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Ola Ray "Thriller" Co-Star Heads to Jury Trial with Michael Jackson's Estate [Case Settled]

Re: "Thriller" Co-Star Heads to Jury Trial with Michael Jackson's Estate

This is a bit messy case for my liking as there is more than one case open about this, or related to Ola case.
These are all related:
Case Summary


Case Number: SC101420
LEVITSKY PRODUCTIONS,INC. VS. OPTIMUM PRODUCTIONS ET. AL.

Filing Date: 01/21/2009
Case Type: Othr Breach Contr/Warr-not Fraud (General Jurisdiction)
Status: Pending

Cases Related: SC101514 on 03/13/2009

Cases Related: SC102953 on 11/24/2009
----------------------------------------------------

Hang on, what is going on?
Case Number: SC102953
OLA RAY VS. MICHAEL JACKSON ET. AL.
Future Hearings
05/24/2012 at 08:30 am in department WEM at 1725 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401
OSC-Failure to File Req for Dism

Proceedings Held (Proceeding dates listed in descending order)

Click on any of the below link(s) to see proceedings held on or before the date indicated:
11/17/2009

04/24/2012 at 08:30 am in Department WEM, Linda K. Lefkowitz, Presiding
Final Status Conference (T.D.; 04-30-12) - Case Settled - Control Date Set

Case settled 3 days ago!
Ivy, help, do I read it right, the case is settled and doesn't go to trial?
 
Re: "Thriller" Co-Star Heads to Jury Trial with Michael Jackson's Estate

^^What 's going on SC102953 says dismissed because of failure to file, or am I reading this wrong. Then there is a new date for 4/30-- I hope no one gave Ola money.
 
Re: "Thriller" Co-Star Heads to Jury Trial with Michael Jackson's Estate

Bubs said:
Case settled 3 days ago!
Ivy, help, do I read it right, the case is settled and doesn't go to trial?
Click to expand...

WOW! What's going on?

If the case was "settled" 3 days ago, I'm SHOCKED that Ola Ray's attorney is not out there telling the world what transpired.

You know how they do, i.e. "We can't talk about it, but my client is very happy with the outcome," or words to that effect.

(I'm sure ivy will be able to break it down, when she's available.)
 
Re: "Thriller" Co-Star Heads to Jury Trial with Michael Jackson's Estate

^^Yeah and since the estate decided to go to court with this, why settle so quickly--unless Ola's team realized they would not win and took a couple of thousands. Sort of reminds me of the Milissa Johnson settlement.
 
Re: "Thriller" Co-Star Heads to Jury Trial with Michael Jackson's Estate

It's "order to show cause hearing for a failure to file a request for dismissal"

furthermore

Case Number: SC101420
LEVITSKY PRODUCTIONS,INC. VS. OPTIMUM PRODUCTIONS ET. AL.

04/17/2012 Notice-Settlement (ENTIRE CASE (CONDITIONAL) )
Filed by Attorney for Plaintiff

Case Number: SC101514
JOHN LANDIS VS. OPTIMUM PRODUCTIONS ET. AL.

Filing Date: 01/28/2009
Case Type: Declatory Relief Only (General Jurisdiction)
Status: Dismissed - Other 04/18/2012

yep it seems like the cases are settled and dismissed or in the process to be dismissed.
 
Re: "Thriller" Co-Star Heads to Jury Trial with Michael Jackson's Estate

Oh I wish we could see the details.
 
Re: "Thriller" Co-Star Heads to Jury Trial with Michael Jackson's Estate

MJ ESTATE Settles War with Chick From 'Thriller' Video

EXCLUSIVE

Michael Jackson's Estate has finally settled its beef with the girl who played MJ's date in the infamous "Thriller" video -- three years after she filed her lawsuit.

TMZ broke the story ... Ola Ray sued MJ and his production company in May 2009 -- the month before Jackson died -- claiming she hadn't been paid royalties from the legendary 1983 music video.



The former Playboy Playmate sued for breach of contract, insisting she was still owed a massive chunk of "Thriller" profits.

We don't know how much the Estate settled for -- but from what we can gather, Ola got something.

"Thriller" director John Landis has filed a similar lawsuit against the Estate. We're told both sides are still trying to negotiate a settlement.

http://www.tmz.com/2012/05/10/micha...nt/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
 
Re: "Thriller" Co-Star Heads to Jury Trial with Michael Jackson's Estate

How much did she sue for? Did Ola specify any amount in her lawsuit??
 
Re: "Thriller" Co-Star Heads to Jury Trial with Michael Jackson's Estate

Wish we could see the details of this settlement...
 
