EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

           EMPLOYMENT  AGREEMENT  dated as of July 1, 1997 (as it may be amended
in accordance with its terms, this "Agreement")  between dick clark productions,
inc., a Delaware  corporation (the "Company"),  and Mr. Francis C. La Maina (the
"Executive").

           The Executive is currently the President and Chief Operating  Officer
of the Company and is employed  pursuant to an Employment  Agreement dated as of
March 1, 1995 (the "Existing  Employment  Agreement").  The term of the Existing
Employment  Agreement  expires  on June 30,  2000.  In light of the  Executive's
experience with the Company and his exemplary services on behalf of the Company,
the Company  desires to secure the services of, and continue the  employment the
Executive  for the period ending June 30, 2002,  and to do so at this time;  and
the  Executive  desires to continue in the employ of the  Company  through  that
date.  Therefore,  the Company  shall  continue to employ the  Executive and the
Executive  shall  continue  his  employment  with the  Company,  upon the terms,
provisions and conditions set forth herein.

           Accordingly, the Company and the Executive hereby agree as follows:

           1.         Employment.

                      (a)  The  Company  shall  employ  the  Executive,  and the
Executive shall serve the Company during the term hereof, as President and Chief
Operating Officer of the Company, with such duties and responsibilities normally
associated with those positions. The Executive shall devote his best efforts and
a major portion of his business time to the performance of his duties under this
Agreement and shall perform them  faithfully,  diligently and  competently.  The
Executive shall report only to the Chairman and Chief  Executive  Officer of the
Company and the Board of Directors of the Company;  and all other  executives of
the Company  (other than the Chairman and Chief  Executive  Officer and the Vice
President-Administration,     so    long    as    the     position    of    Vice
President-Administration  is  held  by Ms.  Karen  Clark)  shall  report  to the
Executive.  The Executive's  services shall be performed in Burbank,  California
(or such other location as the Executive and the Company may agree upon) subject
to travel reasonably and customarily  required by the Company in connection with
the Executive's services hereunder.







                      (b) Notwithstanding  anything to the contrary contained in
this Agreement,  the Executive may devote a significant  portion of his business
time to other business activities,  including, without limitation, serving as an
officer of companies a majority of whose equity is owned by Mr. Richard W. Clark
("Mr.  Clark")  and/or Mr. Clark and the  Executive on or after the date of this
Agreement; provided such companies do not compete with the business conducted by
the Company and its subsidiaries ("Affiliated  Companies"),  providing financial
and consulting  services to Mr. Clark in connection with any activities that Mr.
Clark is permitted  to engage in  accordance  with his then  current  employment
agreement with the Company and serving as a director of any Affiliated  Company;
provided,  that engaging in such activities do not materially interfere with the
Executive's performance of his duties under this Agreement.

           2.         Term of Employment.

                      The term of  Executive's  employment  by the Company under
this Agreement shall commence on and as of July 1, 1997 and,  subject to earlier
termination  pursuant to Section 5 or 7 hereof, shall terminate on June 30, 2002
(the "Term").  Notwithstanding  the foregoing,  unless the Company gives written
notice to the  Executive  prior to April 1 in any year  during  the Term of this
Agreement that it does not intend to have the Term of this  Agreement  extended,
the Term of this Agreement  shall  automatically  extend for an additional  year
from its then current expiratory date. For purposes of this Agreement,  the term
"Term" shall  include any extension of the then  applicable  Term as provided in
this Section 2. An example of the operation of this Section 2 is as follows:  if
by April 1, 1998 the Company does not furnish a notice to the Executive that the
Company  does  not  desire  the  Term  to  be  extended,  then  the  Term  shall
automatically be extended until June 30, 2003.

