Did you know Hallmark was once sued over Rainbow Brite?

[IndigoJoy]

Wow, I had no idea until someone recently added the name Woody Kling to the Wikipedia Rainbow Brite article.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woody_Kling#Cartoons

In the 1980s, Kling wrote and created the program Rainbow Brite that he licensed, solely for television syndication broadcast only. After Kling's death, his heirs sued Hallmark Cards, for copyright infringement of Kling’s property allegeding that Hallmark had stolen Kling’s property making Hallmark over $1 billion during his illness and thereafter. Kling’s case went up on appeal twice to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in California. In the first appeal (Kling v. Hallmark), Kling’s heir won. The court found against Hallmark, ruling Kling’s case was not barred by laches, becoming the leading decision on laches still today of the Court. In a second appeal (Kling v. Hallmark), the 9th Circuit found for Kling’s heir, ruling Kling’s heir to be the copyright owner of Woody Kling’s Rainbow Brite works, but found Kling’s damages to be barred by the statute of limitations, awarding Klings’ heirs no money.

[Regina]

That's terribly unfair! Many times things like this happen to the people who invented/created something, if someone is faster than them, the idea is stolen and rights with it, see Einstein, see Levis they are just 2 examples, they were not the original inventors but got all the merit for it!

[Chibi Rachy]

Wow this is certainly something new. I had no idea about this either and I'd guess that a good many people didn't know as well. Sad to see that things got taken beyond what they were intended to be.

[WishBear2001]

??? good to know extra facts

[J3llyb3ans]

I guess we know who the creator of Rainbow Brite is now. That's been a burning question for ages now.


I think this may also explain what hapened to RB in the 80's. Why exactly the show ended as well as anything else related.

[Leonardo Mystic]

You have to be careful about Wikipedia. It can sometimes be questionable. So I wouldn't take too much of it to heart.


Unfortunately, sometimes people will come up with the same idea, but it takes one person to bring that idea to light and they alone reap the rewards. Then you get "No fair! He/she stole my idea!" To say Hallmark "stole" the property... Well, what proof do they have? Why would a thriving company like Hallmark want to steal anything? Better yet, where did the person who edited the Wiki article get their information? Where's it been all these years?



Do you understand what I'm getting at? Treat Wikipedia as only a half truth. Anyone can come in "off the street" and edit those articles.

[Regina]

You have to be careful about Wikipedia. It can sometimes be questionable. So I wouldn't take too much of it to heart.


Unfortunately, sometimes people will come up with the same idea, but it takes one person to bring that idea to light and they alone reap the rewards. Then you get "No fair! He/she stole my idea!" To say Hallmark "stole" the property... Well, what proof do they have? Why would a thriving company like Hallmark want to steal anything? Better yet, where did the person who edited the Wiki article get their information? Where's it been all these years?



Do you understand what I'm getting at? Treat Wikipedia as only a half truth. Anyone can come in "off the street" and edit those articles.

Totally agree with you regarding that! I found many articles, especially about historic events been 'reedited' to meet the political correct criteria.

[WishBear2001]

ur barkin up da wrong tree...

[Chibi Rachy]

ur barkin up da wrong tree...

What are you talking about?

[WishBear2001]

oops meant to post to myYearbook.com