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A Living For The Dead

September 27, 2009 5:00 PM

Marilyn Monroe, James Dean and Elvis are dead and now, so is Michael Jackson. But as Steve Kroft reports, they are very much alive when it comes to earning money for their estates.

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by susan20394 October 19, 2009 9:35 AM EDT
If the Jackson family hasn?t yet brought Roesler and his company on as their agent, they need to right away. It would be a shame if the greatest celebrity of all time, didn?t have someone like Roesler protecting them.
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by susan20394 October 19, 2009 9:35 AM EDT
I am an intellectual property from overseas and I came to our annual Intellectual Property convention in San Diego a couple of years ago. Mr. Roesler was our keynote speaker and he captivated the 10,000 attorneys from around the world with his interesting story and ideas on what celebrities, both living and deceased should be doing to protect his name and likeness.
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by RunnerDan26 October 19, 2009 1:17 AM EDT
How much does our government pay to a celebrity's estate for permission to generate a commemorative stamp?

"Roesler has licensed more than 200 deals with the US Postal Service."
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by October 18, 2009 12:04 PM EDT
What Mark Roesler and CMG did for famous celebrities is amazing. He and his company CMG are real pioneers. I really enjoyed their site http://cmgworldwide.com and it was very informative on the legalities involved with celebrities.
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by staceywhitmore October 17, 2009 11:42 PM EDT
Wow.....this is really impressive what Mark Roesler has done. His website www.MarkRoesler.com is really amazing too because it shows how he created the business and tells all about the history of the "right of publicity".
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by crankorama September 29, 2009 1:43 PM EDT
I don't know how much income Casey Stengel has generated for his new agent; but they could have spelled his name correctly.
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by ocotillo169 September 29, 2009 11:34 AM EDT
The failure of 60 minutes to mention Bela Lugosi Jr and his case before the California Supreme Court is just lazy journalism. He lost the case but within several years, lobbied to have the California legislature change the law in 1985. I am not a lawyer but this is just basic research and knowledge. 60 minutes needs to hit the books before starting a story.
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by sssrdja September 29, 2009 5:48 AM EDT
Easier to find a job if you are dead !
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by lglobsrvr September 28, 2009 9:38 AM EDT
For the best information available about the laws concerning deceased personalities, visit http://www.RightofPublicity.com where you can find landmark cases, the laws of various states, news items and insight.
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by cookingguy September 28, 2009 5:21 AM EDT
As not only a life time collector but also an admirer of the talents of some of the celebs profiled in this segment, i watched with particular interest. I strongly feel that icons should be protected from exploitation and that they should have a "representative" here on Earth. I did however find some of the comments distasteful and disrespectful..and i would suggest that the element missing from at least one of the gentlemen interviewed is respect for the deceased, who were, after all, human beings. I think there are other ways to get his point across without comments such as referring to one of the greatest opera legends of all time not wearing panties..and that obvious reference to and attempt to equate Callas to a well known talentless pop tart is particularly repulsive. He came across as smug and smarmy..and unfortunately ended what was an interesting story idea on a distasteful note. Perhaps a little respect for those he never knew who are providing him with a steady income would be in order.
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by jeffdev September 28, 2009 1:26 AM EDT
I was sorry to see that this story never questioned the appropriateness of its assumption. Was there no one who wondered whether the pre-1980s status quo was in fact the proper situation? Ought dead celebrities' estates, in fact, get to control the likenesses of the deceased? What are the copyright issues? Can the Abraham Lincoln estate claim control over his likeness? If you ever do a follow-up, perhaps you might honestly discuss these issues, instead of doing a puff piece on theatrical agents who lobby state legislatures in order to ensure long-term profits for themselves.
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by ccuddihy September 27, 2009 11:48 PM EDT
I can't imagine a better candidate for the 60 Minutes/Vanity Fair poll question... what is the most representative American business. Is there really any American product more iconoclastic than our dead celebrities?
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by craigjames007 September 27, 2009 10:36 PM EDT
Regarding the first comment I would like to enlighten the writer by stating the following; Mr. Jackson was a celebrity of gigantic proportions and no stranger to negative publicity for things far more serious than his debts or financial problems. The fact that you object to a story that is factual and is obviously a topic that will draw viewers is of no consequence. Marilyn Monroe has certainly been potrayed as a pathetic figure yet you don't object to her ability to draw income over 40 years after her death. I suggest that you get agitated over more relevant issues that are before us all and don't cry for Michael Jackson or his ilk. Michael is responsible for his life and his death and 60 Minutes will continue to air relevant stories until we viewers stop watching. I praise the work of 60 Minutes and will continue to watch.
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by symba45 September 27, 2009 9:29 PM EDT
You people in the media can be so insensitive. Michael just passed away 3 months ago with his family and fans still hurting and you refer to him as a working stiff. Why do you care about his finances?
Why didn't you do this to Farrah Fawcett or any other recently deceased celebrity. I bet this wasn't done to Elvis this soon after his death. The media is still dissing Michael. Why won't it stop?
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