Anschutz gets final check from Cussler in 'Sahara' case

Business tycoon Philip Anschutz has received his final check from author Clive Cussler, but it may not be the end of their long and bitter legal battle.

The $8.1 million payment Anschutz got today is the remainder of money he won in a multimillion-dollar judgment against Cussler that stemmed from a fight over the 2005 action film "Sahara."

In 2007, a Los Angeles Superior Court jury found that Cussler breached his contract with the movie's producers and awarded Anschutz's production company Crusader Entertainment (now known as Bristol Bay Productions) $5 million. Subsequently, the court also awarded Anschutz's movie company $13.9 million in legal fees and $500,000 for additional costs, plus interest.

Today, Anschutz's attorneys notified the court that Bristol Bay had collected a total of $20.9 million from Cussler, including the final $8.1 million check.

"This is the culmination of a very long process where Anschutz and his company made sure their rights were vindicated," said Anschutz's attorney Marvin Putnam, "and the final payment is a direct statement toward that vindication."

But Cussler's attorney Bertram Fields said the final chapter is far from written since the case is pending appeal.

"They collected the judgment. But if, as I believe, the judge's decision is reversed on appeal, then they'll have to pay all that money back with interest," Fields said, adding, "The court hasn't set a date yet for argument so we're far from the end."

Putnam responded by saying he admires his opponent's "conviction," but that he doesn't think Fields and his client stand a chance. "They've lost at every single turn, so I don't see how there's going to be a reversal of fortune," he told The Times.

Early into his foray into Hollywood in 2001, Anschutz, who made his fortune in gas, telecommunications, sports and real estate, made a deal to buy the movie rights for Cussler's Dirk Pitt series of books at a price of $10 million each.

But the partnership went awry in January 2004 after Cussler sued Anschutz's company over the big-screen version of the first novel in the series, "Sahara," saying the producers failed to honor his contractual rights guaranteeing him "sole and absolute" approval over the screenplay.

Anschutz countersued, alleging that Cussler fraudulently inflated sales numbers for the Pitt series and that the author failed to promote "Sahara" as promised. The movie, which starred Matthew McConaughey and Penelope Cruz and was released by Paramount Pictures, turned out to be a costly flop.

--Claudia Eller

Top photo: Clive Cussler confers with attorney Bert Fields in Los Angeles Superior Court in 2007. Credit: Gary Friedman, Los Angeles Times. Bottom photo: Philip Anschutz. Credit: Matthew Staver, Bloomberg News.

Comments

[Nick Kitt]

Cussler got everything he deserved in this. He failed to honor a contract,he lied in court,he wasted 12 weeks of the LA Superior Court's time with nothing more then a vanity suit,made most of his fans and reading public unhappy,and embarrassed himself in public court. It was already agreed that the loser would pay all legal fees and,in case anyone didn't notice,Judge Shook was not exactly thrilled with Cussler. And Bert Fields thinks he's getting a reversal in appeal ? When is Cussler going to wake up and stop throwing good money after bad and stop paying this clown and apologize to everyone for wasting their time.

[Bert Fields]

Evidently Mr. Putnam has forgotten what happened at the trial. His client lost all seven of its tort claims and the jury found against his client on important contract claims as well. As to the appeal, I'm available for a side bet any time.

Bert Fields

[Nick Kitt]

Judging,if you will, from the amount of money awarded to Bristol Bay against Cussler, and the check for $20 million and counting, it doesn't appear the jury considered any torts in favor of Cussler. In fact, there is the inflated book sales which the jury also agreed was fraudulent. And that is a proven tort against Cussler that Anschultz has already acted on. I'll take that bet.