Donna Douglas Sues Mattel Over Elly May Barbie

[Raffine]

http://www.cnn.com/2011/SHOWBIZ/TV/05/05/elly.may.barbie.lawsuit/index.html?hpt=Sbin

I've always been a fan of Douglas and wish her luck. I like how the article sees fit to reprint all the lyrics to The Ballad of Jed Clampett.

Donna Douglas could whup any city lawyer and she shot Elvis in FRANKIE AND JOHNNY - so Mattel better give her what she wants.

Or she could make them listen to that ear-bending gospel album she was pushing on infomercials a few years ago...

[AndyC]

Mattel is probably within their rights to use the character, but seeing as they're making a doll in Douglas' image, and using her picture on the package, it would have been a courtesy to talk to her about it ahead of time, and I do think it would be nice if she got some compensation. It is her likeness, after all, and her performance that defined such an enduring character. It's only fair. But that's a big corporation - take care of all their legal obligations and nothing more. She'll get something, but only because it's cheaper than fighting her in court.