Frank Price, the veteran Hollywood ex ecutive who oversaw some of the most acclaimed and commercially successful films of the late 20th century, has died aged 95

His death was confirmed by his son, Roy Price, the 58-year-old former president of Amazon Studios, who wrote on X: "My father, Frank Price, passed away peacefully in his sleep this morning at 95. He lived a full life and we will miss him deeply."

Frank led MCA's television division in the 1970s, overseeing series including Kojak, Baretta and The Rockford Files.

He became president of Columbia Pictures in 1978, and later chairman and chief ex ecutive.

During his tenure, Columbia released hit films including Kramer vs. Kramer, The Big Chill, Tootsie, Gandhi, Ghostbusters and The Karate Kid.

Returning to MCA to run Universal Pictures, he added to his success with the movies Out of Africa, Back to the Future, Mask, Dragnet and The Secret of My Success.

Frank's career also included stints back at Columbia in the 1990s, where he oversaw films such as A League of Their Own and Dracula.

Several of the movies released under his watch dominated the Academy Awards - Kramer vs. Kramer won five Oscars, Gandhi eight, and Out of Africa seven.

But not all his projects fared well.

At Universal, he had to take responsibility for Howard the Duck, a notorious flop that contributed to the collapse of his working relationship with MCA president Sidney Sheinberg.

In 1991, when Sony Pictures chairman Peter Guber hired Mark Canton to head Columbia, Frank was abruptly dismissed, reportedly receiving $10 million as severance.

He began his Hollywood career as a writer and producer, joining Universal in 1959 on The Virginian and later working on Ironside and It Takes a Thief.

At Universal Television he was behind series such as The Six Million Dollar Man, Quincy, The Incredible Hulk, Bionic Woman and miniseries including Rich Man, Poor Man and Centennial.

His television films included Duel, That Certain Summer, The ex ecution of Private Slovik and A Case of Rape.

Frank later launched Price Entertainment, a joint venture with TriStar Pictures, producing titles including The Bear, Gladiator (1992), Hexed, The Walking Dead (1995), Circle of Friends, The Tuskegee Airmen, Mariette in Ecstasy, Getting Away With Murder, Zeus and Roxanne, Shadowlands and A Bronx Tale.

Born in Decatur, Illinois, and raised in Flint, Michigan, Frank studied journalism at Michigan State University after serving with the US Navy.

He worked at CBS, Screen Gems and NBC before moving into studio leadership.

Frank later served on the board of governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the trustees of the Sundance Institute, the board of the Motion Picture Association of America, and as chairman of USC School of Cinema-Television's board of councilors.

He is survived by his wife Katherine, sons David, Roy and William, who is married to Megan, and 14 grandchildren.