Producer Claims ABC Ripped Off "Lost"
Found: Similarities between old script and new show
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It is a small world: Losties Harold Perrineau, Dominic Monaghan, Evangeline Lilly and Matthew Fox at Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., in 2004.
A Hollywood producer claims ABC ripped off his idea for the show "Lost."
Anthony Spinner says that 32 years ago, he wrote a 121-page script that's a pretty much a dead ringer for the primetime hit, TMZ reported:
Spinner is now suing ABC and Touchstone Television, claiming the network passed on the show in '77, '91 and '94 ... then suddenly created an exact replica with Touchstone in 2004.Spinner lists a ton of similarities in his suit -- which was filed on July 10 -- notably an "airplane headed to Los Angeles [that] crashes into a tropical jungle-like environment."
Spinner, who worked as a producer on "Baretta" and "Babes in Toyland," tried to sue in August 2005, but the suit was dismissed for "procedural reasons," Airlock Alpha reported.
According to the suit, other alleged similarities include "cold weather animals in a warm jungle," "female leads with criminal pasts" and the use of flashbacks.
Suspiciously absent from the list are Nikki and Paulo, Jack's tattoo, baby-stealing Charlie, the Drive Shaft diaper commercial and Locke's Vision Quest.
Apparently Spinner didn't come up with any of the stinker episodes.
Posted Thursday, Jul 16, 2009 - 5:15 PM CST
