Another 'Hannah Montana' lawsuit

Tom Morrow · 01-29-2009, 11:29 PM

Another writer sues over Hannah Montana

Another Writer Claims Hannah Montana as His Own

E! Online
Another writer has filed an implied breach-of-contract lawsuit claiming he pitched the original script for what ultimately became the hit Disney Channel series starring Miley Cyrus about a so-called average teen who moonlights as a pop star.

Per the complaint filed Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court and obtained by TMZ.com, Fronduto maintains he penned a script in 1990 titled The Secret Life of Sindi, which later was retitled Family Business. His agent pitched the idea — which also featured a single dad who acts as his kid's manager — to Disney, Fronduto says, which in turn liked it so much that the network requested a draft for a two-hour pilot.

Sometime later, according to his lawsuit, his brainchild birthed Hannah Montana, which premiered in 2006. Fronduto is seeking unspecified damages, as well as a "created by" credit on all future episodes of the hit cable series, now in the middle of its third season.
by Natalie Finn

complete article

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Submitted by Ezra

lpetiti · 01-30-2009, 09:03 AM

Honestly, the actual plotline is archtypical, an "ordianry girl" with a secret double life and the antics that brings. Logically, if said story is archtypical, nobody could sue Disney over this.

Wedbliss · 01-30-2009, 01:54 PM

This keeps happening to Disney. There is a guy who is suing them because he says he pitched the story for Pirates of the Carribean before the authors of the movie did. Now this. Disney isn't an easy company to win a lawsuit against, so it is puzzling why this keeps happening to them.

Is it because the plaintiffs believe Disney will settle rather than fight? Is it because there is some measure to truth to these allegations? Geez, I hope not.

Maybe, as lpetiti said, it's because Disney deals with such archtypal stories that many people come up with similar ideas and honestly believe they are owed money when something becomes successful. I notice that no one stepped up to claim plagarism on The Haunted Mansion Movie or any other box office failures.

believeinmagic4ever · 01-30-2009, 04:39 PM

It's like Disney is cursed to be sued. It gets annoying!

basketbuddy101 · 01-30-2009, 04:48 PM

The entire Hannah Montana plot is thin and very unimaginative. I could have come up with this plot. The problem is that the plot of the show is so simple that anyone could sue Disney and say that they came up with the idea.

JasperGein17121 · 01-30-2009, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by believeinmagic4ever

It's like Disney is cursed to be sued. It gets annoying!

Suing Disney is popular now.

Kileli · 01-30-2009, 09:14 PM

It seems a lot of people sue Disney way after they should have. Like the article said, it is in it's third season. Is there anyway this guy could have missed all the promoting it got, and just realized NOW that his idea was copied? Just like the guy who sued recently because he claimed he created Mickey, sue when it first comes out. How could you have waited this long

I think this guy realizes how popular the series is, and wants to cash in

bm2506 · 01-31-2009, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wedbliss

This keeps happening to Disney. There is a guy who is suing them because he says he pitched the story for Pirates of the Carribean before the authors of the movie did. Now this. Disney isn't an easy company to win a lawsuit against, so it is puzzling why this keeps happening to them.

I wonder how they tried that one...Pirates has been a ride at DL for over 40 yrs unless they say they pitched it to Walt Disney that would be the only way they could possibly get away with it.

LCDLBA · 01-31-2009, 02:11 PM

It all about money. I am sure that person THINKS it was his idea, but I seriously doubt Disney would just take it! If there is something they REALLY want Disney can easily obtain it. Unfortunately there are a lot of people out there that are broke or greedy and will go after anyone with money to try and earn a living. It happens everyday. This world doesn't have an over abundance of ambulance chasers and a whole yellow book full of lawyers phone listings and ad's for no reason. All about $$$$$!

believeinmagic4ever · 01-31-2009, 07:36 PM

^ It's dumb that people think that. You'd think people would be smarter and go out there and WORK to get a job on their own. I guess not.

rgoofy · 02-01-2009, 09:25 PM

CAN'T WE GO ANYWHERE WITHOUT BEING BOMBARDED BY HANNA MONTANA!!!
Honestly, I think the lawsuit is more baloney, but that doesn't stop lawyers from trying in this litigious society. And I really get sick of seeing Hanna Montana pitched from every store shelf in the world!!!

ctdsnark · 02-02-2009, 11:46 AM

Isn't this always the way?!?

Somebody gets a good idea for a movie,or a TV show,or a cartoon or whatever,and as soon as it becomes a hit,every pinhead crawls out of the bloody woodwork and says,"Hey!I thought of it first!I'll sue!".

elizabethsparrow · 02-03-2009, 02:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rgoofy

CAN'T WE GO ANYWHERE WITHOUT BEING BOMBARDED BY HANNA MONTANA!!!

I'm with you there. This is getting out of hand with all these lawsuits.

magoo2525 · 02-05-2009, 05:00 PM

Money. Plain and simple....

People think that because Disney is so huge, they wouldn't want to fight a little court battle, even if the plaintiff doesn't stand a chance!!

