distributor of syndication programming in the television industry. He continues to forge solid international business alliances, developing new product in arenas such as children's programming and expanding worldwide awareness of his established hit program formats such as "You Asked For It," "Name That Tune" and "Face The Music."
Frank started his career as a sales executive for Paramount Pictures, subsequently moving on to Guild Films, Station Distributors and the NBC Television Network. He landed the key position of Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales with the television division of the Wrather Corporation, led by Jack Wrather and his wife, former child actress Bonita Granville Wrather, who produced the "Lassie" TV program.
In 1964, he opened his first company, Sandy Frank Program Sales, Inc., and his first distribution successes were "Lassie," and "You Asked For It." Eleven years later, Frank's company was the leading distributor for the 7:30 PM prime access time period, supplying the hit series "Treasure Hunt," "Name That Tune" and "The Bobby Vinton Show." All three shows were sold in more than 45 of the top 50 markets, an impressive accomplishment. Sandy Frank Film Syndication was the first company to have three programs on in prime access during the same season.
Starting in 1974, Frank expanded his company, now known as Sandy Frank Entertainment, to include acquisitions, production and packaging as well as distribution, eventually spending over $100,000,000 in first-run production for syndication. Frank's creations included "Face The Music," a spinoff from the popular "Name That Tune", hosted by Ron Ely (TV's "Tarzan"), revivals of "You Asked For It" and "Name That Tune" hosted by Jim Lange ("The Dating Game"), a remade version of the hit animated Japanese series "Battle of the Planets," "Liar's Club," "Lee Mendelson Superstar Specials," "Lie Detector" starring famed attorney F. Lee Bailey, and "The Judge."
Frank moved into the world of primetime, network specials in 1983 when he produced "Sadat," a four-hour miniseries, in association with Columbia Pictures Television. The miniseries was one of the independent "Operation Primetime" presentations and resulted in a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor for Louis Gossett, Jr., who portrayed the slain Egyptian leader.
Always one step ahead of the competition when it came to anticipating syndication program trends, Frank's company produced and distributed shows that are now recognized as pioneers in the fields of reality-based TV ("You Asked For It"), home shopping ("Travel Shoppin'"), courtroom dramas ("The Judge" and "Lie Detector") and animated action-adventure ("Battle of the Planets").
Damaso Santana
Executive Vice President of Sales, Sandy Frank Entertainment
Damaso Santana, SFE's Executive Vice President and Director of Worldwide Sales, was previously Vice President of Sales for PROTELE (Televisa International) and General Manager of Visat, Televisa's five cable channels and satellite division.
Damaso brings over 22 years of experience in the television industry, ranging from the US Hispanic market to pioneering efforts in Event Marketing and Merchandising. He has been involved in far reaching projects such as the first Miami Grand Prix, Boxing and Soccer Events, "Operalia" the first ever worldwide Opera contest sponsored by Televisa and Placido Domingo.
During his tenure as Protele's Vice President of Sales, the international television community became aware of the Novela genre, Damaso is credited for having introduced the Novela to every corner of the world.
Market Sandy Frank Entertainment is now poised and further enhanced to implement representation of cable and satellite channels targeting Latin America and the world with his many personal contacts with cable operators and broadcasters globally.