Educational and Professional Background:
J. D. University of West Los Angeles, 1982
You may have seen or heard Frank K. Wheaton on “60 Minutes II,” “The Today Show,” “Good Morning, America,” CNN, or another network program as the former and exclusive representative of Mrs. Essie Mae Washington Williams, the African American daughter of the late Senator James Strom Thurmond. This fascinating news revelation of 2003 and 2004 sent shock waves around the globe and allowed Mr. Wheaton to successfully negotiate what would become a New York Times Best Seller in the Harper-Collins publication entitled, “Dear Senator.” In addition, Mr. Wheaton has appeared on several major broadcast and cable networks including ABC, CBS, NBC and MS-NBC. Southern Californians are accustomed to his television broadcasts on KCAL, KABC, KNBC, KCOP or KNX, KFWB and other radio stations as the former eloquent spokesperson for the colorful city of Compton, California reporting on breaking news stories and events over the past years. His polished broadcast presentation was cultivated through years of experience and a natural born talent. Mr. Wheaton’s father, James L. Wheaton, was a well-respected actor and voice in the theatrical community.
Upon graduation from California State University at Northridge with a degree in Radio/TV and Film, Mr. Wheaton worked at KPFK-FM in Los Angeles where he was employed as a broadcast announcer, engineer and producer. From there, Mr. Wheaton was hired as an announcer at WHUR-FM in Washington, D.C., where the program he helped popularize, “The Daily Drum” continues to enjoy success to this day. For several years, the National Broadcasting Corporation in Washington employed Mr. Wheaton and he served under the tutelage of several legendary broadcasters including John Chancelor, David Brinkley, Barbara Walters and Willard Scott.
In 1978, Mr. Wheaton moved to New York where he branched into further arenas including: print and billboard ads, commercials, television, film and theatre. During the next five years, Mr. Wheaton would become one of the top commercial and print actors in America appearing as the principal actor in nearly 300 commercials for sponsors such as Amway, Amtrak, Dean Witter, Hartford Insurance, Millionaire Cologne for Mennen, Kodak, Polaroid, McDonald’s, Wrigley’s Extra Gum, Cadillac, Sears, Jello and dozens more becoming one of the most visible commercial actors in America. In 1982, he was cast and starred with George Kennedy in ABC’s “Counter Attack: Crime in America.” After the series was completed, Mr. Wheaton continued to work in episodic television and relocated to Los Angeles where he now resides.
In the fall of 1982, Mr. Wheaton pursued a lifelong dream of becoming an attorney by matriculating at the University of West Los Angeles School of Law. At UWLA, he was a member of the Moot Court Board of Governors, Vice President of the Sports/Entertainment Law Society and Dean of the Delta Theta Phi Law Society. Graduating with a degree of Juris Doctor, Mr. Wheaton was admitted to the Indiana State Bar and the United States District court in both the Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana. Currently, Mr. Wheaton is an Of Counsel member of the prestigious law firm of Scolinos, Sheldon & Nevell of Pasadena, Newport Beach and Palm Desert, California.
In 1984, Mr. Wheaton founded The Management Group, Sports/Entertainment Representatives. TMG/SER is a full-service management company that lists among its present and former clients, Milton Berle, Legendary Golfer Lee Elder, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, James Worthy, John Stockton, Carl Anderson, Marla Gibbs, Bob Beamon, Al and Florence Griffith Joyner, Rick Barry, Bernie Bickerstaff, Dennis Conner, Norman Connors, Jean Carne, Kashif, Wil Wheaton, Norman Brown, Italian opera star Beppe Cantarelli, Ironman-triathlete and former New England Patriot Darryl Haley and several former Olympians.
For television, Mr. Wheaton created and executive produced a number of special events including: The First Annual Michael Jordan Celebrity Golf Classic, The Milton Berle Celebrity Golf Classic, and “World’s Fastest Athlete” for ABC’s “Wide World of Sports.” In recent years, he co-executive produced with legendary sports producer, Jim Spence, “Sports Greats: One On One with David Hartman” which premiered on the ESPN network. Of great personal reward, Mr. Wheaton produced the James Worthy All-Star Basketball Clinics for two successive years in the city of Compton, California providing scholarships for nearly 2000 children in the process and raising over a million dollars for charity through such celebrity-filled special events.
Mr. Wheaton is a professor of Entertainment Law and has traveled throughout the world. On a recent trip to Asia, Mr. Wheaton represented athletes who served as part of New York’s presentation to the International Olympic Committee for the 2012 Olympic Games. Following his visit to Singapore, Mr. Wheaton developed business ties in Beijing, China in anticipation of the 2008 Olympic Games to be held in that city. Currently, Mr. Wheaton is in pre-production for a global event entitled, “Live From The Vatican…Listen to your Soul.” The co-creator with Mr. Wheaton is Italian opera star, Beppe Cantarelli. Despite a constant and rigorous schedule, Mr. Wheaton still manages to find the time for personal speaking engagements, golf and time with his family.
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