           3.         Compensation.

                      (a) As full  compensation for all services rendered by the
Executive  to the Company  under this  Agreement,  the Company  shall pay to the
Executive (i) a base salary at the initial  annual rate of $539,379,  payable in
equal  installments  (once  every two weeks) in  accordance  with the  Company's
customary  payroll  practice for its executives,  and (ii) a bonus determined in
accordance  with  Section  3(b)  hereof.  On each July 1, during the term of the
Executive's employment hereunder,  commencing with July 1, 1998, the base salary
payable to the


                                      - 2 -





Executive  pursuant to Section 3(a)(i) shall be increased by an amount,  if any,
equal to the percentage increase in the consumer price index (the "CPI") for Los
Angeles,  California  for the twelve (12) month  period ended on the June 30, as
next  preceding  such  July 1, as  published  by the  Federal  Bureau  of  Labor
Statistics  (the "Bureau") or any successor  entity to the Bureau  multiplied by
the then current base salary pursuant to Section  3(a)(i);  provided that if the
Bureau  no  longer  publishes  the  CPI,  then  a  comparable  index  reasonably
acceptable to the Company and the Executive shall be substituted therefore.

                      (b) With respect to each fiscal year of the Company during
the term of the Executive's employment under this Agreement, commencing with the
fiscal year ending on June 30, 1998,  the Company  shall pay to the  Executive a
bonus equal to the following  amounts with respect to the Pre-tax Profits of the
Company, if any, during that fiscal year:

If Pretax Profits are:
Over                           But Not Over           Payment
- ----                           ------------           -------

0                    -         $ 7,000,000          0
$ 7,000,000          -         $10,000,000          $260,000 + 3% of Pre-tax
                                                    Profits over $7,000,000
$10,000,000          -         $15,000,000          $350,000 + 2% of Pre-tax
                                                    Profits over $10,000,000
$15,000,000          -                              $450,000 + 1% of Pre-Tax
                                                    Profits over $15,000,000

The bonus, if any, payable to the Executive pursuant to this Section 3(b) hereof
with  respect to any fiscal year shall be paid not later than  fifteen (15) days
after the receipt by the Company from its independent  public accountants of the
audited  financial  statements  of the Company  with  respect to the  applicable
fiscal year. Nothing herein shall alter,  modify, or amend the obligation of the
Company pursuant to Section 3(b) of the Existing Employment  Agreement to make a
payment to the Executive pursuant to said Section 3(b) for the fiscal year ended
June  30,  1997,  which  obligation  shall  remain  in full  force  and  effect,
notwithstanding the execution and delivery of this Agreement.

                      (c) As used in this  Agreement the term "Pre-tax  Profits"
of  the-Company  during a fiscal year shall mean the income  before taxes of the
Company as shown on the audited


                                      - 3 -





consolidated  statement of profit and loss of the Company and its  subsidiaries,
but without giving effect to accruals for the bonus payable to the Executive for
that fiscal year  pursuant to Section 3(b) hereof and any similar  bonus payable
to Mr.  Clark  for  that  fiscal  year  pursuant  to Mr.  Clark's  then  current
employment agreement with the Company.

                      (d) If the Executive's  employment is terminated  prior to
the end of a fiscal  year due to his death or by the  Company as a result of his
disability, the bonus payable pursuant to Section 3(b) hereof in respect of that
fiscal year shall be calculated (i) if such  termination  shall occur during the
first quarter of the Company's fiscal year, by multiplying the amount determined
pursuant  to  Section  3(b) for  that  entire  fiscal  year by a  fraction,  the
numerator  of which is the number of days in that  fiscal year prior to the date
of termination and the denominator of which is the number of days in that fiscal
year; and (ii) if such  termination  shall occur subsequent to the first quarter
of the  Company's  fiscal year,  as if the  Executive had been employed for that
entire fiscal year. If the Executive's employment is terminated prior to the end
of a fiscal year for "Cause" (as hereinafter defined), no bonus shall be payable
to the Executive pursuant to Section 3(b) in respect of that fiscal year.

                      (e) For purposes of Sections 3(b) and 3(c) hereof,  if the
Company's  fiscal year shall  change (the  fiscal  year  presently  being July 1
through  June 30),  resulting  in a fiscal  year which shall be less than twelve
(12) months, the bonus payable pursuant to Section 3(b) in respect of that short
fiscal year shall be  calculated  (i) by  multiplying  the amount of the Pre-tax
Profits determined pursuant to Section 3(c) for that entire short fiscal year by
a fraction  of which the  numerator  is twelve (12) and the  denominator  is the
number of months in that short fiscal  year;  (ii) by  determining  the bonus in
accordance with Section 3(b) based on the amount resulting from the calculations
in clause (i) above;  and (iii) by multiplying  such bonus amount resulting from
the calculation in clause (ii) above by a fraction of which the numerator is the
number of months in that  shortened  fiscal year and the  denominator  is twelve
(12).

