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james best
'Dukes of Hazzard' Actor Sues Warner Bros. Over Merchandise Revenue
by Chris Harnick, posted Aug 2nd 2011 6:00PM
James Best, known to millions as Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane from 'The Dukes of Hazzard,' is suing Warner Bros. Entertainment.According to the Hollywood Reporter, the actor's suit alleges Warner Bros. owes him royalties agreed upon when he starred in the series. The lawsuit claims Best may be owed more than $25 million.
Best filed his complaint in North Carolina federal court and in it he says he's been fighting to get detailed accounting from Warner Bros. for the last 22 years. In his original contract, Best says Warner Bros. entitled him to 5 percent of merchandising revenue from products that featured his likeness and 2.5 percent of total revenue that features other 'Dukes of Hazzard' cast members. In the suit, Best claims he got word from Warner Bros. that sales of merchandise with his identity netted less than $10 million, something he says conflicts with published reports that "sales of merchandise had soared to 'over $190 million per year' during the first 6 years in which the show aired on CBS."
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