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Randy Quaid Fined and Banned from Actor’s Equity February 7, 2008

Posted by Gordon Firemark in : Theatre law , add a comment

Actor Randy Quaid has been fined in the amount of $81,572, and banned from the stage actors’ union, Actor’s Equity Association for life, following the union’s investigation and a hearing  to examine his alleged bad behavior during the unsuccessful Seattle run of “Lone Star Love”, a country musical based on Shakespeare’s “The Merry Wives of Windsor”, in which the actor played Falstaff.

According to allegations made by his fellow cast members (all of whom filed grievances with the union), Quaid physically and verbally abused them, and engaged in “oddball” behavior during the rehearsals and run of the musical.

Quaid’s lawyer  reportedly blames the show’s producers for the action, which, he says stems from their attempts to avoid paying Quaid’s contractually guaranteed financial participations, nor to afford him the creative approvals to which he is entitled.

Producers ended up canceling the show’s planned move to Broadway.

Source: Backstage

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Industry mourns death of theatre lawyer Floria Lasky September 28, 2007

Posted by Gordon Firemark in : entertainment law , add a comment

Floria Lasky, lawyer to some of the greats of the theatre business died September 21st at age 84. Ms. Lasky, a partner in Fitelson, Lasky, Aslan & Couture represented the top tier of talent in theatre, including Elia Kazan, Tennessee Williams, Jerome Robbins, Burl Ives, Frederick Loewe, David Merrick, Gypsy Rose Lee, Jule Styne, and countless others. Her career serves as an inspiration to other entertainment lawyers in the theatre.

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