Let's Be Frank
A Daughter's Tribute to Her Father, the Media Mogul You've Never Heard Of
Brimming with life lessons, Let’s Be Frank is the informative memoir of an entertainment executive.
Frank Biondi, a former CEO of HBO, Viacom, and Universal Studios, was a prominent figure in shaping the modern entertainment industry, and his memoir Let’s Be Frank is inspirational in recounting those experiences.
Biondi passed away from cancer in 2019, leaving behind an incomplete memoir that his daughter, Jane Biondi Munna, finished. It covers his life stories with an emphasis on his values and business achievements. He was part of twenty corporate boards, including the Bank of New York and Madison Square Garden. Such experiences are complemented by personal anecdotes; still, throughout, there’s an emphasis on highlighting his influence on the entertainment industry—for instance, by turning around HBO’s ailing finances in the early 1980s.
Biondi’s language is clear, and his tale is shared in terms both subtle and sympathetic. He progresses in a straightforward manner and discusses the complications involved in running companies including Coca-Cola, Paramount, and Universal, showing how he came to gain the respect of his colleagues. And his discussions of the creativity, grit, and compassion that went into era-defining media choices are fascinating, as with his coverage of Coca-Cola’s decision to buy Embassy Pictures. Advice is built in for building trust while securing lucrative business deals, commanding authority while reaping multimillion-dollar profits, and upholding one’s moral principles. Biondi also shares the reasoning behind some of his career choices, pulling lessons from them that Munna affirms.
Though its coverage of Biondi’s business knowledge and managerial style is inspiring, suggesting industry-shaping integrity, hard work, and decency, the book is at its most sympathetic when it moves beyond its business elements. In such places, it reveals more about Biondi’s personality, positioning him as a dedicated dreamer as well as a man who stood by his principles at work. This picture is amplified by his daughter’s contributions, which chronicle his arduous family struggles from a second perspective, including in the wake of his cancer diagnosis. Munna’s sections also encompass her interactions with her father during his last days, and her thoughts on their father-daughter relationship have an enriching effect. She also emphasizes the continuing relevance of his work for general audiences.
A unique look inside the entertainment business, Let’s Be Frank is the informative memoir of an entertainment executive. It brims with life lessons, pearls of wisdom, and fascinating tidbits from the most influential entertainment firms in the world.
Reviewed by
Manik Chaturmutha
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