Re: "Thriller" Co-Star Heads to Jury Trial with Michael Jackson's Estate [Case Settled]

I pray Ola gets her fair share. It's a shame that she hasn't been paid in over 30 years, that's not fair. Ola was a part of the Thriller video, a big part of it, and without her Thriller probably wouldn't have been so sucessful. It's really a shame how people can be so inconsiderate and evil. God doesn't like evil, and we wonder why we have so many problems, drugs, etc. because what we've done to other people. Do unto to others as you would like them to do unto to you. Ola deserves her fair share. Michael choose Ola to be in his video for a reason, she deserves her fair share.
 
Re: "Thriller" Co-Star Heads to Jury Trial with Michael Jackson's Estate [Case Settled]

I might do a more detailed explanation later but for the time being

Ola Ray was signed up for the role of "lead female" and was paid a flat rate of $2,500 with extra days being around $220 to $320 a day. She's asking for residual income on the basis of Screen Actors Guild. I have to check but I think she was getting 1% of the gross income as a residual.

The issue had been she believe Thriller video brought in a lot more revenues and she wasn't properly being paid. Especially after 1995 and Thriller video was included in other MJ releases as well as Thriller 25. in 2008 lawsuit she was asking for $150,000 in damages. This has been quite an ongoing issue for Ola. Her complaints seem to start after 1995 and she had two lawsuits in 1998 and 2008 as well as multiple complaints to Screen Actors Guild.

I have the 2008 lawsuit file, the most recent one is not available. I think in one document I saw Ola's lawyers estimate Thriller bring $40 Million in revenues. If that's the number it would make it around $400,000.

Again this is based on the old documents, what I can remember from top of my head. So I can be mixing up stuff or remembering it not correctly. Nothing about the current lawsuit is available.
 
Re: "Thriller" Co-Star Heads to Jury Trial with Michael Jackson's Estate [Case Settled]

If she's owed money, then it's fair she gets what she's entitled for.
 
Re: "Thriller" Co-Star Heads to Jury Trial with Michael Jackson's Estate [Case Settled]

Rhilo said:
If she's owed money, then it's fair she gets what she's entitled for.
Click to expand...

very true.she entiltled to what shes legally owed nothing more nothing less. although it sounds above like we have the owner of the ola ray fanclub posting.to say the video might not have been as successful if it werent for her being in it is ridiculous and i think your god has more important things to worry about than whether a girl in a video got her full payment (not 30 years of pay) as theres slightly more evil things that go on in this world than ola not getting paid the full amount!. im sure mexico etc will be happy to know thats the reason they have drug gangs etc is cause ola didnt get paid in full

is their post sarcasam cause it was a great attempt at it.
 
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Re: "Thriller" Co-Star Heads to Jury Trial with Michael Jackson's Estate [Case Settled]

First of all it wasn't an issue for 30 years. Her complaints started in 1995. Her complaints are based on Video Greatest Hits (History) 1995, Michael Jackson Number Ones (2003) and Thriller 25 (2008). She simply claimed Thriller video was being included in these DVD's and she wasn't getting paid.

Not paying her was not Michael's fault. To the contrary as the "lead male" he was supposed to be paid residuals from the video as well. Payment happened after the sale numbers were reported and the residuals were calculated.

These above video DVD's included other videos than Thriller. It might have been harder to calculate the revenue for Thriller.

It's probable that she didn't get paid all that she deserves but I'll put the blame on the people that was supposed to do these kind of stuff. For example Michael's taxes weren't paid for 3 years. I have also seen that Screen Actors Guild also gives residuals to the producers and that might be the reason that John Landis is asking for payment as well. Anyway as this is settled, it's a non-issue from now on.
 
Re: "Thriller" Co-Star Heads to Jury Trial with Michael Jackson's Estate [Case Settled]

kateclay said:
I pray Ola gets her fair share. It's a shame that she hasn't been paid in over 30 years, that's not fair. Ola was a part of the Thriller video, a big part of it, and without her Thriller probably wouldn't have been so sucessful. It's really a shame how people can be so inconsiderate and evil. God doesn't like evil, and we wonder why we have so many problems, drugs, etc. because what we've done to other people. Do unto to others as you would like them to do unto to you. Ola deserves her fair share. Michael choose Ola to be in his video for a reason, she deserves her fair share.
Click to expand...

Ola or any other person is entittled to be paid for the work they do. But from there to say that Thriller wouldnt have been so sucessfull if it weren't for her, that's to stretch far beyond any limits. If it wasn't Ola it'd have been any other women according to Michael's wishes. Is not my intention to undermine Ola but really, that statement is completely false.
 
