Producer claims Donny & Marie Osmond pulled off a Vegas heist

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Producer claims Donny & Marie Osmond pulled off a Vegas heist

Thu Oct 07, 2010 @ 11:46AM PST


DonnyMarie2
By Eriq Gardner

A Las Vegas show producer has hurled some pretty outrageous claims at Donny and Marie Osmond.

The duo has developed a nice-guy-nice-gal reputation, but in a new lawsuit the producer of their Vegas stage production paints the couple as "underhanded, devious, fraudulent and greedy."

Earlier this year, Donny and Marie signed a deal to extend their show at the Flamingo Las Vegas for another few years.

Chip Lightman produces the show and claims in a complaint filed Friday in Clark County District Court that the Osmonds engineered a "a plot to defraud the William Morris Agency" of its cut for negotiating the recent contract. After Lightman allegedly refused to sign onto the scheme, Donny is said to have fired him from the production. Lightman's suit seeks unspecified damages for breach of contract, unjust enrichment, fraud and defamation.

The complaint says that the Osmonds are each paid a base salary of $1.6 million and 40 percent of the gross box office from the show.

It's good compensation, but Lightman claims it wasn't enough to support Donny Osmond's taste for good living. 

According to the complaint: "The clear goal of [Osmond's] actions has been to line his own pockets with ill-gotten gains to fund his lavish lifestyle of exotic cars, luxury hotel suites and private jets -- all off the backs and hard work of those who worked tirelessly to support his career."

The Osmonds are represented by L.A. attorney Howard King, who gives us this statement:

"We have not seen the complaint that was reportedly filed by Chip Lightman and are, therefore, unable to comment on any specifics contained therein. Of course, we are surprised and disappointed that Mr. Lightman took such precipitous action, especially in light of the substantial sums he has been paid, despite the facts that he neither created, financed or owns the show, nor does he engage the talented and dedicated people who produce and perform the show each night."

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The Hollywood Reporter, Esq. blog focuses on how the entertainment and media industries are impacted and influenced by the law. It is edited by Matthew Belloni with contributions from veteran legal reporter Eriq Gardner and others. Before joining The Hollywood Reporter, Belloni was a lawyer at an entertainment litigation firm in Los Angeles. He writes a column for THR devoted to entertainment law. Gardner is a New York-based writer and legal journalist. Send tips or comments to [email protected]

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