‘Happy Days’ Cast Suing CBS Over Royalty Payments

There hasn’t been a new episode of Happy Days on ABC in decades, but that hasn’t stopped several of the shows cast members from filing a lawsuit against CBS, the TV network that now owns the rights to the show and which allegedly hasn’t paid the actors for their fair share of the shows continuing profits.

The lawsuit claims that actors from the show have not been paid for various merchandising offers from CBS including lunch boxes, DVD box sets, trading cards and t-shirts among other items.

The lawsuit was filed My Anson Williams, Don Most, Marion Ross, Erin Moran and the estate of Tom Bosley.

According to the lawsuit, CBS has failed to deliver on their contractual obligations to the cast, which called for 5% of all net proceeds from merchandising to go to actors if their image is solely used and 2 1/2% if a group shot is used on any merchandise.

While the actors were aware of their lost payments over the years, it was the creating of a Happy Days slot machine that led to the lawsuit. According to CBS each actor is owned just $8500 to $9000 for the last four years, most money which comes from the very slot machine that have led to the lawsuit.