Frank G. Mancuso, Sr., the former film studio executive who headed both Paramount Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer during the 1980s and ’90s, overseeing the release of such major box office hits as Top Gun, Fatal Attraction, The Untouchables, Coming to America and Ghost, died of cancer on Thursday, October 1, at his home in Los Angeles. He was 93.

His death was announced by his family, which includes his son, the producer Frank Mancuso, Jr.

Mancuso, whose expertise spanned sales, marketing, and distribution, served as chairman and CEO of Paramount Pictures from 1984 to 1991, when the studio released the above-mentioned films. From 1993 to 1999 he headed MGM as it rebuilt its film and television operations and acquired Orion Pictures and PolyGram Filmed Entertainment.

“When God created Frank Mancuso Sr., he broke the mold,” said Andy Garcia, who landed his Oscar-nominated role in The Godfather III at Mancuso’s suggestion, said in a statement. “This is not just a saying but the absolute truth. Mr. Mancuso will forever be a beacon of class in our industry, the greatest example of warmth, integrity, and generosity. I had the blessing of his friendship, support, and guidance. I will miss him deeply and will continue to be inspired by his example. Rest in peace, ‘Pops.’”

Mancuso joined Paramount Pictures in 1962 as a sales executive in the company’s Buffalo branch, and ascended through the ranks over the next two decades, relocating to Toronto, New York City, and finally Los Angeles. His acumen for promotion, particularly in international markets, helped the commercial success of box-office smashes such as Saturday Night Fever and Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Born Frank George Mancuso on July 25, 1933, in Buffalo, New York, Mancuso worked as an usher for Buffalo’s Lafayette Theater during his high school years, eventually assisting in the venue’s daily operations and programming for live events and screenings.

During his 45-year career as a film exec, Mancuso also served as governor of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (1986) and later as secretary (1992). He was chairman of the Motion Picture and Television Fund corporate board from 2003 to 2010.

His family notes that his affable demeanor earned him the nickname “Gentleman Frank,” and that he knew the names of colleagues at every level, from the mailroom to the executive floor, and fostered a family-like atmosphere at the studios.

Mancuso married Frances (Fay) Susan Mauro, a fellow Buffalo native and childhood sweetheart, in 1957. She survives him, as do his son; daughter Maria Mancuso, a designer; daughter-in-law Kimberly Mancuso; grandchildren Noah Gersh, Emma Louise Ray, Giovanni Mancuso, Greta Harlan Gersh, Mila Rae Mancuso, and James Lily Frances Gersh; grandson-in-law Eric David Ray; and great-granddaughter Lucca Frances Ray.

Frank Mancuso Sr., who rose from jobs as a theater usher and film buyer in Buffalo, New York, to become the chairman and CEO of Paramount Pictures and then MGM, has died. He was 93.

Mancuso died Thursday at his home in Los Angeles of complications from cancer.

Survivors include his son, Frank Mancuso Jr., who, while often working for his father, produced five Friday the 13th films as well as Species (1995), John Frankenheimer’s Ronin (1998) and Stigmata (1999).

The elder Mancuso, who spent nearly three decades with Paramount, was the rare studio chieftain to have come from the ranks of marketers.

He was serving a 20-month stint as president of Paramount’s motion picture group when Martin Davis, chairman and CEO of parent conglomerate Gulf & Western, selected him over Michael Eisner to take over the flagging studio in September 1984.

Mancuso replaced Barry Diller, who had abruptly left to assume control of 20th Century Fox. Eisner, Diller’s second in command, departed for Disney when he didn’t get promoted, and he was soon followed out the door by another rising young executive, Jeffrey Katzenberg.

Mancuso, however, hired former Universal exec Ned Tanen to serve as president of production, re-signed Eddie Murphy to a lucrative contract and struck a long-term deal with producers Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer.

Paramount adopted a tentpole philosophy and finished first at the box office in 1986 and ’87, finding success with Top Gun, Crocodile Dundee, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, The Golden Child, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Children of a Lesser God in 1986 — when it had a 22 percent domestic market share —and Fatal Attraction, Beverly Hills Cop II, The Untouchables and Eddie Murphy Raw in 1987. (Other hits like 1988’s Coming to America, 1989’s Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and 1990’s Ghost followed.)

On the television side, the studio launched The Arsenio Hall Show, Entertainment Tonight, Cheers, Family Ties and Star Trek: The Next Generation under his watch.

