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Schwarzenegger sues over 'Terminator' slot machine LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Arnold Schwarzenegger has sued International Game Technology Inc. for the unauthorized use of his picture and voice on a Terminator-themed slot machine, the actor's attorney said Tuesday.
In his lawsuit filed Thursday in Los Angeles, Schwarzenegger, who played the title character in the two ''Terminator'' movies, accuses IGT of using his likeness and voice on machines and in advertisements and other marketing materials.
IGT spokesman Rick Sorensen had no comment on the lawsuit, but said the Reno-based company is producing the ``Terminator'' games under licenses with Canal Plus in France, a unit of Vivendi Universal and Creative Licensing Corp. in Los Angeles.
Regardless of any licenses, however, third parties are not allowed to use actors' voices or likenesses without their permission, said Schwarzenegger's attorney Marty Singer.
``They may claim to have the right from a third party, but my client never gave those rights that his photos could be used and has never consented to the use of his voice.''
The suit seeks more than $20 million in damages, which is the amount Schwarzenegger believes he could have received had he approved a similar licensing agreement, Singer said.
IGT is the nation's largest slot-machine maker, with more than 50 percent of the market and more than $1 billion in revenues during its last fiscal year.
A similar high-profile case pitted John Ratzenberger and George Wendt -- the actors who played drinking buddies Cliff and Norm, respectively, on the popular television comedy ''Cheers'' -- against Paramount Pictures, which licensed theme bars in airports to install life-sized robots modeled after the pair without their permission.
That lawsuit was settled out of court in June. The actors had claimed that Paramount, a unit of Viacom Inc. , violated a California law giving people exclusive control over the commercial use of their likeness.
Reuters/Variety REUTERS
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