question re Bill Grandey and Kathy Morby

Lunnan & Hjort brit.lunnan at chello.no
Sun Oct 13 22:45:37 CEST 2002


Bill Grandey and Kathy Morby acted as "the managers of Carl Barks"
from about 1993 to about 1998. G & M were also acting managers of 
"Carl Barks Studio" during this time. 

The full details of these years of relationship between Barks and G&M 
need not be discussed in detail here. Suffice it to say that relations became
strained, Barks wanted to end their business arrangements, which however
seemed to suit G&M, and the case ended up in court (in 1998?). I recall
from seeing transcripts of the court proceedings that "abuse against the
elderly" was an issue, and that Barks quite clearly won the case. G&M were 
told to end their business arrangements with Barks, and had to physically 
move away from Barks. -- After this court fall-out they for some time 
acted as managers for another Disney giant, Marc Davis. 

My curiosity and interest in this late chapter in Barks' life is aroused again 
when I see that G&M have been selling, and are still very actively selling, lots 
and lots of Barks material, via the electronic auction house eBay. They must
have been selling material for several thousands of dollars. Items have
included original art, objects, rare comics signed by Barks, and other 
Barks and Disney-memorabilia. 

I find it natural to inquire (neutrally and politely) how G&M managed to 
come in possession of all this material. Did they buy it all from Barks? 
Or were G&M and Barks legally speaking co-owners of Barks' collections
of earlier art, comics, books, etc.? 

My intention is not to open the gates for simplistic speculations or to initiate
Olympian jumps to conclusions.  I would like to learn simple facts about how 
the Carl Barks Studio ended, what rights Barks were awarded, what rights G&M 
were awarded, what G&M were told by law to do and not to do in 1998 -- these 
should be public facts, available (for example) from official transcripts of the court 
case. Perhaps someone here has name and address of the lawyer(s) who 
represented Barks then. 

Feel also free to communicate to/with me privately, in case you consider what 
you'd like to say does not suit the DCML. 

Nils Lid Hjort / nils at math.uio.no 




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