Date: 11th July 2003

Robert Wagner sues for half of Charlie's Angels film profits


Robert Wagner is suing for half the profits from the Charlie's Angels movies, because of his involvement in the development of the original TV series.

He believes his role in setting up the 1970s show about female private eyes entitles him to a cut of the millions of dollars the films have generated, reports the BBC.

Wagner, who starred in the Hart to Hart TV series, became involved with the Charlie's Angels series with his late wife Natalie Wood, when they agreed to star in the TV movie Love Affair.

The film was produced by Aaron Spelling and Leonard Goldberg, and they gave Wood and Wagner part interest for five further TV shows, the lawsuit says.

One of these ideas became the Charlie's Angels series, starring Farrah Fawcett, Jaclyn Smith and Kate Jackson.

Sony later assumed the rights to the series from Spelling's production company, but Wagner says he was never paid his share of the profits from either of the recent blockbuster films.

The films, starring Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz and Lucy Liu, have so far grossed nearly £120m at the box office.

Wagner's lawsuit demands Sony includes profits from the films in his share of the profits from the TV series. Sony has yet to respond.

Source: Press Release