Thursday, September 13, 2007

Even More Information on the Lawsuit Over Rights To The Dean Martin Show

Hey pallies, here is even more info on the lawsuit over the Dean Martin Show rights. It appears that Guthy-Renker knew since last September about the problem over rights to the Dinoshow. Again, if you wish to see it in the original form, just click on the title of this Dinopost.


NBC sues Palm Desert

05:22 PM PDT on Wednesday, September 12, 2007

By KIMBERLY PIERCEALL
The Press-Enterprise

Lawyers for media giant NBC Universal has filed a lawsuit claiming Palm Desert-based Guthy-Renker, an infomercial titan, has been making money off a television show that isn't theirs to sell.

Near acne cream and exercise equipment in the list of Guthy-Renker's products is "The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts" DVD collection.

According to the suit, Guthy-Renker, which claims annual sales of $1.3 billion, also began selling "The Best of the Dean Martin Variety Show" in 2003, which, unlike the celebrity roast footage, contained clips still owned by NBC Universal.

The Aug. 3 complaint filed in the U.S. District Court of California accuses Guthy-Renker officials of knowingly selling the variety show DVD collection since September 2006 despite being warned about NBC's copyrights and agreeing to settle with NBC at a July 9, 2006, meeting.

NBC Universal contends that the infomercial company has earned tens of millions of dollars from sales of the DVDs.

Shannon Keller, spokeswoman for Guthy-Renker, said no one at the company was available to comment on the lawsuit Wednesday.

Other defendants in the lawsuit include Greg Garrison Productions Inc., which acted as producer and director of "The Dean Martin Show." NBC Universal claims Garrison attempted to buy all 235 episodes in 1979 but instead bought 26 episodes in 1980. By the beginning of 2003, Garrison had signed an agreement with Guthy-Renker to distribute "The Best of the Dean Martin Variety Show," according to the lawsuit.

Three years later, NBC Universal discovered footage it owned was featured in the DVDs.

Ronald L. Blanc, who represents the Greg Garrison Revocable Trust and Black Horse Television Enterprises LLC, and Barrump-Bump Publishing Co. are also named as defendents.

Greg Garrison died in March 2005. A woman who answered the phone at a business identified as Greg Garrison Productions in Thousand Oaks refused to comment. Blanc and officials at Barrump-Bump Publishing Co. could not be reached for comment.

Dean Martin, the comedic crooner and one-fifth of the Rat Pack, hosted his own variety show for nine seasons from 1965 to 1976. He died in 1995.

NBC Universal claims it owns the rights to 235 episodes of "The Dean Martin Show" and portions of at least 86 of those episodes were used in the DVDs later sold by Greg Garrison Productions and Guthy-Renker. The media company hasn't disputed Guthy-Renker's ownership of the celebrity roast footage, said NBC Universal's Nate Kirtman.

Guthy-Renker has held the copyright to the "Best of Dean Martin Variety Show" on videocassette since 2002 and on DVD since 2005, and has held the "Dean Martin Celebrity Roast" title since 2004, according to records on the U.S. Copyright Office's Web site.

The company holds the trademark for "Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts," which was approved by The Dean Martin Family Trust, according to records on the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The trust still owns the trademark to Dean Martin's name.

Variety Show Squabble

NBC Universal claims footage it owns of "The Dean Martin Show" has been used in unauthorized DVDs sold by Palm Desert-based infomercial giant Guthy-Renker.

235 -episodes of "The Dean Martin Show" owned by NBC Universal

86 - episodes owned by NBC Universal but used in Guthy-Renker's "The Best of the Dean Martin Variety Show"

Source: lawsuit filed by NBC Universal

More on the NBC Universal Lawsuit of Rights To The Dean Martin Show

Hey pallies, here's an update on what this NBC Universal Dinosuit is all 'bout. To read it in it's original form, just click on the title to this Dinopost.

