WALT DISNEY - WINNIE THE POOH ROYALTIES BATTLE RESURFACES

WINNIE THE POOH ROYALTIES BATTLE RESURFACES

WALT DISNEY bosses are facing the prospect of further legal action over WINNIE THE POOH - relatives of the man who helped make the honey-loving bear famous claim they are owed "hundreds of millions of dollars" in unpaid royalties.
Television and film producer Stephen Slesinger obtained the rights to the beloved children's character from author A.A. Milne in 1930, but they were transferred to Disney in 1961.
In September (09), a judge ruled in Disney's favour after an 18-year, $2 billion legal battle over the rights - but Slesinger's family now insist they are still owed a large sum in royalties.
Slesinger family spokesman Lonnie Soury says, "Though the decision established that Disney is the licensee, we are still owed hundreds of millions of dollars. We don't know exactly what that figure is because Disney accounting is Hollywood accounting."
But Disney spokeswoman Michelle Bergman insists, "We've always acknowledged that some of the rights we obtained are royalty bearing and continue to be so."