Media & Entertainment Law

Randy Quaid Fined and Banned from Actor?s Equity

By Gordon Firemark

Actor Randy Quaid has been fined in the amount of $81,572, and banned from the stage actors? union, Actor?s Equity Association for life, following the union?s investigation and a hearing  to examine his alleged bad behavior during the unsuccessful Seattle run of ?Lone Star Love?, a country musical based on Shakespeare?s ?The Merry Wives of Windsor?, in which the actor played Falstaff.

According to allegations made by his fellow cast members (all of whom filed grievances with the union), Quaid physically and verbally abused them, and engaged in ?oddball? behavior during the rehearsals and run of the musical.

Quaid?s lawyer  reportedly blames the show?s producers for the action, which, he says stems from their attempts to avoid paying Quaid?s contractually guaranteed financial participations, nor to afford him the creative approvals to which he is entitled.

Producers ended up canceling the show?s planned move to Broadway.

Source: Backstage

Full post as published by Entertainment Law Update on February 07, 2008 (boomark / email).