Laughs blended with tears tonight at the Beverly Hilton as many in Hollywood remembered late MGM Theatrical Distribution Boss and big screen champion Erik Lomis who was lauded posthumously with the Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation‘s Pioneer of the Year award.
Lomis passed suddenly at 64 on March 22. It was a fitting tribute for Lomis, who was a force to be reckoned with in fundraising for the org which assists those working in distribution and exhibition in need.
One longtime friend and MGM colleague of Lomis described his fundraising talents for Will Rogers: “When Erik called you, you never said ‘No’.” It was only a year ago that Lomis served as the charity’s co-Chair and hosted last year’s fun-filled fundraiser which bestowed the Pioneer of the Year award to his longtime colleagues, 007 franchise producers Michael G.
Wilson and Barbara Broccoli. Paul Thomas Anderson, whose movies The Master and Licorice Pizza, were distributed by Lomis respectively at the Weinstein Co.
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