Astaire Files Suit Against Awards, Claims Unauthorized Name Usage

Fred Astaire's widow, Robyn, filed a suit May 28 seeking to block what she says is unauthorized use of the Astaire name by the coming Fred and Adele Astaire Awards. The news was reported by the New York Times.

Ms. Astaire’s suit seeks an injunction and damages of $275,000 or more.

Reports the NY Times: "According to the complaint, Fred Astaire in 1982 authorized use of his name on what were then the Astaire Awards (his sister, Adele, was added later). After Mr. Astaire’s death in 1987, Ms. Astaire periodically authorized use of the name for the event, but, as of 2006, stopped giving permission because of what the complaint described as a change in its “nature and character.” In an e-mail message, Ms. Astaire said she planned to support the dance awards again when the dispute is resolved."

“Obviously, we don’t believe there’s any merit to this case,” said Veronica Mullally, a lawyer for Patricia Watt, one of the event’ s producers. Ms. Mullally added: “I don’t believe the awards are going to be in jeopardy.”

To read the entire NY Times article, click here.

It was previously announced that Marge Champion, Sandy Duncan, Carol Lawrence, Rosie Perez, Roberta Flack, Charlotte d'Amboise and Sondra Lee will appear at the 28th Annual Fred and Adele Astaire Awards. Perez and Flack will present Kenny Ortega, director and choreographer of High School Musical, with the Douglas Watt Lifetime Achievement Award.  

The gala awards ceremony was to have benefited Career Transition for Dancers,  a not-for-profit organization that enables dancers to define their career possibilities and develop the skills necessary to excel in a variety of disciplines. The Fred & Adele Astaire Awards honors excellence in dance on both stage and screen.

For a complete list of this year's nominees, click here.

The 28th Annual Fred & Adele Astaire Awards presentation will take place at the Gerald W. Lynch Theater at John Jay College, New York on June 7, 2010. The Awards are presented by Ava Astaire in tribute to her father & aunt and by producer Patricia Watt and The Douglas Watt Family Fund for the Performing Arts. Legendary director & choreographer Kenny Ortega has already been announced to receive the prestigious Douglas Watt Lifetime Achievement Award. The awards gala is directed by Tony & Drama Desk nominated Lee Roy Reams. For tickets and information, call 212-595-0925 or email Patricia_Watt@msn.com. For more information, visit http://www.thefredandadeleastaireawards.com/.

Douglas Watt, who inspired the prize, spent nearly 6 decades as a Broadway theatre critic for The Daily News. Watt was instramental in convincing producer Cheryl Crawford to bring the New Jersery revival of PORGY AND BESS to Broadway in 1941, helping to solidify the show's landmark place in history. Watt was one of the foundered of the Drama Desk Awards and served on the nominating committee for both the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Awards. Watt died at the age of 95 on September 29, 2009.

The Astaire Awards, established 26 years ago by the Anglo-American Contemporary Dance Foundation, recognize outstanding achievement in dance on Broadway each season. The awards were established with the cooperation of Fred Astaire to honor him and his sister, Adele, who starred with her brother in 10 Broadway musicals between 1917 and 1931. In 2008 the Awards were expanded to include dance in choreography for film as this was the métier that brought Fred Astaire to international fame and a permanent slot on every list of the top movie stars of the century.

Previous winners of awards for choreography are such legends as George Balanchine, Michael Bennett, Patricia Birch, Wayne Cilento, Graciela Daniele, Bob Fosse, Peter Martins, Ann Reinking, Jerome Robbins, Susan Stroman, and Tommy Tune.