Re: Character protection (Was: Lolita's copyright)

On 10/22/98, Angela Putney <aputney[_at_]aip.org> wrote:
>
> Actually, this brings up a related question. I understand the James
> Bond movie rights were bought up and the movie character can be played
> by whomever in what ever fashion in the movies. However, in the 1980s
> (or was it 1970s) an author, not Ian Flemming (John Gardner and I
> believe another author did as well), started writing books staring Ian
> Flemming's James Bond (I believe even the book covers claimed this).
> Ian Flemming died in the 1960s and was British. Since this is in the
> same genre as the original character, would and did John Gardner need to
> get the rights to use the James Bond character? And for which countries?
> (I know the John Gardner books can be purchased in the US)

With regards to the Gardner Bond books, he was hired by the estate or the company controling Bond (i can't remember which) to write those books, so that is not a case where someone took another's character and started writing stories about them. So he had permission to write the books - hell not only permission, but he was paid to do it. And I understand that Gardner has either died or is no longer writing the books and they have a new author now.

Damn, I knew that working for 13 years in a bookstore would come in handy someday!

Rob Jones
rjones[_at_]robjob.com Received on Fri Oct 23 1998 - 14:32:15 GMT