           4.         Fringe Benefits; Expenses.

                      (a) The Executive  shall be entitled to receive all health
(other than disability) and pension  benefits  provided by the Company to any of
its executives and to all other fringe  benefits  provided by the Company to its
executives as a group and shall also be entitled to


                                      - 4 -





participate  in all benefit plans provided by the Company to its executives as a
group.  The Executive  shall also be entitled to a term life  insurance  policy,
naming such  beneficiaries  as the Executive shall specify from time to time, in
an amount equal to $3,000,000.

                      (b) The Company  shall  reimburse  the  Executive  for all
reasonable  expenses  (including,  without limitation,  entertainment  expenses)
incurred by the Executive in connection with the performance of his services for
the Company (it being  agreed that  first-class  travel and  accommodations  are
reasonable expenses),  upon submission of receipts and/or vouchers in accordance
with the Company's customary policy.

                      (c) The  Executive  shall  be  entitled  to six (6)  weeks
vacation  time  annually,  to be  taken  at  times  selected  by him,  with  the
reasonable  concurrence of the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, which are
consistent  with the proper  performance  of the  Executive's  duties under this
Agreement.  The  Executive  may accrue up to two (2) weeks unused  vacation time
annually.

           5.         Disability or Death.

                      (a)  If,  as  the  result  of  any   physical   or  mental
disability, the Executive shall have failed or been unable to perform his duties
to the Company  hereunder for a period of one hundred  eighty (180)  consecutive
days, the Company may, by notice to the Executive subsequent thereto,  terminate
the  Executive's  employment  under this Agreement prior to the end of the Term,
effective  as of the  date  of the  notice.  If the  Executive's  employment  is
terminated pursuant to this Section 5(a), the Company shall pay to the Executive
(in equal  installments every two (2) weeks) (i) for the period from the date of
termination  through the June 30 next succeeding  such date of  termination,  an
amount equal to his base salary for such period at the date of termination; (ii)
for the next succeeding  twelve (12) month period, an amount equal to 80% of his
base salary at the date of  termination;  (iii) for the next  succeeding  twelve
(12)  month  period,  an amount  equal to 60% of his base  salary at the date of
termination;  and (iv) for the twenty-four  (24) month period  commencing on the
date of the last payment  required to be made  pursuant to clauses (i), (ii) and
(iii)  above,  an  amount  equal  to 50% of  his  base  salary  at the  date  of
termination.

                      (b) The period of the  Executive's  employment  under this
Agreement  shall  automatically  terminate prior to the end of the Term upon his
death. In the event of such termination upon death, the Company shall pay to the
beneficiary or beneficiaries of the Executive

                                      - 5 -





as  designated  in writing by the  Executive to the Company (or if the Executive
fails to so designate a beneficiary, to his estate), an amount at an annual rate
equal to his base  salary in effect on the date of his death for a period of two
(2) years from the date of his death, payable in equal installments on the first
day of the month  next  succeeding  the date of death and the first day of every
third month thereafter.

           6.         Non-Competition; Confidential Information.

                      (a) (i) During the  period of the  Executive's  employment
under this  Agreement  or (ii)  through the end of the then current Term of this
Agreement,  if the Executive  voluntarily  terminates his employment (other than
because of a Change of Control  (as such term is defined in Section 8 hereof) or
a termination by the Executive in accordance with Section 7(c) hereof) or if the
Executive's  employment  is terminated by the Company for Cause (as such term is
hereinafter  defined)  as  provided  for  hereunder,  the  Executive  shall not,
directly or indirectly,  engage or be interested  (as a  stockholder,  director,
officer, agent, broker, partner, individual proprietor,  lender or otherwise) in
any other business which is competitive with the business of the Company and its
subsidiaries,  except  that  the  Executive  may (i)  engage  in the  activities
otherwise permitted pursuant to Section l(b) hereof,  whether or not competitive
with the  Company or any of its  subsidiaries  and (ii) hold not more than 5% of
the outstanding  securities of any class of any publicly held company;  provided
that this Section 6 shall not prohibit the  Executive  from holding more than 5%
of the outstanding securities of any class of capital stock of the Company.

