Don Most: Difference between revisions
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Most is married to actress [[Morgan Hart]]. He has two daughters and lives near [[Los Angeles, California]]. |
Most is married to actress [[Morgan Hart]]. He has two daughters and lives near [[Los Angeles, California]]. |
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==Happy Days |
==''Happy Days'' lawsuit== |
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On April 19, 2011, Most and four of his ''Happy Days'' co-stars, [[Erin Moran]], [[Marion Ross]], [[Anson Williams]] and the estate of the late [[Tom Bosley]], who died in 2010, filed a $10 million breach-of-contract lawsuit against CBS, claiming they had not been paid for merchandising revenues owed under their contracts. The cast members claimed they had not received revenues from show-related items, including comic books, t-shirts, scrapbooks, trading cards, games, lunch boxes, dolls, toy cars, magnets, greeting cards and DVDs where their images appear on the box covers. Under their contracts, they were supposed to be paid five percent from the net proceeds of merchandising if their sole image were used, and half that amount if they were in a group. CBS said it owed the actors $8,500 and $9,000 each, most of it from slot machine revenues, but the group said they were owed millions.<ref>{{cite news|last=Zamost|first=Scott|title='Happy Days' actors claim fraud, money owed for merchandising|url=http://money.cnn.com/2011/04/19/news/companies/happy_days_fraud_claim/|newspaper=CNNMoney|date=April 20, 2011}}</ref> The lawsuit was initiated after Ross was informed by a friend playing slots at a casino of a "Happy Days" machine on which players win the jackpot when five Marion Rosses are rolled. |
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Don Most along with "Happy Days" co-stars [[Anson Williams]], [[Erin Moran]], [[Marion Ross]] and wife of the late [[Tom Bosley]] are suing CBS for merchandise money claiming that none of the actors have received any royalty payments since the early 1980s. <ref>http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/happy-days-cbs-merchandising-lawsuit-333369</ref> The case is scheduled to go to trial on July 17, 2012.<ref>http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/05/showbiz/happy-days-lawsuit/index.html</ref> The actors suffered a big setback in October, when a judge threw out a fraud claim, which meant the plaintiffs couldn't receive punitive damages. The ruling wiped out millions of dollars in potential compensation. |
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In October 2011, a judge rejected the group's fraud claim, which meant they could not receive millions of dollars in potential damages.<ref>{{cite news|last=Gardner|first=Eriq|title='Happy Days' Actors Win Key Ruling in CBS Lawsuit|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/happy-days-cbs-merchandising-lawsuit-333369|newspaper=The Hollywood Reporter|date=June 5, 2012}}</ref> On June 5, 2012, a judge denied a motion filed by CBS to have the case thrown out, which meant it would go to trial on July 17 if the matter was not settled by then.<ref>{{cite news|last=Scott|first=Zamost|title='Happy Days' cast members' lawsuit heading for trial|url=http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/05/showbiz/happy-days-lawsuit/index.html|newspaper=CNN|date=June 5, 2012}}</ref> In July 2012, the actors settled their lawsuit with CBS. Each received a payment of $65,000 and a promise by CBS to continue honoring the terms of their contracts. <ref>{{cite news|last=Daley|first=Sean|title=Chachi done with broke Joanie|url=http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/tv/chachi_done_with_broke_joanie_jG7yUfSMnMGcOrPhvJ915J?utm_medium=rss&utm_content=TV|newspaper=New York Post|date=August 6, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Zamost|first=Scott|title='Happy Days' actors settle lawsuit with CBS|url=http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/06/showbiz/happy-days-lawsuit-settled/index.html|newspaper=CNN|date=July 7, 2012}}</ref> |
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The group sued CBS in April 2011, <ref>http://money.cnn.com/2011/04/19/news/companies/happy_days_fraud_claim/index.htm</ref>claiming they have not been paid what they're owed for the worldwide sale of "Happy Days" merchandise. The series was on the air from 1974 to 1984. Bosley died in 2010. Under their contracts, the actors were supposed to receive 5% of net proceeds, or 2.5% if their images were used in a group, the lawsuit states. the actors claimed they were cut out of the merchandising bonanza from the show. Those products include comic books, T-shirts, scrapbooks, trading cards, games, lunch boxes, dolls, toy cars, magnets, greeting cards and DVDs where their images appear on the box covers. |
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CBS issued checks to the actors for the previous five years, which included a merchandise royalty share for those slot machines. Pfeiffer adds that the checks haven't yet been cashed. |
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The parties are still fighting over money for images of the actors on home video releases. CBS contended that DVDs weren't considered merchandise under the terms of the contract and brought a summary judgment motion. The lawsuit was filed last year after 83-year-old Marion Ross, who played Marion Cunningham on the long-running sitcom, received a call from a friend playing slots at a casino. The friend informed Ross of a crazy Happy Days slot machine: Roll five Marion Rosses and win the jackpot. |
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==References== |
==References== |
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Revision as of 23:36, 11 August 2012
Don Most | |
|---|---|
 Don Most as Ralph Malph in 1973. | |
| Born | August 8, 1953 |
| Other names | Donny Most, Donald Most, Donnie Most |
| Alma mater | Lehigh University (dropped out) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1973–present |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
| Spouse | Morgan Hart (1982-present) |
| Children | 2 |
Don Most (born August 8, 1953; Brooklyn, New York) is an American actor best known for his role as Ralph Malph on the television series Happy Days.
