C3 Entertainment, Inc., formerly Comedy III Productions, is an
American entertainment and licensing company founded in 1959 by
American comedy act The Three Stooges.Throughout the Three Stooges'
career, Moe Howard acted as both their main creative force and
business manager. Comedy III was formed by Moe, Larry Fine and Joe
DeRita to manage all business and merchandise transactions for the
team, with each stooge holding an equal stake. C3 Entertainment was
basically in the background, with Moe's son-in-law, Norman Maurer
managing the comedy teams' film interests under Normandy Productions,
and merchandising affairs under Norman Maurer Productions. Norman
Maurer died of cancer in 1986.In 1994, the heirs of Larry and Joe
filed a breach-of-contract lawsuit against Moe's family, particularly
Joan Howard Maurer and her son Jeffrey, who had inherited the
NMP/Normandy business. The lawsuit alleged that the Howards had
cheated the DeRita and Fine families out of their share of royalties.
Howard was ordered to pay $2.6 million in damages: $1.6 million was
for compensatory damages to Jean DeRita, while the remaining $1
million was divided between four of Fine's grandchildren. The Fine and
DeRita families were represented by California attorney Bela Lugosi
Jr.The resulting 1994 lawsuit led to the reestablishment of C3 as a
three-way interest of Fine, Howard, and DeRita. The DeRita heirs
received the proxy to the Howard share, giving them majority control
on the company's management. Joe DeRita's stepsons, Robert and Earl
Benjamin, became the senior management of C3, with Lugosi, Jr. serving
as an executive board member for several years. The Benjamins later
incorporated the company, and C3 is currently the owner of all Three
Stooges trademarks and merchandising. Larry's grandson Eric Lamond is
the representative of the Fines' one-third interest in the company.
American entertainment and licensing company founded in 1959 by
American comedy act The Three Stooges.Throughout the Three Stooges'
career, Moe Howard acted as both their main creative force and
business manager. Comedy III was formed by Moe, Larry Fine and Joe
DeRita to manage all business and merchandise transactions for the
team, with each stooge holding an equal stake. C3 Entertainment was
basically in the background, with Moe's son-in-law, Norman Maurer
managing the comedy teams' film interests under Normandy Productions,
and merchandising affairs under Norman Maurer Productions. Norman
Maurer died of cancer in 1986.In 1994, the heirs of Larry and Joe
filed a breach-of-contract lawsuit against Moe's family, particularly
Joan Howard Maurer and her son Jeffrey, who had inherited the
NMP/Normandy business. The lawsuit alleged that the Howards had
cheated the DeRita and Fine families out of their share of royalties.
Howard was ordered to pay $2.6 million in damages: $1.6 million was
for compensatory damages to Jean DeRita, while the remaining $1
million was divided between four of Fine's grandchildren. The Fine and
DeRita families were represented by California attorney Bela Lugosi
Jr.The resulting 1994 lawsuit led to the reestablishment of C3 as a
three-way interest of Fine, Howard, and DeRita. The DeRita heirs
received the proxy to the Howard share, giving them majority control
on the company's management. Joe DeRita's stepsons, Robert and Earl
Benjamin, became the senior management of C3, with Lugosi, Jr. serving
as an executive board member for several years. The Benjamins later
incorporated the company, and C3 is currently the owner of all Three
Stooges trademarks and merchandising. Larry's grandson Eric Lamond is
the representative of the Fines' one-third interest in the company.
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