FEDERAL/STATE  CONFLICTS & RIGHT OF PUBLICITY - OUTLINE # 8

October 9-10, 2000

 
I.     Preemption cases

         A. Patentee not required to pay royalties beyond the end of patent term -  Brulotte, p. 465

         B. No licensee estoppel - Lear v. Adkins, p. 470

       C.  Kewanee Oil, p. 477

       D.  Aronson, p. 486

II.    Right of publicity

A. History - see Pavesich v. New England Life Inc. Co., cited p. 503
1. Haelan Labs., Inc. v. Tops Chewing Gum, Inc., cited p. 503

2. Definition of right of publicity

3. Attributes that can be protected

B. State law issues
1. Descendability -- See Lugosi, cited p. 507

2. Restatement of Unfair Competition

3. Midler, note 4, p. 508

4. Waits, note 5, p. 508

5. Astaire v. Best Film and Video, 116 F.3d 1297 (9th Cir. 1997), amended by  136 F.3d 1208 (9th Cir. 1998),

III. Performance Style
A. Celebrity images, style
1. Vanna White case,  p. 522

2. Wendt v. Host Int'l Inc., cited note 3, p. 533

3. Church Lady

B. Imitation groups
1. Elvis - what is appropriated of value?

http://sunsite.unc.edu/elvis/honey.wav

http://sunsite.unc.edu/pjones/HoundDawg.au

http://www.mgm.com/elvis/ask/

2. Elvis websites

a. General

http://sunsite.unc.edu/elvis/elvishom.html

b. Church of Elvis

http://chelsea.ios.com/~hkarlin1/welcome.html

http://www.mit.edu:8001/activities/41West/humour/Elvis_vs_Jesus.html

3. Elvis Impersonators
a. El Vez
          http://members.aol.com/elvezco/main.htm

b. Flying Elvi

http://www.flyingelvi.com/

4. Apple Corps Ltd. v. Leber, 229 U.S.P.Q. 1015 (Cal. Supr. 1986)
C. Right of publicity & the Internet
http://www.3-stooges.com