Would You Believe "Quincy" Lost $66 Million?

[Dan Gould]

Nice to know that "Hollywood accounting practices" are alive and well.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/31/arts/tel...F.html?ref=arts

Jack Klugman, who often uncovered foul play when he starred for years on television as a medical examiner on “Quincy, M.E.,” has decided that there is something fishy about NBC Universal’s handling of the money from the show. So he sued NBC Universal on Friday in Los Angeles County Superior Court, The Associated Press reported. Mr. Klugman said his 1976 contract with NBC entitled him and his company, Sweater Productions, to 25 percent of the net profits of “Quincy,” which ran from 1976 to 1983 and was rerun afterward. “I recently heard that they made $250 million, and it’s still on TV in Germany,” said Mr. Klugman, 85. “I don’t want their money. I want my money. I worked my tail off. I got up at 4 in the morning and stayed at the studio. I did rewrite. I edited.” He said that his copy of the contract was lost when his agent died and that NBC refused to provide a copy. According to the lawsuit, NBC provided Mr. Klugman with an accounting statement showing that the series lost $66 million through 2006. Mr. Klugman said he believed that NBC was lying and that the series made money. NBC did not reply immediately to a request for comment.

Considering the era that it was in production, I'd be surprised if "Quincy" cost the producers much more than $66 million total, so I have a real hard time believing that it remains $66 million in the hole after 20+ years of off and on syndication. Especially when you consider that if NBC Universal was the producer, then the ad revenue generated from its original run has to be counted against its cost to produce.

[Christiern]

So we are to believe that a series lost money, yet was kept on the air year after year? Utter BS.

Klugman saying that he wants his money reminds me of a time when I was getting book royalty statements from Stein & Day, but no checks. When I called and asked what happened to the checks, I was told, "Oh, Mr. Albertson, we are having a cash flow problem, so we have to use our money to pay the printer." I told them that I didn't care what they did with their money, but they had no right to pay their printer with mine!

I never got the money, so I took matters into my own hands and sold the Swedish rights to my book, directly. It was against my contract agreement with S&D, but I thought it might be good if the sued me. They didn't, and eventually went out of business. I had the last laugh, and it's available at better book sellers right now

I hope Klugman gets what is due him while he is still able to enjoy it.

[Dan Gould]

So we are to believe that a series lost money, yet was kept on the air year after year? Utter BS.

A lot of "successful" series lose money in their initial network run. The producers receive less money from the network than their production costs, in hopes of recouping that money (and much more) later on. If the show is enough of a hit to reach the magical 100 episode mark, it usually has a profitable afterlife in syndication.

The fact that NBC owned, or was part owner of the show means that it reached profitability long before the end of the initial network run.

[BERIGAN]

A DVD set of seasons 1 and 2 has been out there since 2005, I am seeing...Anyone ever see a site that ranks overall DVD sales, not just sales for this week???

[BruceH]

I hope Klugman gets what is due him while he is still able to enjoy it.

I certainly hope the same. The whole thing is outrageous.