I think Scott and MoPo can expect their own letter from the Academy since Rudy's post fails to put the "®" after Oscar®. Don't you all realize their valuable "intellectual" property rights are at stake here?
Some people have no respect for Hollywood® institutions...
--Peter
ACADEMY AWARD(S)®, OSCAR(S)®, OSCAR NIGHT® and OSCAR® statuette design mark are the registered trademarks and service marks, and the OSCAR® statuette the copyrighted property, of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Rudy Franchi <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Rudy Franchi <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
So I guess I have to jump in here and comment on the Oscar for sale
problem. Last August, when Antiques Roadshow came to L.A., I did a
speci! al short piece on the Academy's reference library, which is a
amazing resource. I showed some movie posters, costume sketches and
stills. This was done on the Friday before or our regular taping.
During the actual Antiques Roadshow on Saturday at the L.A. Convention
Center, a woman came to me at the collectibles table carrying a
cardboard box that contained an Oscar statuette and a quantity of
printed material (ballots, etc.) related to the Academy Awards
ceremony. As is our custom when we find something outstanding (you have
to realize that we see hundreds of mundane pieces during the day. Over
12,000 items come into the hall and there are 70 appraisers looking at
them.) I called over the producer and she decided it should be one of
the 50 odd pieces taped that day for presentation on the show. Turns
out that the woman's father had been, for many years, The Academy's
keeper of the Oscar. He would pick up the Oscars at the site of
manufactur! e in the Mid-West and be responsible for them right up
through the Awards' ceremony, guarding them backstage and handing them
to the presenters who then give them to the winners. She told me that
the actual Oscar, without a name plate, had a been a damaged example
that her father had been told he could keep. After leaving the Academy,
he became their official printer for all mailings related to the
balloting for the Awards and did this for many years.
It was an amazing experience to handle a real Oscar and I was even more
amazed at the effect it had on people. As soon as it was placed on the
table in front of me, people began to gravitate towards it, wanting to
stroke it and pick it up. When we taped the segment, a large crowd
gathered to watch and I said during my appraisal, that it just glowed
with a power all its own. Let me say, that no one will have any problem
recognizing a real Oscar. It sent out almost mystical rays, much like
th! e Ark of the Covenant in Indiana Jones.
I put a value of $12,000 to $15,000 on the Oscar and I also said ( I
don't know if this was included in the appraisal broadcast because I'm
in London and didn't see the show) that there were about at least a
dozen people around us who were ready to take out their checkbooks as
we spoke.
I told the woman who had brought it in that when this piece ran on
Roadshow, The Academy would be after her to return the Oscar. She
seemed to show no fear of The Academy.
The show with both the piece about the Academy and the Oscar appraisal
was scheduled for February 23, but for some reason, the Los Angeles PBS
outlet ran it the week before. I received a phone call from the
producer of Roadshow saying that a letter from the legal arm of the
Academy had been sent to the show saying that they did want the Oscar
appraisal segment shown again. They stated that legally this Oscar
could not be re-sold and thu! s I could not appraise something that had
no market. I pointed out to the producer that The Louvre was not about
to the sell The Mona Lisa, but I was sure they had it insured and if
so it would have to have been appraised. The same applies to the
perhaps millions of national treasures around the world. Of course one
can value something that isn't going to be sold.
Roadshow threw the issue back to their lawyers and they are slugging it
out with the Academy. Meanwhile, they broadcast the full show,
including the Oscar appraisal and the visit to the Academy on the
entire PBS network on February 23.
I might note that the Academy is absolutely virulent in its protection
of the Oscar copywright. They are hype-protective as Disney and the
Olympic Committee, who also go to what absurd lengths to protect the
symbols and characters associated with them.
As for selling the Oscar, I would advise a private sale for cash. Use a
trusted third! party to hand over the Oscar and collect the cash. The
seller should have no contact with or knowledge of the name of the
buyer. The trusted party's reward will be having held, if only for a
moment, a real Oscar. As one who has, I can tell you, it is reward
enough. Regards, rudy franchi
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