Wagner claims Angels profits

Wagner starred in the TV series Hart to Hart

Actor Robert Wagner is suing for half the profits from the Charlie's Angels movies because of his involvement in the development of the original TV series.

He believes his role in setting up the 1970s show about female private eyes entitles him to a cut of the millions of dollars the films have generated.

Wagner, who starred in the Hart to Hart TV series, became involved with the Charlie's Angels series with his late wife Natalie Wood when they agreed to star in the TV movie Love Affair.

The film was produced by Aaron Spelling and Leonard Goldberg and they gave Wood and Wagner part interest for five further TV shows, the lawsuit says.

One of these ideas became the Charlie's Angels series, starring Farrah Fawcett, Jaclyn Smith and Kate Jackson.

Financial records

Sony later assumed the rights to the series from Spelling's production company but Wagner says he was never paid his share of the profits from either of the recent blockbuster films.

The films star Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz and Lucy Liu

The first film took more than $125m (£76m) at the US box office while the sequel, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, has so far grossed $67m (£41m).

Wagner's lawsuit demands Sony includes profits from the films in his share of the profits from the TV series.

He also wants financial records handed over for inspection.

"This has to do with whether or not his entitlement to a share in the television series extends to the movie," said Wagner's lawyer Samuel Pryor.

Sony has yet to make a response about the lawsuit.