Armando Nuñez Sr. Dies: Influential International TV Distribution Exec Was 96

Armando Nuñez Sr., the longtime international television distribution executive who worked for CBS, 20th Century Fox and ITC Entertainment, died of natural causes July 10 in Miami. He was 96.

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The Cuba-born Nuñez worked for 20th Century Fox both in Havana and New York before moving to ITC Entertainment in 1964. He remained with ITC through various ownerships and incarnations including Polygram and Universal for the remainder of his five-decade career.

Born in Cuba in 1927, Nuñez later fled the country after Fidel Castro took power in October 1960 and immigrated to the U.S. with his wife Clara Jo (Josie), who was eight months pregnant with their first son Armando, Jr., who would later become President of CBS Global Distribution and Chief Content Licensing Officer at ViacomCBS. His other son, David Nuñez, was also an international TV executive.

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Cigar-smoking British exec Lew Grade had launched ITC in 1954 and went on to become a pioneer international TV distribution, with Nuñez becoming a key player in his empire. He famously sold early European co-production Return of the Saint to CBS in 1978 after his boss had failed to do so, and was known to network execs around the world. Nuñez ultimately forged a career in international television distribution that spanned over five decades and allowed him to see and explore the world.

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After ITC was sold to PolyGram in 1995, he worked under David Ellender, now CEO of Halcyon Studios, and held roles at Universal when it bought PolyGram four years later. He retired in 2000 and settled in Miami Beach. In 2013, he received the MIPTV Medaille d’Honneur, which was the last time he attended an international TV confab. Armando Jr. was award the same honor that year.

Friends in the industry recall that Nuñez was a consummate world traveler, who could recount stories from almost any country and continent. While he thrived on business deals and relationship building, he was known to relish quiet moments puffing on a Cuban cigar. Anything from Cuba had significance and although he was an extremely proud American, Nuñez remained in his homeland.

Nuñez is survived by his sons and his grandsons.

Memorial services will be held in Miami.

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