William Shatner wants charitable donation to end Television City condo dispute
CBC News | Posted: November 28, 2017 1:22 PM | Last Updated: November 28, 2017
TV star objected to the use of his name and likeness to help promote a Hamilton condo building
William Shatner says he would like Toronto condo developer Brad Lamb to make a donation to his charity to settle a dispute over the use of the Montreal-born actor's name and image to promote an upcoming condo in Hamilton.
Last week, Shatner objected to the use of his name and likeness to help promote a million-dollar, two-bedroom penthouse.
He said he didn't recall giving permission to Lamb to use his name and image as promotional tools. Shatner had tweeted a price list that showed various condo units named after such Hollywood stars as Lucille Ball, Bob Barker, Jay Leno, Mr. T and Betty White.
The project, which is proposed on the site of CHCH's current headquarters on Jackson Street West, listed sample floor plans with prices for suites named after TV celebrities on its website. It also included caricatures of the stars it was channelling.
In a statement to CBC News last week, Lamb said he intended the move to be a playful homage to TV stars he admired, but said he would remove the names from the materials.
Shatner replied on Tuesday, saying removing his name doesn't exonerate Lamb for damages for using his brand in a commercial venture.
The 86-year-old actor, whose high-profile role as Captain Kirk in the Star Trek franchise has made him a cultural icon, is asking Lamb for a "nice big donation" for his charity in lieu of having to talk to his lawyers.
In a response sent to Shatner on Twitter Tuesday afternoon, Lamb said his company contributes to "multiple charities, so I would be more than happy to discuss your charity offline."
"Please feel free to contact me anytime through my office," he wrote.
Shatner's name was among those originally listed for the project, advertising a two-bedroom, 1,370-square-foot unit that's priced at $1,023,900.