On Saturday, March 12, 2005 at 11:17:49 AM UTC-5, Hyfler/Rosner wrote:
> Talk about burying the lead.
>
> BYLINE: By Gayle Ronan Sims; Inquirer Staff Writer
>
> Melvin R. Korn, 75, owner of the agency bearing one of the
> oldest names in Philadelphia advertising, died of liver
> cancer Thursday at New York University Medical Center.
> Formerly of Society Hill and Wynnewood, Mr. Korn had lived
> in New York since 1998.
> Mr. Korn ran two agencies under his own or his father's name
> in Center City for more than 25 years, before merging with
> other firms in the 1980s. J.M. Korn & Son handled
> Pepsi-Cola, Mrs. Smith's Pies, Mrs. Paul's Frozen Foods,
> Weaver Chicken, and Steak-umm. Mr. Korn was awarded the Clio
> advertising award in 1969 for a Mrs. Paul's television
> campaign.
> In 1982, Korn merged with Ketchum Advertising, where Mr.
> Korn served as vice president. He left Ketchum to form GMG
> Marketing Services. In 1998, it was acquired by Saatchi &
> Saatchi. That year, Mr. Korn moved to New York and was vice
> chairman at Saatchi until his death.
> A native of Bala Cynwyd, Mr. Korn graduated from the former
> Pennsylvania Military Academy in 1947. He immediately joined
> the Army, where he played in the drum corps in Germany until
> mustering out as a captain in 1949.
> Mr. Korn married Patricia Godelph, and the couple raised
> four children in Wynnewood before divorcing in 1975. She
> died in 2004.
> In November 1980, Mr. Korn married Jessica Savitch, an NBC
> news anchor. The marriage ended 11 months later. Savitch
> drowned in a car accident in Bucks County in 1983.
> In 1986, he married Bonnie Weingarten, and the couple moved
> to Society Hill.
> Mr. Korn was active in the city. In the 1990s, he formed the
> Alliance for a Better Philadelphia, an organization of more
> than 100 neighborhood groups.
> He also had a musical side. Mr. Korn loved playing the drums
> throughout his life and put up some of the money for the
> Four Aces to produce its hit, "(It's No) Sin," which sold a
> million copies in 1951.
> In addition to his wife, Mr. Korn is survived by sons Jack
> and Scott; daughters Tina Steerman and Melissa Toran;
> stepsons Michael Paskin and Gregg Paskin; and eight
> grandchildren.
> The funeral will be at noon tomorrow at Joseph Levine & Son,
> 7112 N. Broad St. Burial will be in Roosevelt Memorial Park.
> Memorial donations may be sent to the American Cancer
> Society, Box 102454, Atlanta, Ga. 30368-2454.
> Contact staff writer Gayle Ronan Sims at 215-854-4185 or
> gs...@phillynews.com