                      (b) The  Executive  shall  not,  directly  or  indirectly,
either during the period of the Executive's  employment  under this Agreement or
thereafter,  disclose to anyone  (except in the regular  course of the Company's
business or as required by applicable  law or subpoena),  or use in  competition
with  the  Company,  any  information  acquired  by  the  Executive  during  his
employment by the Company with respect to any  confidential  or secret aspect of
the Company's operations,  business,  affairs, plans,  prospects,  strategies or
condition  (financial or otherwise)  unless such  information  has become public
knowledge other than by reason of actions (direct or indirect) of the Executive.

                      (c) The  Executive  shall  not,  directly  or  indirectly,
either during the period of the Executive's  employment  under this Agreement or
for a period of one (1) year thereafter,


                                      - 6 -





solicit the  services of any person who was a full-time  employee of the Company
(other than employees  employed for limited  periods of time in connection  with
the production of particular  television or motion picture  programming)  during
the last year of the term of the Executive's employment under this Agreement.

                      (d) The  Executive  acknowledges  that the  remedy  at law
(including,  without  limitation,  a remedy  calculated as monetary damages) for
breach  of  his  covenants   under  this  Section  6  will  be  inadequate  and,
accordingly, in the event of any breach or threatened breach by the Executive of
the provisions of this Section 6, the Company shall be entitled,  in addition to
all other  remedies,  whether at law, in equity or  otherwise,  to an injunction
and/or other appropriate  equitable relief  restraining any such breach (without
posting any bond or other security or being required to prove actual damages).

           7.         Termination.

                      (a) The Company  shall have the right to terminate and the
Executive's  employment  with the Company under this  Agreement (i) for Cause or
(ii) Without Cause. For purposes of this Agreement,  the term "Cause, shall mean
any  material  breach of the  Executive's  obligations  under  Section 6 of this
Agreement which is not cured within thirty (30) days after written notice of any
such breach is furnished to the Executive,  the conviction of the Executive of a
felony,  gross misconduct related to the Executive's position or duties with the
Company which is likely to materially  adversely affect the Company's  financial
condition,  the chronic  addiction of the  Executive  to drugs or alcohol  which
materially  adversely  affects the  Executive's  performance of his duties under
this  Agreement,  or the  Executive's  willful  failure to perform his  material
duties within a reasonable period under the  circumstances  after written notice
(specifically  identifying  the manner in which the Board of Directors  believes
that the  Executive  has failed)  from the Board of  Directors  of the  Company;
(provided  that such duties are  consistent,  in the  reasonable  opinion of the
Executive  after  obtaining  an  opinion of  counsel,  with this  Agreement  and
applicable law.

                      (b) If the  employment of the Executive is terminated  for
Cause,  the Company  shall not be obligated  to make any further  payment to the
Executive  (other  than  accrued and unpaid  salary and  expenses to the date of
termination), or continue to provide any benefit (other than benefits which have
accrued pursuant to any plan or by applicable law) to the Executive


                                      - 7 -





under this Agreement.  If the employment of the Executive is terminated  Without
Cause, then (except as otherwise  provided in the Section 11 hereof) the Company
shall  pay  to  the  Executive,  in  equal  monthly  installments,  all  of  his
compensation  (base salary and bonuses)  pursuant to Section 3 hereof as if this
Agreement  had not been  terminated  for the greater of (x) the remainder of the
then current Term and (y) three (3) years after  termination,  all regardless of
the  amount  of  compensation  the  Executive  may earn or be able to earn  with
respect  to any other  employment  that the  Executive  may obtain or be able to
obtain (i.e. the Executive  shall have no duty to mitigate and the Company shall
have no right to offset).  For purposes  hereof,  the term "Without Cause" shall
mean a termination of the  Executive's  employment  hereunder for a reason other
than pursuant to Section 7(a) hereof.

