OUCH! 20th Century Fox hit with suit over old Batman series

The daughter of one of the producers of the 1960s Batman television series is suing 20th Century Fox Film Corp. for $4.4. million US, alleging the company kept profits from her.

Deborah Dozier Potter, the daughter of William Dozier, filed the suit this week in Superior Court in Los Angeles, claiming fraud, concealment and breach of contract.

Potter is the heir to her father's estate and holds a percentage of the assets of Greenway Productions, which produced the series that Fox distributed.

The lawsuit says Fox and Greenway signed a contract in the 1960s, but Fox also signed another agreement with ABC, the network that broadcast the popular series starring Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as his sidekick, Robin.

Potter says she came across the contract last year, and it revealed she was entitled to 26 per cent of the net profits from the Fox/ABC deal.

"I wish it could have been avoided," said Potter in reference to the court case.

Fox officials say they do not comment on legal matters.

The series ran from 1966 to 1968 and is recognized by its trademark comic-book look and its camp effects, with wordsspelled out — including "POW!" and "BAM!"— when punches landed.

Some of the show's most popular villains included Julie Newmar as Catwoman, Burgess Meredith as the Penguin and Cesar Romero as the Joker.