Frank Dileo was Michael Jackson’s manager during the height of his career in the 80’s. He died in Pittsburgh at the age of 63 on Wednesday, due to complications from heart surgery.
He helped M.J. with his endorsements, his world tours and his visit to the White House. The two were an odd couple of sorts. Dileo was the classic stereotype of a music industry professional at 5 feet 2 inches, over 200 lbs, with a slick ponytail and pinky rings. He actually played Frankie “Mr.Big” Sharp (the record producer) in the movie Wayne’s World.
When comparing his physical appearance to M.J., Dileo once said:
“You couldn’t find two more different people. He won’t eat meat; I’ll run out to get a cheeseburger. I’ll take a drink; he won’t touch the stuff.
Just look at us — he’s skinny, I’m fat. If we stand next to each other, we look like the number 10.”
M.J. has credited Dileo with helping him sell over 50 million copies of Thriller through a radio campaign. Though Dileo was fired by M.J. in 1989 for failing to sell 100 million copies of Jackson’s album Bad the two did eventually reunite. It was in 2009 when Dileo signed back on as Jackson’s manager, about a month before M.J.’s untimely death.
Our hearts go out to the family and friends of the man who helped enable M.J. to rock the world.
[Image via Matrix Photos.]
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