                      (c) The  Executive  shall have the right to terminate  his
employment  with the Company under this Agreement  prior to the end of the Term,
upon thirty (30) days' prior notice to the Company  given within sixty (60) days
following the occurrence of any of the following events:

                                 (i) the  Executive is not retained as President
                      and Chief  Operating  Officer of the  Company  even if the
                      Executive  is  allowed  to  continue  in the employ of the
                      Company, or

                                 (ii)  the   Company   materially   reduces  the
                      Executive's duties and responsibilities  hereunder and the
                      Executive  objects  within  thirty  (30)  days of any such
                      reduction and the Company does not restore such duties and
                      responsibilities  within  forty-five (45) days thereafter.
                      Without  limiting the provisions of Section 8 hereof,  the
                      Executive's  duties  and  responsibilities  shall  not  be
                      deemed  materially  reduced for purposes  hereof solely by
                      virtue of the fact that the  Company is (or  substantially
                      all of its  assets  are)  sold to,  or is  combined  with,
                      another entity; provided that the Executive shall continue
                      to have the same duties and responsibilities  with respect
                      to  the  Company's   business   following   such  sale  or
                      combination.

If this  Agreement is  terminated  by the Executive as set forth in this Section
7(c),  such  termination  shall be deemed  to be a  termination  by the  Company
Without Cause, with the same effect as


                                      - 8 -





otherwise provided in this Agreement.

           8.         Change  of  Control.   Notwithstanding  anything  in  this
Agreement  to the  contrary  (but without  limiting  Section 11 hereof),  if the
Executive shall voluntarily terminate his employment with the Company within one
hundred twenty (120) days after a Change of Control (as such term is hereinafter
defined),  the Company  shall pay to the  Executive  an amount at an annual rate
(payable in equal  monthly  installments)  equal to his base salary in effect on
the  date of  termination  of  employment  for a  period  from  the date of such
termination and ending three (3) years  thereafter,  regardless of the amount of
compensation the Executive may earn or be able to earn with respect to any other
employment  that the Executive may obtain  (i.e.,  the Executive  shall have not
duty to mitigate and the Company shall have no duty to mitigate. For purposes of
this  Agreement  the term  "Change of Control"  shall mean Mr.  Clark and/or the
Executive not controlling,  either through direct or beneficial  ownership or by
contract or otherwise, in the aggregate,  shares of capital stock of the Company
sufficient to elect a majority of the Board of Directors of the Company,  unless
the reason that neither Mr. Clark and/or the Executive is unable to control such
number of shares is due to the sale of stock by the Company to the public during
such periods of time when Mr. Clark  and/or the  Executive  are serving in their
present positions with the Company.

           9.         "Piggyback"    Registration.    Unless   the   Executive's
employment  with the Company is terminated  for Cause prior to June 30, 2000, if
at any time the Company  proposes  to file a  registration  statement  under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act") on Form S-1, Form S-2 or Form S-3
(or any successors to those Forms) covering an offering of the Company's  Common
Stock by the  Company in which any of its  shareholders  participates,  it shall
include in the registration  statement such number of the Executive's  shares of
the Company's Common Stock as the Executive may designate in his request. If any
registration  of which the  Executive is given notice  pursuant to the preceding
sentence  shall  be, in whole or in part,  in  connection  with an  underwritten
offering of the Company's Common Stock, any request by the Executive pursuant to
this Section 9 to register the  distribution  of the  Executive's  shares of the
Company's  Common Stock may,  but need not,  specify that those shares are to be
included in the  underwriting  on the same terms and conditions as the shares of
the Company's Common Stock, if any, otherwise being


