ron@brl-bmd@sri-unix.UUCP (08/11/83)
From: Ron Natalie <ron@brl-bmd> The Marx Brothers had a similar problem with their last movie "A Night In Casablanca". Jack Warner, who had just released the Humphrey Bogart "Casablanca," was trying to stop the film from being released with the name "Casablanca" in the title. Groucho replied with a legal style letter that went something like this (sorry, I am quoting from memory)... Dear Mr. Warner, Atilla the Hun was wrong. Their is more than one way to capture a city and hold it hostage. Now, you came out with a movie called "Casablanca" and you don't think that anyone else should be allowed to use "Casablanca" in a movie title again. In that case, what about "Warner Brothers." You may own the name Warner, but what about "brothers." Professionally, me and my brothers have been brothers much longer than you have. I forbid you to use the word "Brothers" ever again. Sincerely Dr. Hugo P. Hackenbush The story goes that that was the last complaint Groucho heard about the subject from Warner. -Ron
davidl@orca.UUCP (David Levine) (08/15/83)
Regarding the title conflicts between TWoK and RotJ and the two "Casablancas",
I'd like to point out that it is not possible to copyright titles. Note that
both John Varley and Ben Bova have written books titled "Millenium"...
-- David D. Levine (...decvax!tektronix!tekecs!davidl) [UUCP]
(...tekecs!davidl.tektronix@rand-relay) [ARPA]
(P.S. My source for this bit of legal trivia is Vonda McIntyre.)