Disney settles Pixar 'Luxo, Jr.' lamp case

By Eriq Gardner

Anybody who's ever seen an animated film by Disney's Pixar should be familiar with the iconic squeaky desk lamp character featured in the opening credits. 

The character was created by Pixar chief creative officer John Lasseter more than two decades ago for Pixar's first film — an animated short entitled "Luxo, Jr." The short earned an Academy Award nomination, and the character has become an iconic mascot for the studio ever since.

But two months ago, trouble broke out after Disney began selling limited-edition "Luxo Jr." lamps packaged with a Blu-ray version of "Up." There also is a six-foot animatronic version of the lamp at Walt Disney World.

Norwegian lamp-producing giant Luxo AS wasn't exactly turned on by Disney's growing commercialization of the lamp. On September 3, Luxo sued Disney for trademark infringement. saying the sale of Pixar lamps would "cause devastating damage to Luxo and dilute the goodwill which Luxo has built up."

Fortunately, Pixar won't have to turn off the lights on its famous character. 

We've learned that the parties have reach an amicable settlement and the lawsuit has been withdrawn. Disney will stay out of the lighting business, and for now we hear that Luxo doesn't have any problem with "artistic renditions" of the lamp.

Pixar may be off the hook — but what about Luxo, Jr.?

Check out this short film produced two weeks ago by CollegeHumor.com where Jr. gets into criminal trouble and ends up being sentenced by a judge to electrocution. Get it?