10 October 2011
VVN Music
David Cassidy isn't happy with the $5,000 he's made on Partridge Family royalties, so he's taking it to court.
Cassidy has filed a lawsuit against Sony, who now controls The Partridge Family revenues, claiming that the company has made $500 million over the last forty years from merchandising and syndication deals and they should have forked over a much greater sum of money for that income. The suit also points out that Cassidy signed a contract back in 1971 that would give him 15% of anything that included his likeness and 7.5% on all other program merchandise.
The lawsuit, which was filed on Wednesday, states "For nearly 40 years, defendants have swindled Mr. Cassidy out of his rightful share of the profits from The Partridge Family, and when Mr. Cassidy has inquired as to the matter, have lied to him so as to continue to conceal their deception. Mr. Cassidy has reason to believe, and does reasonably believe, that defendants have been perpetrating a scam [and] will continue to go to any and all lengths necessary, no matter how despicable, to avoid upholding [the contract]."
Cassidy told CNN "It's just a matter of being fair. Just be fair, be real, be genuine, don't be greedy."
Sony has countered, in a statement, "We have dealt with Mr. Cassidy in a completely lawful and appropriate way, and are confident that we will prevail in any proceeding."
The Partridge Family ran from September 1970 until August 1974 on ABC and has been in syndication ever since. The show also starred Shirley Jones, Susan Dey, Danny Bonaduce, Jeremy Gelbwaks, Suzenne Crowe, Brian Forster and Dave Madden.
