- Joined
- Feb 8, 1999
- Messages
- 18,312
- Real Name
- Robert Harris
Rick Thompson said:CBS owns the underlying play? When did that happen? CBS, at then Columbia Records President Goddard Lieberson's insistence, was the sole backer, and owns all cast recording rights. But the copyright on the play is in the name of Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe, and Warner bought the film rights for $5 million, with the film reverting to CBS seven years from release.
Did CBS later buy out Lerner and Loewe? Otherwise, I don't see how they own the play. They would still get income by virtue of backing the original production, a fact that, as I understand it, pretty much goes on until the copyright expires. But the Lerner and Loewe estates still own the copyright -- unless, of course, CBS bought the copyright from them, which maybe they did.
Trying to simplify at bit. Obviously not working.