NBC Universal sues for Dean Martin Show DVD rights

UPDATE: Studio says producer sold rights it didn't own
By Ned Randolph -- Video Business, 9/10/2007
SEPT. 10 | NBC Universal has filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court to reassert its legal claim to the bulk of episodes of The Dean Martin Show, a weekly variety program that aired on NBC for nine seasons from 1965 to 1975.

A complaint seeking damages for copyright infringement was filed in the California Central District on Aug. 3 against Guthy-Renker Corp., Greg Garrison Productions, Ronald L. Blanc, Black Horse Television Enterprises and Barrump-Bump Publishing Co.

First reported by the fan-based Web site www.thegolddiggers.wordpress.com, the news was confirmed this week by NBC Universal.

The Golddiggers Web site was formed by a group of fans who would like to see all the episodes of The Dean Martin Show re-released on DVD or rebroadcast on TV.

Excerpts of the show, packaged in a 29-volume Best of Dean Martin DVD and VHS, have been marketed and sold since 2002 by Guthy-Renker, which purchased the episodes from the estate of Greg Garrison Productions, the original producer of the show.

NBC's complaint alleges that many of the episode excerpts belong to the studio—and not Greg Garrison Productions. The studio says it owns the copyrights to 235 episodes. "Material portions of at least 86 episodes of The Dean Martin Show owned by NBCU have been copied and included on the best-of-shows DVDs," the complaint states.

NBC had apparently been considering packaging the Dean Martin properties when representatives learned of the Best of Dean Martin series. The complaint says NBC Universal believes Guthy-Renker has sold "many thousands of copies of the infringing DVDs and has grossed tens of millions of dollars in revenue from their infringements."

The show ended in 1976. Three years later, the producer on the show, Greg Garrison, proposed to NBC that Garrison purchase all 235 episodes but ultimately did not go through with the purchase. Garrison later purchased 26 episodes. In 2002, Garrison Products entered into an agreement with Guthy-Renker for the distribution of The Best of the Dean Martin Variety Show, which included "substantial portions of the NBCU copyrighted works."

The name of the Golddiggers fan Web site refers to the women who starred on the show alongside Martin, called Golddiggers and later Dingaling Sisters. The group of regular female singer-dancers would become established fixtures on the program and even branched out on their own, playing at dates around the country and traveling abroad with Bob Hope to entertain American troops on the comedian’s annual Christmas trips and TV specials.

Ten Things Dean Martin Took From Northeast Ohio

Hey pallies, thought you might like to enhance your Dinoeducation with this great Dinoliterature taken from the Cleveland Plain Dealer. If you wanna see it in it's original form, just click on the title of this Dinopost.



Ten Things Dean Martin Took from Northeast Ohio

By Vic Gideon


His Singing Style
Dean took singing lessons in Steubenville from the mayor's wife, Corrine Applegate, despite the fact he hated any type of schooling. But perhaps he found his greatest teacher in a movie theater in his hometown. "When a Bing Crosby movie ever came to Steubenville, I would stay there all day and watch. And that's where I learned to sing, 'cause it's true, I don't read a note. I learned from Crosby, and so did Sinatra, and Perry Como. We all started imitatin' him. He was the teacher for us all."*

His Early Performing Experiences
Dean honed his craft in Steubenville, Youngstown, and Cleveland before heading to New York, California, and Las Vegas. He made his stage debut in the summer of 1934 at Craig Beach near Youngstown and frequently sang in Steubenville. "We be sitting in these joints, we had four or five joints downtown," lifelong friend Mindy Costanzo remembers, "had floor shows every night and you'd go in there and get a beer for a dime and watch a floor show. And then he'd end up going up and singing a few songs." One Sunday, while Dean was singing at the Capitol Theatre, Glenn Miller went up to the ballroom and heard Dean singing with Al Arter's group. Miller's comment about the entertainment? In an answer akin to the Beatles hearing that guitar bands were out, Miller said, "Well, the music is pretty good. But that singer'll never make it."*

A Nickname
"We used to call him Punchy," says Mindy Costanzo. "He used to box," says Rose Angelica, organizer of Steubenville's annual Dean Martin Festival. "And they gave him the name Kid Crochet but the guys in town here called him 'Punchy' because, his first fight, he got knocked out on the first punch."

