Court denies Wagner's 'Angels' claim

January 11, 2007 A California appellate panel has ruled that actor Robert Wagner may be the owner of rights in the "Charlie's Angels" television series but he is not entitled to profits from the Columbia Pictures movie franchise based thereon. Under an agreement with the production company, Wagner and Wood were entitled to 50% of the net profits Spelling-Goldberg received "for the right to exhibit photoplays of the series and from the exploitation of all ancillary, music and subsidiary rights in connection therewith." Years after Spelling-Goldberg sold both its rights and obligations relating to "Charlie's Angels" to Sony Pictures Television, Columbia purchased theatrical motion picture rights from heirs of the show's writers, Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts, to whom film rights had reverted under Writers Guild of America "separated rights" rules.

Subscribe to the Hollywood Reporter and see the entertainment industry from its best angle: the inside looking out. Complete access to real-time news and exclusive analysis that goes behind the scenes from film to television, home video to digital media.

   Subscribe now.