TV & VIDEO - May 20, 1988

In yet another chapter of “Legal Battles of the Rich and Famous,” best-selling author Sidney Sheldon filed suit Wednesday against Columbia Pictures and Spelling-Goldberg Productions, claiming that the companies owe him $1.4 million in compensation for helping to create the ABC series “Hart to Hart.” Sheldon alleges that in 1973 he gave Spelling-Goldberg the right to use certain material--resulting in the creation of the husband-and-wife detective team show, which ran from 1979 to 1984. The rights later were transferred to Columbia. The Los Angeles Superior Court suit states that Sheldon was to get 15% of the producer’s net profit from the show. But Sheldon alleges he was told the series had not produced a net profit until this year. Sheldon said in the suit that a 1988 accounting showed the series grossed $178.9 million.