Landon v. Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

384 F.Supp. 450 (1974)

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Nature of the Case

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Facts

In 1944, P entered into an agreement with D to sell the 'motion picture rights' to her book entitled 'Anna and the King of Siam.' Under the contract, P granted to D the exclusive motion-picture rights and the motion-picture copyright to the book. In 1972, D produced 13 films that were broadcast on the CBS Television network as a weekly serial entitled 'Anna and the King.' P sued D claiming a breach of the agreement. P claims that the series infringed her copyright. As per the agreement, D got the sole and exclusive right to make, produce, adapt, sell, lease, rent, exhibit, perform and generally deal in and with the copyright motion picture versions of said literary property. D got the sole and exclusive right to broadcast by means of the method generally known and described as television, or any process analogous thereto, any of the motion picture versions of said literary property produced pursuant hereto. P specifically reserved to herself the right to broadcast the literary property by television direct from living actors after a 10 year blackout period. P moved for summary judgment on her infringement claim. D also moved for summary judgment.