And Wedbliss.... that was a good one! Who would take credit for Haunted Mansion anyway?! :)

01-30-2009, 09:03 AM	#2 (permalink)
lpetiti People who found this post helpful: Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: To far from home Posts: 476 Images: 2 Posts Liked: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Honestly, the actual plotline is archtypical, an "ordianry girl" with a secret double life and the antics that brings. Logically, if said story is archtypical, nobody could sue Disney over this. __________________ This message was brought to you by SAND! Yes, sand! It's everywhere, get used to it! "I don't want the public to see the world they live in while they're in the Park (Disneyland). I want to feel they're in another world." -Walt Disney

01-30-2009, 01:54 PM	#3 (permalink)
Wedbliss People who found this post helpful: Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Henderson, NV Posts: 903 Posts Liked: 1 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	This keeps happening to Disney. There is a guy who is suing them because he says he pitched the story for Pirates of the Carribean before the authors of the movie did. Now this. Disney isn't an easy company to win a lawsuit against, so it is puzzling why this keeps happening to them. Is it because the plaintiffs believe Disney will settle rather than fight? Is it because there is some measure to truth to these allegations? Geez, I hope not. Maybe, as lpetiti said, it's because Disney deals with such archtypal stories that many people come up with similar ideas and honestly believe they are owed money when something becomes successful. I notice that no one stepped up to claim plagarism on The Haunted Mansion Movie or any other box office failures. __________________ My Countdown Counting down to: Holiday Trip to Walt Disney World Wish you were here!

01-30-2009, 04:39 PM	#4 (permalink)
believeinmagic4ever People who found this post helpful: Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Clovis, CA Posts: 631 Posts Liked: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	It's like Disney is cursed to be sued. It gets annoying! __________________ My Countdown Counting down to: Toy Story 3 :) 129 days 13 hours 33 minutes

01-30-2009, 04:48 PM	#5 (permalink)
basketbuddy101 Imagineer in the Making People who found this post helpful: Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 492 Posts Liked: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	The entire Hannah Montana plot is thin and very unimaginative. I could have come up with this plot. The problem is that the plot of the show is so simple that anyone could sue Disney and say that they came up with the idea. __________________ "I have been up against tough competition all my life. I wouldn't know how to get along without it" -Walt Disney

01-30-2009, 09:14 PM	#7 (permalink)
Kileli People who found this post helpful: Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Camarillo, CA Posts: 4,426 Images: 5 Posts Liked: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	It seems a lot of people sue Disney way after they should have. Like the article said, it is in it's third season. Is there anyway this guy could have missed all the promoting it got, and just realized NOW that his idea was copied? Just like the guy who sued recently because he claimed he created Mickey, sue when it first comes out. How could you have waited this long I think this guy realizes how popular the series is, and wants to cash in __________________ My Countdown Counting down to: Next DL trip At Disneyland, Be back later

01-31-2009, 02:11 PM	#9 (permalink)
LCDLBA People who found this post helpful: Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Sunny Arizona Posts: 224 Posts Liked: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	It all about money. I am sure that person THINKS it was his idea, but I seriously doubt Disney would just take it! If there is something they REALLY want Disney can easily obtain it. Unfortunately there are a lot of people out there that are broke or greedy and will go after anyone with money to try and earn a living. It happens everyday. This world doesn't have an over abundance of ambulance chasers and a whole yellow book full of lawyers phone listings and ad's for no reason. All about $$$$$! __________________ "Everybody's got a laughin' place"

01-31-2009, 07:36 PM	#10 (permalink)
believeinmagic4ever People who found this post helpful: Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Clovis, CA Posts: 631 Posts Liked: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	^ It's dumb that people think that. You'd think people would be smarter and go out there and WORK to get a job on their own. I guess not. __________________ My Countdown Counting down to: Toy Story 3 :) 129 days 13 hours 33 minutes

02-01-2009, 09:25 PM	#11 (permalink)
rgoofy People who found this post helpful: Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Crescent City, CA Posts: 58 Images: 11 Posts Liked: 0 Liked 2 Times in 1 Post	CAN'T WE GO ANYWHERE WITHOUT BEING BOMBARDED BY HANNA MONTANA!!! Honestly, I think the lawsuit is more baloney, but that doesn't stop lawyers from trying in this litigious society. And I really get sick of seeing Hanna Montana pitched from every store shelf in the world!!!

02-02-2009, 11:46 AM	#12 (permalink)
ctdsnark People who found this post helpful: Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 89 Posts Liked: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Isn't this always the way?!? Somebody gets a good idea for a movie,or a TV show,or a cartoon or whatever,and as soon as it becomes a hit,every pinhead crawls out of the bloody woodwork and says,"Hey!I thought of it first!I'll sue!".

02-05-2009, 05:00 PM	#14 (permalink)
magoo2525 People who found this post helpful: Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Clovis, Ca. Posts: 184 Images: 14 Posts Liked: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Money. Plain and simple.... People think that because Disney is so huge, they wouldn't want to fight a little court battle, even if the plaintiff doesn't stand a chance!! And Wedbliss.... that was a good one! Who would take credit for Haunted Mansion anyway?! :) __________________ Keep Looking For Neverland!

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