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Parody And Burlesque -- Fair Use Or Copyright Infringement?, Law Review Staff

Vanderbilt Law Review

In Columbia Broadcasting System v. Loew's, Inc.,' the Supreme Court of the United States aroused great concern in the entertainment world when it affirmed (by an evenly divided court) a lower court decision enjoining CBS from producing a television burlesque by comedian Jack Benny of the motion picture Gaslight. Plaintiff Loew's had claimed an infringement of their copyright. CBS countered with the contention that their parody was a "fair use" of plaintiff's work. In affirming, the Supreme Court, in its initial consideration of this issue, placed its imprimatur upon a decision which takes the position that parody and burlesque do …