The producer of Burt Reynolds' classic comedy movie Smokey And The Bandit has filed suit against Hollywood studio bosses, alleging he has been cheated out of the proceeds from the 1977 film.
Mort Engelberg and members of his production company filed a lawsuit at Los Angeles Superior Court on Friday (04Mar11) against executives at Universal Pictures and Sony, the company which later acquired the Rastar production firm that made the movie.
Engelberg claims the studio bosses are obliged to pay him 50 per cent of "net profits" from the film, as well as its 1980 sequel and another movie, 1979 comedy Hot Stuff starring Dom DeLuise.
He alleges film chiefs have reneged on his original deal with Rastar and he's taking his compliant to court demanding the right to audit their books and then seek appropriate damages, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
The suit lists a number of accusations including breach of contract and unjust enrichment.
The original Smokey And The Bandit film made a massive $127 million (£84.7 million) on its release, and spawned two sequels. The third film, Smokey and the Bandit Part 3 from 1983, is not part of the legal wrangling.
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