Former teen idol David Cassidy, of Partridge Family fame, has decided at the ripe old age of 61 that he has been cheated out of millions of dollars.
A lawsuit was filed Wednesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court on behalf of Cassidy, claiming that he has been swindled for nearly 40 years by Sony Pictures Entertainment, Screen Gems Inc, and CPT Holdings Inc.
The suit alleges that the above named companies used his likeness to sell merchandise including board games, magazines, coloring books, paperbacks, posters, pillow cases, toy guitars, lunch boxes, beach towels, pencil cases, comic books, and kids clothing.
According to Cassidy’s business manager, his client received a mere $5,000 in royalties, despite a 1971 contract that guaranteed him 15 percent of net merchandising revenues for the use of his image, voice or likeness.
The Partridge Family show aired from 1970-1974. The lawsuit estimates that Sony and the other named subsidiaries generated sales of nearly $500 million in the intervening years, including several nostalgia products sold as late as 2001 thru 2003.
A letter sent to Sony stated, “We are formally requesting an accounting and payment for any and all sales that were generated based upon the use of Cassidy’s name, likeness or voice.”
Sony, questioning why Cassidy waited so long before coming forward, claims that they could find no evidence of any contract, and that even if there was one, the statute of limitations expired decades ago.
The former teen idol recently found a merchandising contract in a box that he hadn’t opened since the 1970’s.
A similar lawsuit has been filed against CBS by the cast members from Happy Days. The network agrees that the actors are owed money, but strongly disputes a claim by Tom Bosley‘s widow that they owe his estate $10 million.
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Photos: WENN