Re: "Thriller" Co-Star Heads to Jury Trial with Michael Jackson's Estate [Case Settled]

Exactly its not as if she was some A list star madonna etc. to say some random chosen woman is just as or is more important than mj interms of the success of the video is frankly laughable
 
Re: "Thriller" Co-Star Heads to Jury Trial with Michael Jackson's Estate [Case Settled]

ivy said:
I might do a more detailed explanation later but for the time being

Ola Ray was signed up for the role of "lead female" and was paid a flat rate of $2,500 with extra days being around $220 to $320 a day. She's asking for residual income on the basis of Screen Actors Guild. I have to check but I think she was getting 1% of the gross income as a residual.

The issue had been she believe Thriller video brought in a lot more revenues and she wasn't properly being paid. Especially after 1995 and Thriller video was included in other MJ releases as well as Thriller 25. in 2008 lawsuit she was asking for $150,000 in damages. This has been quite an ongoing issue for Ola. Her complaints seem to start after 1995 and she had two lawsuits in 1998 and 2008 as well as multiple complaints to Screen Actors Guild.

I have the 2008 lawsuit file, the most recent one is not available. I think in one document I saw Ola's lawyers estimate Thriller bring $40 Million in revenues. If that's the number it would make it around $400,000.

Again this is based on the old documents, what I can remember from top of my head. So I can be mixing up stuff or remembering it not correctly. Nothing about the current lawsuit is available.
Click to expand...


What happened to the 2008 lawsuit?
 
Re: "Thriller" Co-Star Heads to Jury Trial with Michael Jackson's Estate [Case Settled]

elusive moonwalker said:
Exactly its not as if she was some A list star madonna etc. to say some random chosen woman is just as or is more important than mj interms of the success of the video is frankly laughable
Click to expand...

Excatly as she wasnt really famous till she appeared on the thiller video then after that she fell under the radar
 
Re: "Thriller" Co-Star Heads to Jury Trial with Michael Jackson's Estate [Case Settled]

ivy said:
I have also seen that Screen Actors Guild also gives residuals to the producers and that might be the reason that John Landis is asking for payment as well. Anyway as this is settled, it's a non-issue from now on.
Click to expand...

I read in the media reports of his 09 claim, that landis's royalties are 50% of thriller. He's co-writer and director, so i suppose that figures.

kateclay said:
I pray Ola gets her fair share. It's a shame that she hasn't been paid in over 30 years, that's not fair. Ola was a part of the Thriller video, a big part of it, and without her Thriller probably wouldn't have been so sucessful. It's really a shame how people can be so inconsiderate and evil. God doesn't like evil.
Click to expand...

You've just got to be ola's agent. :D
 
Re: "Thriller" Co-Star Heads to Jury Trial with Michael Jackson's Estate [Case Settled]

kateclay said:
I pray Ola gets her fair share. It's a shame that she hasn't been paid in over 30 years, that's not fair. Ola was a part of the Thriller video, a big part of it, and without her Thriller probably wouldn't have been so sucessful. It's really a shame how people can be so inconsiderate and evil. God doesn't like evil, and we wonder why we have so many problems, drugs, etc. because what we've done to other people. Do unto to others as you would like them to do unto to you. Ola deserves her fair share. Michael choose Ola to be in his video for a reason, she deserves her fair share.
Click to expand...

The bolded ^^ are you serious here. As someone around during the thriller era, I can assure that when we were in the craze of Thriller, it had nothing to do with Michael's date!!!!

It seems these last cases, eg., Johnson and now Ola are getting some money. What is going on here. I hope it is not a great amount of the revenue.
 
Michael Jackson's Estate Pays Ola Ray $55,000 for Thriller Royalties

0510-ola-ray-thriller-3.jpg


$55,000 ... that's how much it took for the chick from Michael Jackson's "Thriller" music video to call a truce in her war with the MJ estate ... TMZ has learned.

TMZ broke the story ... Ola Ray settled her lawsuit with the estate earlier this year, and now we know what for ... $55,000 to Ola ... and $20,000 to her lawyer.

Ola originally filed the suit against MJ and his production company in May 2009 -- a month before Jackson passed away -- claiming breach of contract. Ola said she was still owed a massive chunk of the "Thriller" profits ... nearly 30 years after it was released.

The director of the music video John Landis -- who filed a similar lawsuit against the estate -- has also settled ... but he wanted in excess of $2 million, so we're guessing he got a little more than Ola.


Read more: http://www.tmz.com/2013/01/04/micha...r-ola-ray-royalties-settlement/#ixzz2H0FbzDmV
 
Re: Michael Jackson's Estate Pays Ola Ray $55,000 for Thriller Royalties

I never understood why it was Michael's responsibility to distribute their royalties. It just seems easier to have the the same people that send Michael his Thriller royalties to make the proper distributions before cutting any checks.
 
Re: Ola Ray "Thriller" Co-Star Heads to Jury Trial with Michael Jackson's Estate [Case Settled]

^^Something was wrong with the management I guess. Gee I thought Ola was owed hundreds of thousands. Well, glad she got what was her due.

