As with many celebrities, film legend Humphrey Bogart had a company organized to protect the use of his name and image long after his 1957 death. Bogart LLC is a joint venture between a private equity fund in Los Angeles and the children had with his wife Lauren Bacall.
In 2010, Bogart LLC sued several furniture retailers in Los Angeles Superior over an unauthorized line of furniture called “Bogart, ” which included a Bogart sofa, Bogart loveseat and a Bogart ottoman. The lawsuit alleged that the retailers violated trademark law and California’s post-mortem right of publicity statute, two areas of law with which a Los Angeles litigation attorney can help celebrities. The retailers argued that they were just using the name that their suppliers provided.
The case moved into federal court before settling in May 2011. The settlement terms between the two sides are confidential. In court pleadings, Bogart LLC noted that another company, Thomasville, had paid a license fee for the right to use the Bogart name in conjunction with its furniture line. This licensing brought in millions of dollars to Bogart LLC, which the defendants in this case avoided paying.
California has been at the forefront of celebrities’ legal rights, and Los Angeles is an important location in the country for protecting publicity rights. A Los Angeles litigation lawyer can help his or her clients enforce their rights pertaining to their name, image and likeness.