                                      - 9 -





sold through underwriters.  However, if the managing underwriter or underwriters
determine  and  advise  the  Company  in  writing  that  the  inclusion  in  the
registration  of all or a portion  of the  Executive's  shares of the  Company's
Common Stock would  interfere with the successful  marketing of the other shares
of the Company's  Common Stock being sold, the Company shall not be obligated to
include  the  Executive's  shares  which  would  interfere  with the  successful
marketing of the other shares being sold; provided,  that the Executive's shares
are excluded pro rata with the shares of the other shareholders whose shares are
to be included in the registration.  If there is an underwritten offering of the
shares of the Company's  Common Stock and the Executive has the  opportunity but
does not sell his shares of Common Stock to the underwriter or underwriters, the
Executive  shall not sell those shares (i) during the period of  distribution of
the shares of the Company's  Common Stock by the underwriter or underwriters and
(ii) during any further  period that  participants  in the offering agree not to
sell  their  shares  of  the  Company's  Common  Stock  at  the  request  of the
underwriter or underwriters.  Notwithstanding  the foregoing,  the Company shall
not be  obligated  to  include  the  Executive's  shares  of  Common  Stock in a
registration  statement if, the sale of the  Executive's  shares of Common Stock
would be exempt from the registration requirements of the Act and, if requested,
the Company has  delivered to the Executive an opinion of counsel to the Company
that such Common Stock is so exempting  connection with any  registration of all
or a  portion  of the  Executive's  shares  of the  Company's  Common  Stock  as
contemplated  by this Section 9, the Executive shall pay such of the expenses of
such registration as the other shareholders  included in such  registration,  in
the proportion that the Executive's  shares subject to the registration  bear to
the total number of shares of all  shareholders  whose shares are subject to the
registration.

           The Company shall  indemnify the Executive and his heirs,  estate and
personal  representatives  and hold each of them  harmless  against  any damage,
loss, cost or expense (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys' fees
and expenses) arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of
a material  fact or  omission  or  alleged  omission  to state a  material  fact
required to be stated in any  registration  statement or prospectus  relating to
the distribution of the Executive's shares of the Company's Common Stock, except
to the extent the damage,  loss,  cost or expense  arises out of a statement  or
omission that was based upon


                                     - 10 -





information  furnished in writing to the Company by the Executive for use in the
registration statement or prospectus. The Executive shall indemnify the Company,
its directors,  officers,  employees, agents and affiliates and their respective
successors and assigns and hold each of them harmless against any damage,  loss,
cost or expense (including,  without limitation,  reasonable attorneys' fees and
expenses)  arising out of any untrue  statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact or omission or alleged  omission to state a material fact required
to be  stated  in any  registration  statement  or  prospectus  relating  to the
distribution  of his  shares of the  Company's  Common  Stock to the  extent the
damage,  loss,  cost or expense  arises out of a statement or omission  that was
based upon information  furnished in writing to the Company by the Executive for
use in the  registration  statement or prospectus.  Promptly after receipt by an
indemnified  party of notice of the  commencement  of any action,  suit or other
proceeding  for which such  indemnified  party is  entitled  to  indemnification
hereunder,  the  indemnified  party shall notify the  indemnifying  party of the
commencement of any such action, suit or other proceeding.  Failure to give such
a notice shall not affect any liability the  indemnifying  party may have to the
indemnified party otherwise than under this paragraph, except to the extent that
the failure to notify shall have a material  adverse affect on the  indemnifying
party's ability to defend the action, suit or other proceeding. The indemnifying
party may  participate  in the action or may assume the  defense of the  action,
with counsel  reasonably  satisfactory  to the indemnified  party.  After giving
notice of such an assumption of the defense, the indemnifying party shall not be
responsible  for any  legal  or  other  expenses  subsequently  incurred  by the
indemnified party in connection with the defense other than the reasonable costs
of investigation. Unless the indemnifying party shall fail to assume the defense
of  an  action  for  which  the  indemnifying  party  is  obligated  to  provide
indemnification  hereunder,  the indemnified party shall not settle any claim or
action without the consent of the indemnifying party.

           10.        Miscellaneous.

                      (a) This  Agreement  shall be governed by and construed in
accordance  with the law of California  applicable to agreements  made and to be
performed in  California,  and without  regard to its principles of conflicts of
law.

                      (b) This Agreement sets forth the entire understanding and
agreement between


                                     - 11 -





the Company and the Executive with respect to its subject matter, supersedes all
previous  agreements  between  them  relating to such  subject  matter  (whether
written or oral), all of which are merged herein (including, without limitation,
the Existing Agreement).  Notwithstanding the immediately preceding sentence, it
is the intention of the Executive and the Company that nothing in this Agreement
affect the options granted to the Executive by the Existing Employment Agreement
under the Company's Stock Option Plan. There are no representations,  warranties
or promises between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof, other
than those set forth herein.

