Clearing names of Deceased individuals?

[Andrew McCarrick]

Is it necessary to clear the names on deceased individuals if they're used in a script? No likenesses or other aspects would be used, just their name. I'm suspecting yes. Just have no idea how to go about it.

 

[Paul Hudson]

Tricky question, really best left up to a legal professional. The usual answer is you can use dead peoples names, however, when they become a trademark or brand say like Elvis their estate will come after you. So, like I said you really need to have this question cleared by legal.

 

[Andrew McCarrick]

Good points. John Lennon is one of the names I'm using, which I just checked up on and is a trademark.

Others are Jackie Onassis and Queen Rania (who is actually alive, any differences there?).

 

[Steve House]

Exactly how are you using the names? If you want to have one character say to another "You look like just like Jackie O in that outfit." I doubt you'd need to clear it. But if you quote Queen Rania as saying your movie was "the best movie I've ever seen" on an advertising poster you might have problems.

 

[Andrew McCarrick]

Here's the lines (in the script):

John Lennon had a sign over his front door that read 'This is not here'. Or at least I think so. I saw it in a video.

Well, one of the strangest words is pulchritude. It means feminine beauty, or loveliness. But it's not a pretty word. I mean, who would associate it with say, Jackie Onassis? Or Queen Rania?