Does TMZ get awards when they write "TMZ broke the story." It seems such trifling things make them boast.......
 
Re: Ola Ray "Thriller" Co-Star Heads to Jury Trial with Michael Jackson's Estate [Case Settled]

Reports said mj funded the video himself (dunno if true) but if it was maybe thats why the royalties came from him direct instead of sony
 
Re: Ola Ray "Thriller" Co-Star Heads to Jury Trial with Michael Jackson's Estate [Case Settled]

Petrarose said:
Does TMZ get awards when they write "TMZ broke the story." It seems such trifling things make them boast.......
Click to expand...

They think they are the "HOTTEST NEWS MAKERS" but truth is they not
 
Re: Ola Ray "Thriller" Co-Star Heads to Jury Trial with Michael Jackson's Estate [Case Settled]

Why would Ola have receive royalties if she had nothing to do with the Thriller creation... :scratch: At leas she'll stop nagging.
 
Re: Ola Ray "Thriller" Co-Star Heads to Jury Trial with Michael Jackson's Estate [Case Settled]

Cause she was in it. sometimes ppl get one full payment others for example if u are in a t.v show get a payment everytime an episode you are in gets aired
 
ivy;3637363 said:
I might do a more detailed explanation later but for the time being

Ola Ray was signed up for the role of "lead female" and was paid a flat rate of $2,500 with extra days being around $220 to $320 a day. She's asking for residual income on the basis of Screen Actors Guild. I have to check but I think she was getting 1% of the gross income as a residual.

The issue had been she believe Thriller video brought in a lot more revenues and she wasn't properly being paid. Especially after 1995 and Thriller video was included in other MJ releases as well as Thriller 25. in 2008 lawsuit she was asking for $150,000 in damages. This has been quite an ongoing issue for Ola. Her complaints seem to start after 1995 and she had two lawsuits in 1998 and 2008 as well as multiple complaints to Screen Actors Guild.

I have the 2008 lawsuit file, the most recent one is not available. I think in one document I saw Ola's lawyers estimate Thriller bring $40 Million in revenues. If that's the number it would make it around $400,000.

Again this is based on the old documents, what I can remember from top of my head. So I can be mixing up stuff or remembering it not correctly. Nothing about the current lawsuit is available.
Click to expand...

Sound like she did not get enough in her settlement- not to mention it has been known for years Hollywood's poor accounting methods, nothing like cheating- as in this article here:

http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20...cause-return-jedi-still-isnt-profitable.shtml


This is such a joke: Return of the Jedi still isn't profitable??????? REALLY?????????
[h=1]Hollywood Accounting: Darth Vader Not Getting Paid, Because Return Of The Jedi Still Isn't Profitable[/h][h=3]from the it-might-draw-you-to-the-dark-side dept[/h]Last year, we wrote about Hollywood accounting and how the big studios set up "corporations" for each movie, specifically designed to "lose money," often by paying money back to the studio itself. Basically, the studio sets up this "company," but then charges the company a huge "fee," such that the company itself rarely, if ever, becomes profitable. Of course, hugely successful films usually still get past the threshold, but perhaps not all of them. Hugues Lamy points us to the news that the actor who played Darth Vader in Return of the Jedi is saying that Lucasfilm still isn't paying residuals, claiming that the film is still not profitable:
“I get these occasional letters from Lucasfilm saying that we regret to inform you that as Return of the Jedi has never gone into profit, we’ve got nothing to send you. Now here we’re talking about one of the biggest releases of all time,” said Prowse. “I don’t want to look like I’m bitching about it,” he said, “but on the other hand, if there’s a pot of gold somewhere that I ought to be having a share of, I would like to see it.” ​
If you adjust for inflation, Jedi is the 15th highest grossing films of all time. In other words, the movie has made a ton of money. But somehow, amazingly, Lucasfilm is still able to claim that it lost money. And you wonder where the MPAA got its math skills.
 
Re: "Thriller" Co-Star Heads to Jury Trial with Michael Jackson's Estate [Case Settled]

kateclay said:
I pray Ola gets her fair share. It's a shame that she hasn't been paid in over 30 years, that's not fair. Ola was a part of the Thriller video, a big part of it, and without her Thriller probably wouldn't have been so sucessful. It's really a shame how people can be so inconsiderate and evil. God doesn't like evil, and we wonder why we have so many problems, drugs, etc. because what we've done to other people. Do unto to others as you would like them to do unto to you. Ola deserves her fair share. Michael choose Ola to be in his video for a reason, she deserves her fair share.
Click to expand...


Ola was adorable & I think she was a big part of Thriller too.:flowers:
 
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