Prospect Park Sues ABC Over ‘One Life To Live’ & ‘All My Children’ Licensing Agreement

[EricMontreal22]

I blame Todd. Seriously, I know that John *apparently* had a big fanbase, but both shows want the actor and (ideally) the character, I don't think this issue would have any of them up in arms about the other two characters, really. (and I say that a someone who is not a big Todd fan)

[NothinButAttitude]

I agree. I think that PP should let it go. If this has to do with John/Starr/Todd then move on. You got the OLTL characters back, find new actors, and recast the roles. I feel that PP is putting too much on these characters and their portrayers. Again, if this is what they're arguing about (the characters being on GH and the actors choosing to stay) then it's stupid. I've said this before and will say it again. For every Todd there is a Brad Vernon. For every Starr there is a Jenny Wolek or Cassie Cramer. For every John there is an Ed Hall or Rafe Garreston. There is so much history on OLTL, why not tap into it and bring back those characters? Starr, John, and Todd are not make or break for me. As long as Vicki and Dorian are there then I'm fine.

[marceline]

The idea that this pissing match has turned into a court case just makes me shake my head.

[dragonflies]

The lawsuit follows a couple of months of building up tensions and threats of legal action between Prospect Park and ABC centered on OLTL actors who had been starring on ABC’s General Hospital since the cancellation of OLTL by ABC. Prospect Park attempted to get them back, which created a standoff with ABC. The last straw came last week when ABC announced that OLTL’s Kristen Alderson, Michael Easton and Roger Howarth will return to GH on May 10, presumably as new characters. According to the lawsuit, after taking over AMC and OLTL in 2011, Prospect Park, in “a gesture of good will”, allowed ABC “to borrow seven OLTL characters to appear on a limited basis” on the network’s soap General Hospital for the actors playing them can have employment. Prospect Park claims that in the arrangement, they retained “approval rights over ABC’s use of the OLTL characters. But “for over a year, ABC outright failed and refused to consult with Prospect on any storylines involving these characters, rendering Prospect’s approval rights meaningless.” With that, “in the ultimate act of bad faith, ABC inexplicably killed off two OLTL characters on loan to GH by having their car forced off a cliff. ABC effectively killed another major OLTL character, who was not even licensed to ABC, by revealing that this long-standing OLTL character is in fact another character (alter ego) on GH.”

[Cheap21]

How long does PP even have the license for? After this, I wouldn't be surprised if ABC refuses to renew it and both shows are re-cancelled as a result

[wingwalker]

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/soaps-producer-sues-abc-allegedly-442259

Hollywood Reporter has an article about it too. Has a line in it that makes it sound part of lawsuit is that PP is pissed at ABC/GH for killing off Cole and Hope without their persmission.

[dragonflies]

So are they pressed that ABC killed off Caleb Morley, seriously

[ChitHappens]

Uncooperative? How so? Two were under contract with ABCd for 3 years while one was wooed to re-sign last month. There was no need to lock anyone away as they were already under contract.

[EricMontreal22]

OK that is bad formon their part not to allow PP story approval rights (although a part of me thinks at the time with no writers hired for the shows or knowledge they would go forward, they prob woulda approved anything). But are they implying they killed John and made him Caleb? I am soooo confused.

RC now can write a Pickle Lila court case story and base it on this. sigh.

[Vee]

If it's true they had approval rights - well, they should have exercised them before, but better late than never? Maybe?

This just seems punitive. I don't blame them for being pissed at the way GH has been dragging its heels about letting go of OLTL. But this still seems like a bad idea and I'm not sure how much of this is enforceable.

[chrishntr]

I believe their license agreement is for ten years.

[John]

I think they are pissed also that RC made it possible for Tomas to really be Alcazar

[Cheap21]

Caleb/Stephen wasn't an OLTL character nor would he need to be licensed since PC is owned by ABC. That line was in reference to Tomas being Alcazar.

I have to say PP has a point. GH did some permanent damage to OLTL's history and undermined any plans that the show would have going forward. Now its up to PP to clean up the mess and its not going to be pretty without making it be a mess to some degree

[EricMontreal22]

That's what I was asking on the previous page. I assume this won't affect it but... Surely they have some rights agreement--otherwise PP would have been scared from the start that if their shows became a hit, ABC would take the license back as soon as they could and do them on the web or something

[dragonflies]

Why did PP not step in and say something about a 3 year contract if they had such a problem. Why not say "hey we're working on getting these shows up and running sign them for a year and go from there"