Lifelong Friends
"It was a ball," says lifelong friend Mindy Costanzo of their early years together. "Every time you looked at him you'd bust out laughing. He was a real, real comedian." Costanzo describes the same Dino from Steubenville that became world-renowned entertainer Dean Martin: "Happy go-lucky. He didn't care about anything. He'd borrow a buck off of you, and he didn't owe you anything. He was just one of those guys. He was just, you see him, just the way he acted, happy-go-lucky."

Trail of Broken Hearts
Dean romanced plenty of women in Steubenville and Cleveland. "Here today, gone tomorrow," Mary Vecchione says of Dean's love life. "That's Dean."* One of his many girlfriends, Irma DeBenedetto, doesn't have such fond memories of Dean's lifestyle. "I don't have nothing to do with him. I don't have nothing to do with him anymore. I'm married. I got a nice husband and, uh, I did go with him and that's it. I quit. He was a dirty bum - that all! Here - before he got up in the big time. Dirty liar - a bum."*

Knowledge of Gambling
"He used to work at the Rex Cigar; it was a gambling casino-type thing," says Rose Angelica of Dean's nights as a blackjack dealer and croupier in Steubenville. "And he'd wear shoes that were two sizes too big for him and he'd stuff silver dollars in 'em when he stole money from Mr. (Cosmo) Quattrone (owner of the Rex)." Dean, of course, later became one of the most successful acts in the gambling capitol of North America, Las Vegas.

Expertise Riding Horses
Dean, who played a cowboy in movies like Rio Bravo with John Wayne, learned how to ride after nights working in the gambling joints, according to his lifelong friend, Mindy. "We used to cruise around at night when he got through working at the gambling joints and then at daylight, I'd drop him off and they went out at Cunningham Stables in Wintersville and went horseback riding," Costanzo remembers. "I'd go home and go to bed; I had to go to work. That's where Dean Martin learned how to ride the horses."

Scars from Boxing
Dean carried with him scars from brow cuts and a split lip from his boxing matches. "I liked it but it didn't last long," Dean says of his boxing days.* He used to say of his 12 fights in 1936, "I won all but 11."*

His New Name
Ernie McKay from Columbus hired Dino Crocetti to sing with his band after seeing him sing in Youngstown. To capitalize on the sex appeal of another Italian singer and actor of the time, Nino Martini, McKay billed Dino Crocetti as Dino Martini. The first time Dino saw his name in print, in the Columbus Evening Dispatch, it read, "The State Restaurant will have its final Saturday afternoon football party this weekend as Ohio State closes its gridiron season with Michigan at Ann Arbor. The McKaymen, with their 'Singing Strings Trio' and vocalist Dino Martini, will entertain football stay-at-homes at the luncheon, dinner, and supper sessions."* Ohio State lost, by the way. In Autumn of 1940, while singing with Sammy Watkins, Watkins Americanized Dino Martini's name to Dean Martin because he didn't believe the band can be successful with a singer who had an Italian-sounding name. Dean protested, saying that Tommy Dorsey just had a hit with his new record, "I'll Never Smile Again," with an Italian singer, Frank Sinatra. "A freak shot," Watkins said.*

His First Wife Betty
"We stayed at the Hollenden Hotel," Betty remembered of her trip to Cleveland with her father on business in 1941 before he was promoted and the family moved to Cleveland.* "The first night, we went downstairs, and there was Dean singing in the dinner club with the Sammy Watkins band. Dean kept looking over at us and talking to the trombone player."*

*From Dino: Living High in the Dirty Business of Dreams by Nick Tosches

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

NBC Universal Sues For Dean Martin Show DVD Rights

Hey pallies, as if we needed more Dinoevidence that our Dino is hotter then ever, get this NBC Universal has filed a law suit against Gunty-Renker Corporation and others for the rights to the Dinoshow. Read all the news below, and if you wanna check it out in it's original form, just click on the title of this Dinopost.

