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LOUISIANA RECORD

Friday, March 29, 2024

Estate claims 'The Great Debaters' producers were unjustly enriched at family's expense

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SHREVEPORT – The estate of the man portrayed in the movie "The Great Debaters" allege it was never compensated for the use of its decedent's life experiences.

David Wayne Semien, as the succession representative of Arthur Tolson, legal guardian of Antoinette Tolson and agent of Karen Tolson, Kenneth Tolson Sr., Kenneth Tolson Jr. and Delores Tolson, being all living decedents of Melvin B. Tolson, filed a complaint on March 22 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, Shreveport Division against Harpo Films Inc., The Weinstein Co. LLC and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Distribution Co. alleging unjust enrichment.

According to the complaint, the defendants produced the film "The Great Debaters," starring Denzel Washington, based on Melvin B. Tolson's work at Wiley College as a debate coach in the 1930s. The suit states Melvin B. Tolson Jr. offered to the producers several recordings of his father so that Washington could use the recordings to study him. The Tolson estate alleges it was not compensated in any monetary way for the defendants’ commercial use of the decedent's name and unique life experiences.

The plaintiff holds Harpo Films Inc., The Weinstein Co. LLC and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Distribution Co. responsible because the defendants allegedly used decedent's name and unique life experiences in the making and distribution of the biographical film without decedent's heirs' authorization.

The plaintiffs seek all damages, with interest, costs, reasonable attorney fees, and all other legal, general and equitable relief. He is represented by Scott D. Wilson in Baton Rouge.

U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, Shreveport Division Case number 5:17-cv-00432

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