Actor. A versatile and prolific character actor, he started his movie career in Hollywood with roles in five of director Roger Corman's movie productions and ended it in Rome after numerous parts in Italian and European films. The son of a physician of German descent, who encouraged him at a young age to pursue an unconventional path, he studied acting and stagecraft at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Between 1957 and 1961, Frank made numerous appearances in films and TV shows, like "The Untouchables," "The Lawless Years," "Rawhide," "Wagon Train," and "Twilight Zone"- After a bit part in Roger Corman's "I Mobster" (1958) and a memorable scene in "The Wasp Woman" (1960), he had substantial parts in the next two of Roger Corman's films: "Beast from Haunted Cave" (1959) and "Ski Troop Attack" (1960). He traveled to Greece in the fall of 1960 and co-starred with Barboura Morris in "Atlas," a film where he played King Proximates, a scene-stealing villain, receiving much notice by film critics. Taking the advice of Roger Corman, Frank stayed in Europe and went on to act in many more films, mostly Italian suspense films and spaghetti westerns. He returned to Greece in 1963 to play Vartan Damadian, a friend of the lead character, played by Stathis Giallelis in the film "America, America," written and directed by Elia Kazan. In this role, Frank conveyed a complex, multi-dimensional personality. Some of his Italian film credits include "Salvatore Giuliano" (1962), "The Four Days of Naples" (1962), "God Forgives... I Don't!" (1967), "The Great Silence" (1968), "Once Upon a Time in the West" (1968) and "Death Took Place Last Night" (1970). Suffering from depression, he committed suicide in his room at the Hilton hotel. His last film "When Women Lost Their Tails" (1972) was released after his death.
Actor. A versatile and prolific character actor, he started his movie career in Hollywood with roles in five of director Roger Corman's movie productions and ended it in Rome after numerous parts in Italian and European films. The son of a physician of German descent, who encouraged him at a young age to pursue an unconventional path, he studied acting and stagecraft at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Between 1957 and 1961, Frank made numerous appearances in films and TV shows, like "The Untouchables," "The Lawless Years," "Rawhide," "Wagon Train," and "Twilight Zone"- After a bit part in Roger Corman's "I Mobster" (1958) and a memorable scene in "The Wasp Woman" (1960), he had substantial parts in the next two of Roger Corman's films: "Beast from Haunted Cave" (1959) and "Ski Troop Attack" (1960). He traveled to Greece in the fall of 1960 and co-starred with Barboura Morris in "Atlas," a film where he played King Proximates, a scene-stealing villain, receiving much notice by film critics. Taking the advice of Roger Corman, Frank stayed in Europe and went on to act in many more films, mostly Italian suspense films and spaghetti westerns. He returned to Greece in 1963 to play Vartan Damadian, a friend of the lead character, played by Stathis Giallelis in the film "America, America," written and directed by Elia Kazan. In this role, Frank conveyed a complex, multi-dimensional personality. Some of his Italian film credits include "Salvatore Giuliano" (1962), "The Four Days of Naples" (1962), "God Forgives... I Don't!" (1967), "The Great Silence" (1968), "Once Upon a Time in the West" (1968) and "Death Took Place Last Night" (1970). Suffering from depression, he committed suicide in his room at the Hilton hotel. His last film "When Women Lost Their Tails" (1972) was released after his death.
Bio by: Elisa Rolle
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