Early life
Most lived in Flatbush, Brooklyn, NY, and graduated from Erasmus Hall High School in 1970. He attended Lehigh University, but dropped out before his senior year and moved to California to pursue acting full-time.[1]
Acting credits
Following his role as a regular cast member on Happy Days, Most has appeared in other film and television work. Film credits include EDtv (1999), Planting Melvin (2005) and The Great Buck Howard (2008). He also made guest appearances on many TV shows, including CHiPs, Baywatch, The Love Boat, Sliders, Star Trek: Voyager, Diagnosis Murder and Glee. He also made an appearance on Charles In Charge, alongside his former Happy Days co-star, Scott Baio. He plays a man who has just won the lottery, and as part of the cameo joke, runs up to Scott Baio and waving the winning ticket shouts, "It looks like Happy Days are here again!" He also receives several looks from Scott Baio that suggests familiarity throughout the episode. He is sometimes credited as "Donny Most".
Voice acting
Most performed as a voice actor on several Saturday morning cartoon series. Among these roles were: Ralph Malph on The Fonz and the Happy Days Gang (1980); Eric the Cavalier in Dungeons & Dragons (1983); and Stiles on Teen Wolf (1986–1989). Most makes a brief appearance 3 minutes into the 17th episode of the fifth season of Family Guy titled "It Takes a Village Idiot, and I Married One".
Personal life
Most is married to actress Morgan Hart. He has two daughters and lives near Los Angeles, California.
Happy Days lawsuit
On April 19, 2011, Most and four of his Happy Days co-stars, Erin Moran, Marion Ross, Anson Williams and the estate of the late Tom Bosley, who died in 2010, filed a $10 million breach-of-contract lawsuit against CBS, claiming they had not been paid for merchandising revenues owed under their contracts. The cast members claimed they had not received revenues from show-related items, including comic books, t-shirts, scrapbooks, trading cards, games, lunch boxes, dolls, toy cars, magnets, greeting cards and DVDs where their images appear on the box covers. Under their contracts, they were supposed to be paid five percent from the net proceeds of merchandising if their sole image were used, and half that amount if they were in a group. CBS said it owed the actors $8,500 and $9,000 each, most of it from slot machine revenues, but the group said they were owed millions.[2] The lawsuit was initiated after Ross was informed by a friend playing slots at a casino of a "Happy Days" machine on which players win the jackpot when five Marion Rosses are rolled.
In October 2011, a judge rejected the group's fraud claim, which meant they could not receive millions of dollars in potential damages.[3] On June 5, 2012, a judge denied a motion filed by CBS to have the case thrown out, which meant it would go to trial on July 17 if the matter was not settled by then.[4] In July 2012, the actors settled their lawsuit with CBS. Each received a payment of $65,000 and a promise by CBS to continue honoring the terms of their contracts. [5][6]
References
- ^ Don Most (biography) – Genesis Creations Entertainment.
- ^ Zamost, Scott (April 20, 2011). "'Happy Days' actors claim fraud, money owed for merchandising". CNNMoney.
- ^ Gardner, Eriq (June 5, 2012). "'Happy Days' Actors Win Key Ruling in CBS Lawsuit". The Hollywood Reporter.
- ^ Scott, Zamost (June 5, 2012). "'Happy Days' cast members' lawsuit heading for trial". CNN.
- ^ Daley, Sean (August 6, 2012). "Chachi done with broke Joanie". New York Post.
- ^ Zamost, Scott (July 7, 2012). "'Happy Days' actors settle lawsuit with CBS". CNN.
External links
- Don Most at IMDb
- Don Most at Memory Alpha
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