low graphics version | feedback | help
| Front Page World UK UK Politics Business Sci/Tech Health Education Sport |
| Entertainment |
|
New Music Releases |
| Talking Point In Depth AudioVideo |
|
 BBC's Jane Hughes in New York"Millions of dollars are at stake"  real 28k |
Harry Potter books 'plagiarised'
J K Rowling: Reported to have made £25m fortune
An American author is claiming damages from the writer and publishers of the hugely successful Harry Potter books, which she says plagiarised her own work.
Nancy Stouffer, of Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, argues in her federal lawsuit that ideas for the Potter series were lifted from a book she wrote in 1984.
Nancy Stouffer, of Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, argues in her federal lawsuit that ideas for the Potter series were lifted from a book she wrote in 1984.
Similarities |
Harry Potter (Rowling); Larry Potter (Stouffer)
Muggle: what wizards call humans (Rowling); little people who care for orphans (Stouffer)
Lily Potter (Rowling) Lilly Potter (Stouffer)
|
Three books about Harry Potter, a young orphaned wizard,
have sold 19 million copies in the United States, and a
fourth is due for release in July.
British author J K Rowling has become a cult figure in her own right among the novels' readers.
A movie is being made from the first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.
But Nancy Stouffer says she should get credit for the creation of Harry Potter; she argues that J K Rowling lifted ideas from her 1984 book The Legend of Rah and Muggles, which includes a character called Larry Potter.
Muggles is the word wizards use for humans in the Harry Potter books, but Nancy Stouffer says she coined the term; she says she has a character called Lilly Potter in her novel; there's a Lily Potter in J K Rowling's books.
Trademark - Muggle
British author J K Rowling has become a cult figure in her own right among the novels' readers.
 Harry Potter: Bookish, bespectacled hero
|
But Nancy Stouffer says she should get credit for the creation of Harry Potter; she argues that J K Rowling lifted ideas from her 1984 book The Legend of Rah and Muggles, which includes a character called Larry Potter.
Muggles is the word wizards use for humans in the Harry Potter books, but Nancy Stouffer says she coined the term; she says she has a character called Lilly Potter in her novel; there's a Lily Potter in J K Rowling's books.
Trademark - Muggle
I think coincidences happen, but I still say if it looks
like a duck and acts like a duck, it's a duck  |
Nancy Stouffer
|
She also also claims to own the trademark to the
word muggle.
In Stouffer's book, 'muggles' are little people who care for two orphaned boys who magically turn their dark homeland into a happy place.
In Rowling's books, 'muggles' is the word wizards use for humans.
No settlement
Ms Stouffer filed the lawsuit in the US District Court against Rowling and Scholastic Inc., the US publisher of the Harry Potter books.
Her lawsuit also names Time Warner Entertainment Co., which owns the film rights to two of Rowling's Potter books, and Mattel and Hasbro, which have the merchandising licences.
In Stouffer's book, 'muggles' are little people who care for two orphaned boys who magically turn their dark homeland into a happy place.
In Rowling's books, 'muggles' is the word wizards use for humans.
No settlement
Ms Stouffer filed the lawsuit in the US District Court against Rowling and Scholastic Inc., the US publisher of the Harry Potter books.
Her lawsuit also names Time Warner Entertainment Co., which owns the film rights to two of Rowling's Potter books, and Mattel and Hasbro, which have the merchandising licences.
Unfortunately,
success often leads to frivolous claims |
Publisher's spokeswoman
|
Scholastic, Rowling and Time Warner filed their own
lawsuit in November in New York, asking a judge to rule
that the Harry Potter books do not violate Stouffer's
trademark and copyright.
That suit was filed after attempts by the US writer to negotiate an out-of-court settlement.
Ms Stouffer's claims are "completely meritless," said Judy Corman, a spokeswoman for Scholastic.
"Unfortunately, success often leads to frivolous claims, and we're confident the court will find in our favour."
J K Rowling plans to write a total of seven books about her hero, ending the series when he leaves school at the age of 17.
That suit was filed after attempts by the US writer to negotiate an out-of-court settlement.
Ms Stouffer's claims are "completely meritless," said Judy Corman, a spokeswoman for Scholastic.
"Unfortunately, success often leads to frivolous claims, and we're confident the court will find in our favour."
J K Rowling plans to write a total of seven books about her hero, ending the series when he leaves school at the age of 17.
|
Search BBC News Online |
|
|
 Advanced search options | |
| |
 | |
 | |
| |
|
| BBC RADIO NEWS |
| |
| |
 | BBC ONE TV NEWS |
| |
| |
| WORLD NEWS SUMMARY |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| PROGRAMMES GUIDE |
See also:
Internet links:
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites
Links to other Entertainment stories are at the foot of the page.
E-mail this story to a friend
~RS~a~RS~international~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~13~RS~)