Lee Entertains Jurors With Memories

Jurors chuckled at tales of recording sessions with Benny Goodman and laughed at a showing of the Walt Disney movie, “Lady and the Tramp,” as singer Peggy Lee’s lawsuit against Disney entered its first full day of testimony Thursday.

The 70-year-old Lee, in a wheelchair because of diabetes and a heart condition, took the stand for most of the day, interrupted by the screening of the videotape of the 1955 animated cartoon classic. Lee co-wrote six songs for “Lady and the Tramp” and performed the voices for four characters. She claims she is entitled to $50 million of the profits from the 1987 video release.

The trial concerns the amount of damages--a judge already has decided that Disney violated her 1952 contract by not seeking her permission when the videocassette was released.

Lee’s attorney, David Blasband, sought to prove that the singer was enough of a star to command the rights she says are due her.

Lee described her beginnings as a radio singer in North Dakota earning $1 a song. Platinum hair in a near-shoulder-length page boy, Lee regaled the jury with stories from her big band days.

“I was on the front page of the New York Times kissing Jimmy Durante’s nose,” Lee said in her characteristically quiet voice. Jurors listened raptly as she recalled her days with the Benny Goodman Orchestra and her million-selling records, including “Where or When,” “Fever” and “Is That All There Is?”

In 1952, she said, she was approached by Walt Disney to help compose music for “Lady and the Tramp.”

“I was thrilled,” she said.

Disney attorney Roy Reardon objected throughout the proceedings, saying, “There was never any doubt that Miss Lee was a celebrity.” However, he said, Lee does not deserve as much compensation as she is requesting.