Culver City, California – Prime Video unveiled-Glitter and Greed: The Lisa Frank Story, a new four-part documentary series that promises to take viewers deep into the colorful and controversial world of the iconic Lisa Frank brand. Premiered December 5th, the series is streaming exclusively on Prime Video in over 240 countries worldwide.
‘Glitter and Greed’ delves into the rise and fall of Lisa Frank Inc., the brand that became synonymous with vibrant school supplies, neon rainbows, and beloved animal motifs. The docu-series explores how a company that defined a generation of American girls seemingly disappeared overnight, all while hiding a complex, stranger-than-fiction story.
Through never-before-seen footage and over 20 interviews with insiders, enthusiasts, and journalists, the series uncovers the untold tale behind the brand’s dazzling success and its eventual unraveling. From its eye-popping products to the business and personal dramas behind the scenes, Glitter and Greed offers an unprecedented look at the legacy of Lisa Frank.
Produced by Maxine Productions, a division of Sony Pictures Television Nonfiction, the series is directed by Arianna LaPenne, who also serves as co-executive producer. Executive producers for Maxine Productions include Mary Robertson and Lisa Kalikow, while Eli Holzman and Aaron Saidman executive produce for SPTNF.
For fans of nostalgia and true crime alike, ‘Glitter and Greed’ is set to be a must-watch. The docuseries takes us beyond the sparkles to reveal a story of ambition, scandal, and the dark side of branding that’s been hidden in plain sight.
Lisa Frank’s Background
The iconic Lisa Frank brand, known for its colorful unicorns, rainbows, and adorable animals, has long been a staple of 90s nostalgia. However, behind the eye-popping designs and childhood memories lies a darker, more tumultuous story of business struggles, toxic work environments, and personal scandals, many of which are rooted in Tucson, Arizona.
Jezebel.com shared, Lisa Frank, born into a wealthy family in Bloomfield Hills, Detroit, capitalized on her entrepreneurial instincts while attending the University of Arizona, where she began crafting jewelry with local Native American communities. By 1979, she had launched Lisa Frank, Inc., and secured her first million-dollar order. The company quickly became a multi-million-dollar business, headquartered in Tucson, where Frank set up a 320,000-square-foot facility adorned with oversized fiberglass characters and neon decorations, including a silver unicorn sculpture that famously lost its horn.
The figures from Dun & Bradstreet reveal that the company has recently generated approximately $2.3 million in annual revenue. All of its retail locations have closed their doors, and the products that once filled the back-to-school sections in stores nationwide are now scarce, with significantly reduced availability.
“Lisa Frank is notorious in Tucson as the world’s shittiest employer,” said an interviewee, who considered applying for one of the many job openings at the company she saw advertised when she moved to Tucson in 2001, but decided against it after speaking with locals. “Every single person I talked to advised me to avoid Lisa Frank at all costs,” she said. “I didn’t know a single person who had not heard horror stories about the work environment there.”
“I don’t know if it’s possible to really communicate how bad their reputation was in town,” she stressed, before adding, “Every person who ever worked there seemed to have a case of PTSD from it. ‘Rainbow Gulag’ is really an apt description.”
However, the company’s success came with a price. Lisa Frank, Inc. became infamous for its poor treatment of employees, with a high turnover rate and accusations of micromanagement, low wages, and a toxic work culture. Many locals in Tucson warned newcomers to avoid applying for jobs at the company, citing “horror stories” from former employees. “It was a revolving door,” one former worker recalled, estimating that the creative department alone saw its staff turnover multiple times in just a few years.
Further complicating the company’s image were rumors surrounding Lisa Frank’s husband, James Green, who also served as CEO. Allegations of drug use and infidelity swirled around Green, particularly regarding his rumored affair with company vice president Rhonda Rowlette. These personal and professional scandals further tarnished the brand’s reputation.
“She told me that James regularly sent her with an unmarked box or a paper bag to meet someone at a gas station or parking lot. She was supposed to exchange her package for theirs and not look inside. (There were a lot of rumors and a couple of incidents about their cocaine use, so we can guess what was inside.) He also had her buy his Viagra and his porn.”
[M]y wife and I were shopping at Tucson Mall over 4th of July weekend 2005 and stopped by the Lisa Frank retail store in the mall…we were surprised to see James and Rhonda together in the store on that 3 day weekend. [W]e had a short conversation with James (Rhonda didn’t say much). After we left them we both thought it strange that they would be together and that Rhonda acted sort of caught off guard at seeing us and acted uncomfortable. We wondered why James wasn’t with his family and Rhonda wasn’t with her husband on a holiday weekend. Something wasn’t right…
The Tucson Citizen gathered that in 2005, after years of tension, Lisa Frank filed for divorce from Green, who had been CEO of the company. Legal documents revealed that Frank had confided in close friends that she feared Green and was looking for a way out. As the divorce loomed, Frank began taking a more active role in the company, increasing her presence in the office and clashing with Green over the direction of LFI. Green, sensing his impending ousting, allegedly began a campaign to recruit employees to his side and even hinted at starting his own company to rival Lisa Frank, Inc.
The legal battle was swift and brutal. Frank filed a civil suit to oust Green from the company and sought a restraining order against him to prevent harassment and theft of company assets. In a dramatic turn of events, Frank regained control of LFI in 2005 after police escorted Green and his allies from the company’s Tucson headquarters. However, the victory was only the beginning of a prolonged and bitter legal war that would drag on for years, involving multiple lawsuits, countersuits, and a series of appeals.
Despite Frank’s legal victories, LFI’s fortunes continued to wane. While Frank had once hoped to expand the brand with theme parks, TV shows, and new product lines, she spent much of the late 2000s embroiled in litigation, particularly with Green and his accomplice, Rhonda Rowlette. The company’s reputation also suffered from Green’s alleged mismanagement, including a drastic reduction in sales and profits.
By 2010, Frank had signed an exclusive licensing agreement with CSS Industries, but the partnership soured, leading to another lawsuit in 2012 for failing to meet royalty promises. The brand’s iconic image struggled to regain its former glory, though Lisa Frank’s nostalgic appeal found new life through a partnership with Urban Outfitters, which sold exclusive t-shirts and vintage stationery.
Despite the apparent success, Lisa Frank, Inc. and its founder struggled to maintain relationships and capitalize on the resurgence of 90s nostalgia. As for Green, he found a new path, converting to Christianity and launching a new business, Salvation, LLC, which sells religious-themed products. However, his new venture has not achieved the same level of success as Lisa Frank’s rainbow empire.
In the end, the story of Lisa Frank is one of fierce battles over control, personal betrayal, and the complexities of maintaining a brand built on innocence and nostalgia in the midst of a fractured personal life.
Despite these issues, Lisa Frank Inc. has managed to retain a nostalgic fanbase, with a recent partnership with Urban Outfitters to sell t-shirts and “vintage” stationery. While the company’s tumultuous history may be hard to ignore, there is still a glimmer of success for the brand, as it continues to sell holiday-themed items online.
“James did not seem like he gave a fuck about God or anything like that,” laughed Justin a former employee. “There was that South Park episode with Faith +1 where Cartman started a Christian boy band just to take advantage of people. That’s kind of what [Green’s new business] feels like.”
As for Green, he underwent a dramatic transformation, converting to Christianity after previously being Jewish. He now runs a business called Salvation, LLC, which he founded shortly after leaving Lisa Frank, Inc. The company specializes in religious-themed products, including stationery and T-shirt designs, which are sold on his website, ‘JamesChristianMan.com’.
To read a detailed write up on Lisa Frank, visit this link: Jezebel or the Tucson Citizen for more.