In the wake of the expensive 1990 sequel misfires as The Two Jakes and The Godfather Part III, Davis gave Mancuso a new boss, producer Stanley R. Jaffe, who was installed as COO of Paramount Communications. Mancuso exited in March 1991 and filed a $45 million breach of contract lawsuit, eventually receiving a reported $20 million in a settlement.

After a couple years away, Mancuso returned to Hollywood in July 1993 when, in a deal orchestrated by CAA’s Michael Ovitz, he was named by Credit Lyonnais-owned MGM to replace Alan Ladd Jr. as chairman and CEO.

During his tenure, he restarted United Artists (it hadn’t released a film since Rocky Vin 1990) and hired former Warner Bros. exec John Calley to run it; acquired Orion Pictures, The Samuel Goldwyn Co. and assets from PolyGram Filmed Entertainment; and saw the release of such films as Stargate (1994), Get Shorty (1995), The Birdcage (1996) and three James Bond movies.

Mancuso lasted until April 1999, when MGM owner Kirk Kerkorian replaced him with Alex Yemenidjian as chairman and Chris McGurk as vice chairman.

He was born on July 25, 1933, in Buffalo. His father, George, worked for the post office for more than four decades.

Mancuso started out as a part-time usher at the 3,500-seat Lafayette Theatre, then was named assistant manager while still a student at the State University of New York at Buffalo. After college, he was hired in 1958 to buy films for the Basil Circuit, which owned the Lafayette and 49 other theaters in Western New York and Pennsylvania.

In 1962, Mancuso joined Paramount as a film booker in its Buffalo office, and he rose through the ranks, becoming the Toronto-based vice president and general sales manager for Paramount Canada in 1970; manager of Paramount’s Western Division, based in Los Angeles, in 1976; and executive vice president of marketing and distribution for the entire company in 1979.

He was named president of the motion picture group in January 1983 — that was his first job being involved in the production of movies — and distinguished himself by using music videos to promote Flashdance and giving eventual best-picture winner Terms of Endearment a release during the then-sleepy Thanksgiving weekend.

In recent years, Mancuso held chairman posts at the Motion Picture & Television Fund and at the Geffen Playhouse.

He also is survived by his wife, Fay, whom he married in 1957 — they first met when they were 12 — and their daughter Maria, a fashion designer.

Ted Lasso fans were in for a surprise when tuning in for the Season 4 finale, which was released on Apple TV on Wednesday. When time came for the comedy’s signature main title credits after the opening scene, it played to a haunting cover of the “Ted Lasso Theme” sung by 11-time Grammy winner Brandi Carlile.

This is the second time Ted Lasso has used an alternate version of the theme song, which was originally co-written and performed by Marcus Mumford of Mumford & Sons and composer Tom Howe. Jeff Tweedy did a cover for the Season 2 episode “Beard After Hours.”

Deadline asked Ted Lasso co-creator, executive producer and star Brandan Hunt, who co-wrote the finale with fellow co-creator, executive producer and star Jason Sudeikis, about the decision to change up the theme.

“Well, we knew that to come out of Mae’s wake or whatever you want to call it there and go straight into ‘Yeah’ (singing the start of Mumford’s bouncy version) that would’ve been a bit abrupt. So, in the first cut that we were putting together, we dropped in the Jeff Tweedy version from the ‘Beard After Hours’ episode, which is a very simple acoustic version that we were so fortunate to have Mr. Tweedy grace us with.”

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Hunt explained how Carlile got to do the song and teased a full-length version that is a must listen.

“Jason and Brandi are friends, she’s actually contributed to the show before, and you just have to see, would she do it?” Hunt said. “She said yes. And let me tell you, that 30-second version here is good, but I’ve heard the whole version, and it literally brought me to tears. It’s incredible, and I hope it gets up on streaming somewhere because it’s really really good.”

While Carlile’s version is melancholy, it also is the first time a woman has performed the theme song, which would fit into Ted Lasso’s new focus on a women’s football team. So will the show keep it or was it a one-time thing?

“It’s a bit funereal, and if we do come back, I’m not sure that every episode will start with a funeral,” Hunt said. “So, I don’t know if that’s quite the energy we want to go into every episode with. We’d have to see about that.”

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Below is the Season 4 finale opening-credits scene with Carlile’s take on the theme. For Hunt’s breakdown of the finale’s major developments and a likely Season 5 renewal, read the rest of Deadline’s interview, which will be posted later today.