Frank Biondi ran Viacom and built Nickelodeon, and now his daughter is helping to tell his story
LOS ANGELES -- In an industry teeming with publicity-hungry executives, the late Frank Biondi stood apart. An architect of modern-day Hollywood, he quietly shaped media companies into creative powerhouses.
Biondi led HBO in its early years. He helped build Nickelodeon and Comedy Central into iconic brands. He provided critical seed money to a nascent production firm that went on to make "When Harry Met Sally" and "Seinfeld." He saw value in turning a single show, "Law & Order," into a multi-series franchise. And he was a guiding force in the formation of the Tennis Channel.
His youngest daughter, Jane Biondi Munna, long felt that few people recognized his many contributions. For years, she would nudge him: "When are you going to write your book?"
"He would laugh and say: 'I'll do it when Sumner dies,' " Biondi Munna recalled in a recent interview.
His response hinted
