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Partner Steve Rodner Publishes Article On “Life Story Rights: What’s Possible and What’s Not”
Hollywood Reporter, Esq.January 26, 2008
Press Release, Media Coverage and Legal Update
Pryor Cashman partner Steve Rodner has written an article on the legalities and potential pitfalls in acquiring life story rights for film, television and theatre. The article, entitled “Life Story Rights: What’s Possible and What’s Not,” was recently published in The Hollywood Reporter, Esq., the weekly entertainment law newsletter of The Hollywood Reporter.
To read the article, please click here.
Among other things, the article discusses two landmark cases, both of which were handled by Pryor Cashman:
Rogers v. Grimaldi, MGU/UA, 695 F. Supp. 794 (S.D.N.Y. 1988), aff’d, 875 F.2d 994 (2d Cir. 1989): Won dismissal of Lanham Act and publicity claims against Fellini film Ginger and Fred on First Amendment grounds. This case has become the seminal decision on trademark/First Amendment conflict.
Seale v. Gramercy Pictures, 964 F. Supp. 918 (E.D. Pa. 1997), aff’d without op., 156 F.3d 1225 (3d Cir. 1998) and 949 F. Supp. 331 (E.D. Pa. 1996): Won trial and subsequent appeal on claims for false light invasion of privacy, right of publicity and Lanham Act violations brought by former chairman of Black Panther Party against producers of motion picture Panther; additional claims previously dismissed on summary judgment.
