How can a hit television series like "Frasier" gross $1.5 billion and yet be $200 million in the red?
That's the issue at the center of a recent lawsuit filed against Paramount Pictures by two talent agencies seeking answers to how "Frasier" — the Emmy-winning NBC sitcom starring Kelsey Grammer that ran for 11 seasons — can claim that it never turned a net profit even though it was one of the most successful shows in television history.
For its part, Paramount Pictures said it believes the case is "without merit" and promised to vigorously defend its position. But regardless of who's right, the suit filed Sept. 29 in Los Angeles County Superior Court could offer that rare window onto one of Hollywood's juiciest disputes: profit participation.
Details here from the Los Angeles Times.