CBS Wants 'Hawaii Five-O' Rights

HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - CBS Inc. has asked a federal court to declare 
that it has the exclusive right to exploit the story and characters of 
the popular TV series "Hawaii Five-O."

In a complaint filed Monday [Jan. 6th, 1997] in U. S. District Court 
in Los Angeles, the network's attorneys assert that the heirs of "Hawaii 
Five-O" creator Leonard Freeman are claiming the right to use the 
series property for theatrical films.

Freeman's widow, Rose Freeman, and two family trusts, are making the 
claims despite the existence of a pair of contracts that CBS claims 
gives all exploitation rights pertaining to the series to the network.

CBS claims it obtained the rights in a 1966 agreement with Freeman and 
his Leonard Freeman Prods., under which Freeman was to be executive 
producer of the show. When Freeman died in 1974, his production 
company asked CBS to be relieved of its obligations under the 1966 
pacts, the lawsuit said.

An agreement executed that year allegedly ended those obligations
and CBS, in return, was granted a worldwide license in perpetuity
in all media to the characters, titles and situations on which
"Hawaii Five-O" is based.

The lawsuit also seeks unspecified damages for an anticipated breach 
of contract. Defendants include Rose Freeman, the Rose Freeman 
Revocable Trust, the Leonard Freeman Trust and George Litto, who 
allegedly was granted an interest in the series by one or more of the 
other defendants.