NBC Universal sues for Dean Martin Show DVD right

By Ned Randolph -- Video Business, 9/10/2007
SEPT. 10 | NBC Universal has filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court to reassert its legal claim to The Dean Martin Show, a weekly variety program that aired on NBC for nine seasons from 1965 to 1974, according to a fan-based Web site.

The lawsuits were filed in the California Central District on Aug. 3 against Guthy-Renker Corp., Greg Garrison Productions, Ronald L. Blanc, Black Horse Television Enterprises and Barrump-Bump Publishing Co.

The Web site, www.thegolddiggers.wordpress.com, has posted a picture of the cover sheet of the complaint.

"Evidently, NBC, which at one time held an ownership stake in the series, is now attempting to reassert its claim," the Web site states.

The Golddiggers Web site was formed by a group of fans who would like to see all the episodes of the Dean Martin Show re-released on DVD or rebroadcast on TV.

The term Golddiggers refers to the women who starred on the show alongside Martin, called Golddiggers and later Dingaling Sisters. The group of regular female singer-dancers would become established fixtures on the program and even branched out on their own, playing at dates around the country and traveling abroad with Bob Hope to entertain American troops on the comedian’s annual Christmas trips and TV specials.

Guthy-Renker has for the last eight years marketed the 29-volume Best of Dean Martin DVD and VHS highlights. Greg Garrison Productions, which produced all nine seasons of The Dean Martin Show for NBC Television, was the sole licensor of rights to material from the series, which comprised the Best of Dean Martin sets, the Web site says.

NBC/Universal and the defendants were not immediately available for comment.

Wednesday, September 05, 2007

Does Anyone Care About Dean Martin?

Hey pallies, with the great release of the new Dinovinyl as come the beginnin's of more Dinodissin'. Our Dino is becomin' more popular then ever, and I guess we oughta expect that Dinodissers will be comin' out of the woodwork. Well are true Dinoholics know how absurd this Harold dude is with his provocative Dinoquestion. You will find my Dinoresponse at the end of this blog post. I strongly encourage all my Dinopallies to click on the link connected to the title post and leave a piece of your Dinomind as well! Such Dinodisrespect has to stop!!!!!

Does Anyone Care About Dean Martin?
Posted by Harold Goldberg on September 5, 2007
Dean Martin, the crooner, half of Martin and Lewis, Rat-Packer extraordinaire, had a resurgence some years ago when Nick Tosches wrote Dino, a deep, dark biography of the man who was once the highest paid entertainer in the country.

Yesterday, USA Today's Mike Snider reviewed three Dean Martin DVDs (click the links to see clips!):

The Young Lions - Dean "saved his career in this adaptation of Irwin Shaw's war novel."

Who Was That Lady - Tony Curtis and Dean "pose as FBI agents, which culminates in booze, blondes and humiliation."

Kiss Me, Stupid - This was originally Billy Wilder's "career nadir." But it's now a "well-regarded satire" that casts Martin as his public persona - "Dino."

I know there's a new CD which lauds Martin's singing, featuring everyone from Kevin Spacey (he can sing!) to Big Bad VooDoo Daddy. But do you still care about Dean Martin's movies?

Posted at 12:21 PM in Genre: Comedy, Genre: Crime, Genre: Drama | Permalink
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Comments
Hey pallie, no disrespect meant, but what a question to ask. Does anyone still care, do I still care 'bout Dinoflicks? The answer is yes, 'cause there are millions of fans who still proclaim our Dino as their King of Cool and one way of gettin' to groove on our Dino is his wonderful work in films. If you click on my url you will go to a blog dedicated to Dino, his life, his times, his legacy, which still grows today. Never was, never will be anyone as cool as the King of Cool. Oh, to return to the days when Dino walked the earth!

Posted by: dino martin peters | September 05, 2007 at 08:12 PM