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Stephen Fry Adds Name To Those Fighting For The Hobbit Pub Versus Hollywood

The Hobbit

First Posted: 14/03/2012 12:24 Updated: 14/03/2012 15:34   WENN

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Actor Stephen Fry has backed a campaign to save a British pub called The Hobbit after the owners were threatened with a copyright lawsuit.

Lawyers representing the Saul Zaentz Company (SZC), the American firm which owns the copyright to a number of JRR Tolkien's works, have ordered the pub in Southampton, England to change its name or face legal action.

Fry, who stars in the new movie adaptation of JRR Tolkien's book, has now loaned his support to a campaign to save the venue after hearing of the owners' plight.

In a post on Twitter.com, he writes, "Honestly, Save The Hobbit, sometimes I'm ashamed of the business I'm in. What pointless, self-defeating bullying."

The pub has been trading as The Hobbit for more than 20 years and landlady Stella Mary Roberts insists she doesn't have the funds to fight the legal threat, saying, "We were absolutely stunned. It was completely unexpected, we never intended to infringe anyone's copyright.

"Are we doing any harm? I don't think so. We're bringing people to the books and the stories who haven't heard of J.R.R. Tolkien. We don't have the financial resources to fight it - I can't fight Hollywood."

Click here to join the campaign to save The Hobbit pub

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Actor Stephen Fry has backed a campaign to save a British pub called The Hobbit after the owners were threatened with a copyright lawsuit. Lawyers representing the Saul Zaentz Company (SZC), the Am...
Actor Stephen Fry has backed a campaign to save a British pub called The Hobbit after the owners were threatened with a copyright lawsuit. Lawyers representing the Saul Zaentz Company (SZC), the Am...
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Mike Beckett
LibDem Cllr & Director of Caring for Business Ltd
447 Fans
 
05:36 PM on 03/17/2012
The Hobbit is a good venue to visit and I support the campaign to protect it's long held name. I think SZC is damaging it's own public relations by taking on a popular entertainment venue with which many have memories of positive experience and has become something of an institution, only aided by this David vs Goliath narrative SZC have established.
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SpokesT
1 Fans
10:32 AM on 03/15/2012
I painted my garage door green. It has now been brought to my attention that said colour is identical to that of the hat worn by John Wayne in 'The Longest Day', although I had only previously seen the film in black and white and so was none the wiser. Should I rub it down forthwith to avoid the well developed and always perfect American justice thing? Are there any words other than 'Hobbit' that I should avoid? How about 'the'? I heard them say that in Star Wars and would hate for the Force to be used against me.

I think I will defer to the indefinite article from now on just to stay on the safe side. I don't want to get extradited and thrown into a dungeon like the other Brits they get their hands on.
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novelist2000
veritas non olet
195 Fans
03:13 AM on 03/15/2012
Here in Australia, the copyright owners of the Harry Po#%er books came along and told a Melbourne woman: 'Now here's a million $ and then you rename your clothing line and stores." She had operated them since before the books came out and refused. She was taken to court and won. No clothing from the US Harry Potter franchise avalaible in AUS.

It's a pity the publican can't defend it, but theoretically one letter outlining where the word hobbit was used well before Tolkien existed should suffice to make them back off. It also shows that their movie franchise must be in dire need of money. Years ago, the publican could have gone to the franchise owner and get something for advertising THEIR product. The world is truly upside down now.
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moflard
199 Fans
08:01 PM on 03/14/2012
This should be thrown out of court, the word Hobbit dates to the 16th century. What we can't even use our own language now according to the "know the price of everything the value of nothing" Americans?

Are Scots and Irish people going to have to give up the "Mc" in names next, or maybe just change the spelling "McBride" becoming "Mc(tm)Bride"? Time to tell the Americans that their insane copyright and patent laws are invalid outside the borders of their loopy country.
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PaganKMcK
Dems are from Earth; GOP are from Ferenginar
225 Fans
02:53 AM on 03/24/2012
I am an American. I love Tolkien. I hate what is being done here.
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moflard
199 Fans
07:01 AM on 03/24/2012
Yeah.......sorry about the Anti-American stuff.
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Lori Chaslot
22 Fans
05:56 PM on 03/14/2012
Second thought: I'm not sure that SZC can claim to hold the copyright to the word hobbit- it first appeared in print in the 1800's ... http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=Hobbit
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Lori Chaslot
22 Fans
05:42 PM on 03/14/2012
This is not the first time SZC has sued over the use of the word "hobbit". They sued a restaurant in Birmingham (England) called The Hungry Hobbit in November 2011. http://hellshobbits.blogspot.com/2011/11/folklore-v-intellectual-property-rights.html
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HCBurlingame
36 Fans
02:35 PM on 03/14/2012
Years ago a mural at a day care center near Disney studios was painted over for stepping copyright. It had been painted by Walt himself.
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