News

Duke Ellington's Family Sues Maker of Cognac for Using His Likeness Without Permission

12:09 p.m. · August 6, 2009 · by Andrew Winistorfer

Duke Ellington's grandson has filed a lawsuit in New York against the makers of Duke Ellington XO Cognac, which had a limited production run in 2006, for using his grandpa's signature and likeness without the family's permission.

It seems inconceivable that using a celebrity's likeness wouldn't have been cleared beforehand, and Ellington's estate claims that the company approached them, but there was never a finished agreement. The bottles sold for $150 each, so the money in the case could be pretty big. [Daily Swarm]