Man sues for Mickey Mouse copyright

[raidermatt]

I actually heard about this on the Dis podcast. Pete's theory, which makes sense to me, is the guy is just hoping Disney will authenticate the drawing. That would make it extremely valuable, of course.


http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=2333802&version=2&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.2.1

Local man sues Disney for $50-million

Last Edited: Friday, 09 Feb 2007, 7:35 PM EST
Created: Friday, 09 Feb 2007, 6:37 PM EST

CLEARWATER - Walt Disney sailed into fame and fortune with Steamboat Willie featuring Mickey Mouse.

Clearwater resident Steven Stein thinks he has Disney's original drawing of the famous character.

"Nobody else would have done anything this big of this character in the 1920's except Walt Disney," Stein claimed.

Stein says he paid a New York City thrift store $3 for the drawing in 1984, and he says he's spent many years and many dollars authenticating the artwork.

"I've had the ink test-dated. I've had the paper test-dated. The ink tests to the mid 1920's," he said.

That date would be after Disney created a character called Oswald the Rabbit, lost the rights to that creature, and came up with another one.

If the drawing Stein has does turn out to be Disney's first rendition of the Mickey character, his name was not yet Mickey; it was Mortimer. Disney's wife thought Mortimer Mouse was far too serious a name.

Stein claims the Disney Corporation has refused to even look at his drawing since he approached them in 1989.

"I've asked them many times to either see it, tell me why they don't think it is what it is, answer my evidence," he said.

Now Stein is taking Disney to court.

"I'm suing them for $50-million, the copyright on Mickey Mouse, and the right to tell the Walt Disney story," said Stein.

Stein believes somebody must have a copy of an old newsreel showing his drawing over the shoulder of a very young Walt Disney.

Perhaps his lawsuit will flush that film out, and prove he possesses one very valuable mouse.

Stein also claims there are markings on the back of his drawing in the handwriting of Walt Disney.

FOX 13 contacted the Walt Disney Corporation for comment on this story, but a spokesman has yet to issue a statement.

 

[2Xited4Disney]

I plan on Suing Disney for 750 Million Dollars because I thought they should have bought Pixar 5 years ago rather than last year. I thought of it first so I deserve the money. But essentially I hope the suit proves that I am smarter because I thought of it first

 

[EUROPACL]

I plan on Suing Disney for 750 Million Dollars because I thought they should have bought Pixar 5 years ago rather than last year. I thought of it first so I deserve the money. But essentially I hope the suit proves that I am smarter because I thought of it first

Heck it would have been even cheaper if they never fired all of those people in the first place so that years later they could buy them all back for a ton of money.

 

[manning]

I'm suing Disney because.......well just because.

 

[raidermatt]

The analogy put forth on the podcast was sueing the CocaCola company because you found a really old bottle of coke.

I think I get what the guy is trying to accomplish, and for that I don't really blame him, its just that its a gross misuse of the legal system.

 

[ChrisFL]

I think I get what the guy is trying to accomplish, and for that I don't really blame him, its just that its a gross misuse of the legal system.

Isn't that the American way these days?

What this guy is doing is ludicrous, so he got a drawing for $3, only 60 years after it was created and now he's claiming rights to a lot more?

He's probably just getting the publicity so he can then sell it for $50K on Ebay

 

[Vemnox]

This guy is going to waste thousands on court costs for about a 5 minute open-and-close case.

 

[raidermatt]

Like I said, I agree with the viewpoint that he's just trying to get Disney to authenticate the drawing. He's apparently been trying to get them to look at it for years, but they won't do it.

Certainly if you or I had it, we'd want to know if it was really Walt's doing, regardless of whether we wanted to sell it or keep it.

But I would think there would be a way to get a 3rd party to authenticate it, rather than filing a frivilous case. I know we have some lawyers around here who know more about this than I do, but even if the drawing is legit, I can't see how that would give him claim to any copyrights or cash compensation.

 

[FamilyOf8]

Did they even have phones like that in the 20s????

Kell

 

[MyGoofy26]

Is it just me or does that pic not really look like what the "original" Mickey looked like? An early Mickey, yes. But not Walt's first sketches.

 

[rantnnravin]

Is it just me or does that pic not really look like what the "original" Mickey looked like? An early Mickey, yes. But not Walt's first sketches.

that was my first impression too

 

[ChrisFL]

Did they even have phones like that in the 20s????

Kell

Good question!

 

[DancingBear]

Here's a 1928 Mickey:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Plane-crazy.jpgTo me the drawing this guy has looks later--see differences in the eyes, and the curvy arms instead of angular elbows.

 

[SnoWhiteRabbit]

Did they even have phones like that in the 20s????

Kell

I goggled phone styles with dates. Mostly the 20's looked like the candle stick models. the 30's did start to look like that type.

 

[2angelsinheaven]

Steam Boat Willie 1928

This drawing in question

 

[TheDogbots]

I would agree with whoever stated it was a gross abuse of the legal system... i understand why he is doing it, he knows he won't win but if it authenticates the drawing he can pay that hefty lawyer fee when he puts it up for auction and fetches a couple hundred thousand for it.


then again... there would not be much left for him then would there?

 

[CT_Dad]

This guy is abusing the legal system and could be fined for it. Owning a drawing--even if it's the first drawing of something--doesn't mean that he owns the copyright. Copyright is a separate legal right that isn't sold with the drawing itself. This guy's lawyer should know that...but he probably does and they just want the publicity. He's probably just looking to increase the value of the drawing so he can sell it.