Mark Frankel

Career

It was during a performance in a play that he was spotted by a British casting agent and cast in the TNT mini-series A Season of Giants, winning the lead role of Michelangelo over more than 80 actors screen-testing for the part. The mini-series took Frankel on location to Italy, where he spent five months filming and working with F. Murray Abraham, John Glover, Ian Holm, and Steven Berkoff. Frankel described his first big break: "After graduation, while doing four plays in London, I auditioned for a film called A Season of Giants which was a TNT film about the life of Michelangelo. That same evening the director came to my play and asked me to star in his film. That was my first big break. It was very exciting because I had been out of drama school for only a month."

Frankel also appeared in Maigret opposite Michael Gambon; the episode (Maigret and the Mad Woman) was shot in Budapest, Hungary for Granada Television. In Leningrad, Russia, he filmed TNT's Young Catherine playing the role of Count Orlov and appeared with Vanessa Redgrave, Christopher Plummer, Franco Nero, and Maximilian Schell.

Frankel's feature film credits include the title role in Leon the Pig Farmer which was released in Europe in 1993 and won the Critics Award at the Venice Film Festival and the Charlie Chaplin Award at the Edinburgh Film Festival that same year.

After Leon the Pig Farmer, Frankel relocated to Hollywood. After ten days, his manager had set up some meetings for him, one with the casting director of Sisters. He was offered the role of "Simon Bolt." At first, he declined because he did not want to commit to a regular TV series; he wanted the freedom to pursue other opportunities. However, the producers continued to pursue him, and he eventually accepted.

Other feature film credits include For Roseanna with Jean Reno and Mercedes Ruehl, and Solitaire for Two with Amanda Pays. Other television credits include Fortune Hunter and Kindred: The Embraced, both for the Fox Network.

Frankel also appeared in the London stage productions of A Streetcar Named Desire in the role of Stanley Kowalski, Days of Cavafy, and as the titular character in Agamemnon. Additionally, he played the lead roles in Little Hands, Sentimental, and A Private Death.

Personal life In 1990, Frankel's older brother Joe died in an aircraft accident.

In 1991, he married French advertising account executive Caroline Besson. They had two children, Fabien and Max. Their second son was born after Frankel's death.

Death On 24 September 1996, the 34-year-old Frankel died in a traffic crash from injuries sustained when he was hit by a lorry driver.

The funeral service was carried out at Kingston Liberal Synagogue and was attended by friends, co-stars, and professional colleagues, including actor Jason Isaacs and director Gary Sinyor.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role 1991 Mezzaestate 1992 Leon the Pig Farmer Leon Geller 1995 Solitaire for 2 Daniel Becker 1997 Roseanna's Grave Antonio (final film role)

Television Year Title Role Notes 1991 A Season of Giants Michelangelo TV movie Young Catherine Count Gregory Orlov TV movie 1992 Maigret Marcel Episode: "Maigret and the Mad Woman" 1992–93 Sisters Simon Bolt Recurring role 1994 The Ruth Rendell Mysteries Andrew Fielding Episode: "Vanity Dies Hard" Fortune Hunter Carlton Dial Series regular 1995 Clair de Lune Terry Devane TV movie 1996 Kindred: The Embraced Julian Luna Series regular (final TV role)