David Cassidy on the Web
David Cassidy and Happy Days Cast Not Happy Over Branding of Their Likenesses
August 4, 2011
www.namedevelopment.com/
There are two stories in the news recently that have me wondering how celebrities negotiate contracts with major networks in regard to merchandising, and of course naming and branding.
David Cassidy of the Partridge Family fame is now going after Sony Corp. for merchandising royalties.
Yes, the show ended 37 years ago, but Cassidy claims to have a contract where he is promised 15% of the proceeds from royalty payments. And things related to the Partridge family are actually for sale out there. It started years ago with "lunchboxes, Colorforms' David Cassidy dress-up sets, pins and board games," and in the last few years you could even get a Partridge Family toy bus and a toy hamster that sings "I Think I Love You."
Cassidy is still singing (he's 61) and he wants his share of the action. He has "no idea" how much Sony has made from merchandising related to the show (and his image and voice) but I suppose it could be a sizable amount.
As do, interestingly, some of the main cast members of Happy Days.
Happy Days ran from 1974-1984. Ansom Williams (Potsie) is joined in a lawsuit against Sony by "Don Most (who played Ralph Malph), Marion Ross (Marion Cunningham, wife of Bosley's Howard Cunningham and mother of Richie and Joanie) and Erin Moran (Joannie). Bosley died in October."
The suit argues breach of contract as "The actors' likenesses have been used by comic books T-shirts, scrapbooks, trading cards, games, lunch boxes, dolls, toy cars, magnets, greeting cards and DVD covers."
More than that, Marion Ross notes that there are slot machines in Las Vegas bearing her image, where you can win the jackpot with "five Marions."
Happy Days and the Partridge Family are recognizable brand names - are they entitled to some of that equity? And their images clearly have some value, but surely this was also negotiated long ago?