                      (c) Any notice or other communication under or relating to
this Agreement  shall be in writing and shall be considered  given when actually
received by the intended  recipient and shall be delivered  personally or mailed
by certified mail,  return receipt  requested  (postage paid), or by telecopy if
sent before  4:00 p.m.  (California  time) on a business  day, to the parties at
their respective  addresses or facsimile numbers,  as the case may be, set forth
below (or at such other address,  or facsimile number, as a party may specify by
notice to the other):

                     If to the Company, to it at:

                     3003 West Olive Avenue
                     Burbank, California 91505-4590
                     Attn: Chairman
                     Fax No.: (818) 566-6690

                     With a copy to:

                     Martin Eric Weisberg, Esq.
                     Parker Chapin Flattau & Klimpl, LLP
                     1211 Avenue of the Americas
                     New York, New York 10036-8735
                     Fax No.: (212) 704-6288

                     If to the Executive, to him at:

                     3003 West Olive Avenue
                     Burbank, California 91505-4590
                     Fax No.: (818) 566-6690



                                     - 12 -





                     with a copy to:

                     Eric B. Woldenberg, Esq.
                     Pryor Cashman Sherman & Flynn
                     410 Park Avenue
                     New York, New York 10022
                     Fax No.: (212) 326-0806


                      (d) The failure of a party to insist upon strict adherence
to any term or  provision of this  Agreement  on any one  occasion  shall not be
considered a waiver or deprive that party of the right thereafter to insist upon
strict  adherence to that term or  provision on any other  occasion or any other
term or provision of this Agreement. Any waiver shall be limited to the specific
instance  for which it is given.  This  Agreement  may not be  waived,  amended,
modified or altered, except by an instrument in writing duly executed by each of
the Company and the Executive.

                      (e) The  invalidity  or  unenforceability  of any  term or
provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or  enforceability  of
the remaining  terms or provisions of this Agreement  which shall remain in full
force and effect and any such invalid or  unenforceable  term or provision shall
be given full effect as is far as possible under  applicable law. If any term or
provision of this agreement is invalid or unenforceable in any one jurisdiction,
it shall not affect the validity or  enforceability of that term or provision in
any other jurisdiction.

                      (f) This  Agreement  is not  assignable  by either  party,
except that it shall  inure to the benefit of and be binding  upon any person or
entity which is a successor to the Company by merger or  consolidation  or which
acquires  all or  substantially  all  of the  Company's  assets;  provided  such
successor assumes all of the obligations of the Company; and the Agreement shall
inure to the  benefit of the  heirs,  estate  and legal  representatives  of the
Executive.

           11.        No Parachute  Payments.  Notwithstanding  anything in this
Agreement to the  contrary,  if, at any time after the date hereof,  the Company
obtains a written  opinion of tax counsel to the Company ("Tax  Counsel") to the
effect that there exists a substantial  likelihood that any payment to which the
Executive  would (but for the  application of this Section 11) be entitled under
this Agreement would (but for such application) then be treated as an excess


                                     - 13 -




parachute  payment  (as such term is  defined in  Section  280G of the  internal
Revenue  Code of 1986,  as amended,  and the  Treasury  Regulations  promulgated
thereunder),  then this  Agreement  shall be amended by  adjusting  the amounts,
timing and manner of  determination  of the  payments to which the  Executive is
entitled  hereunder to the extent and in the manner  necessary  so that,  in the
opinion of Tax Counsel,  there does not exist a substantial  likelihood that any
payment that the  Executive is entitled to under this  Agreement (as so amended)
will be treated as an excess  parachute  payment,  and otherwise in an equitable
fashion.

           12.        Headings.   Section   headings  are  inserted  herein  for
convenience of reference only, shall have no substantive aspect and shall not be
taken into account in connection with the interpretation or construction of this
Agreement.

           IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the parties have  executed and  delivered  this
Agreement as of the day and year first above written.


                                           dick clark productions, inc.



                                           By:  /s/ Richard W. Clark
                                              ---------------------------
                                                 Name: Richard W. Clark
                                                 Title:Chairman and Chief 
                                                       Executive Officer



                                                 /s/ Francis C. La Maina
                                              ---------------------------
                                                 Francis C. La Maina



                                     - 14 -