Former President of Paramount Pictures, Frank Yablans, passed away at the age of 79 at his home in Los Angeles on Thanksgiving Day. Under his reigns together with the production chief, Robert Evans, Paramount Pictures got the Oscar Award for best picture for the "The Godfather" in 1972 and "Serpico" in 1973. This was followed by "Paper Moon" in the same year and another two award-winning films in 1974, the "Chinatown" and "Murder on the Orient Express."
His death was revealed by his son, Eddy Yablans, to The Hollywood Reporter.
Among his works as at the MGM/United Artists as its Vice-Chairman and later COO under Kirk Kerkorian, Yablans produced "Congo" and "North Dallas Forty" and has made an adaptation of "Mommie Dearest."
Born in New York to a taxi driver, Yablans struggle to advance himself is no joke. He was with Warner Bros. and Disney after which he was appointed to the post of executive vice-president for sales of Paramount Pictures in 1960s.
The Hollywood Reporter revealed the turning point in his career which eventually earned him the position of studio president, when he has proven his ingenuity in the field of marketing that helped Arthur Hiller's "Love Story" in 1970. The film has become a blockbuster and the following year, in 1971, at the age of 31, he handled the president's post.
Yablans said that it was an opportune time when he joined MGM/UA, saying that, "I felt the company really needed me." He shared that the company, packed with unproductive workforce, is on the verge of bankruptcy and urgently needs professional leadership. He saved the company and stabilized its operations. In March 1985, with five more years to go in his contract, Yablans decided to leave the company.
Yablans has lived a productive life and has contributed much to the entertainment industry. He may rest in peace but his works lives on.
