LOS ANGELES — The estate of actor Marlon Brando has filed suit against Palliser, claiming one of the company’s home theater chairs is illegally using the name of the late actor.
The Los Angeles County Superior Court suit says Palliser, which introduced the Brando home theater chair in 2004, has “callously and willfully” disregarded the family’s rights to Brando’s name and likeness. It specifically accuses the company of misappropriation of the name of a deceased celebrity, which is a violation of the state’s civil code.
The Brando estate is seeking an injunction prohibiting Palliser from selling the Brando chair, as well as other unspecified damages and legal fees.
The suit includes a copy of a letter Palliser sent to representatives of the estate in January. In the letter, the company denied the chair was named for the late actor. It said Brando was chosen because it is the name of a popular tourist area on the island of Corsica.
The Los Angeles County Superior Court suit says Palliser, which introduced the Brando home theater chair in 2004, has “callously and willfully” disregarded the family’s rights to Brando’s name and likeness. It specifically accuses the company of misappropriation of the name of a deceased celebrity, which is a violation of the state’s civil code.
The Brando estate is seeking an injunction prohibiting Palliser from selling the Brando chair, as well as other unspecified damages and legal fees.
The suit includes a copy of a letter Palliser sent to representatives of the estate in January. In the letter, the company denied the chair was named for the late actor. It said Brando was chosen because it is the name of a popular tourist area on the island of Corsica.
That part about naming the chair after a tourist area would probably fly better if they didn't also have an "Eastwood" chair. Or was that Eastwood Tourist Lodge in Niagra Falls?
6 comments:
Ha!
Nah, James left Palliser just as this whole series was being designed and named. (although he's back there now)
It's funny that you should bring this one up, though.
The Brando scandal is water under the bridge already....
Today it was released that Clint Eastwood is suing Palliser now too.
Who really wants Dirty Hairy chasing you for money?!?!?
The really story is that a bunch of these home theatre chairs came out by Palliser with these mainstream last names, with no other reference to the actors(images, first names, etc.), but it was a retailer in Los Angeles who started selling the product using the names given as though it were a selling feature, and that's when the trouble started. Saying "Come sit on the Marlon Brando!"
So don't name your furniture or your kids Disney or Metallica (which happened in Sweden I think) unless you want them coming after you okay?
You can count on Americans suing you for anything and everything, because after all, they own the world. :)
along with Metallica, who's like, Swedish-American or something.
ooooh, those Swedes.
and corporate branding.
the 21st century tribal name.
LOL... that's freakin' crazy man!!! :)
by the way, how's my CRUSH chaise doing?
BACK OFF COKE!!! GET YOUR OWN CHAISE!!! ;)
(inside joke)
http://alabelforartists.blogspot.com/2006/04/chaise-lounge-and-barefooted-scribble.html
It's doing good. They made the loveseat version, and that's doing good too.
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