Fact #117021
When:
Short story:
Seventy-one composers and lyricists, including Elmer Bernstein, file a $300-million class-action lawsuit against Universal, 20th Century Fox, Paramount, MGM, Warner Bros., Columbia, Walt Disney, United Artists, CBS, ABC, NBC, the AMPTP and other film-related conglomerates. The suit charges the studios with conspiracy in restraint of trade by refusing to hire any composer or lyricist who fails to agree to their terms. Those terms include complete ownership of the music and lyrics, granting publishing rights to the producer and/or his publisher (thereby losing 50 percent of performance fees from overseas exhibition) and surrendering all rights to exploit the music outside of the film or TV show.
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