Raymond Rohauer and Cecil W. Hull v. Killiam Shows, Inc., Killiam Shows, Inc., and Educational Broadcasting Corporation, Defendants

FRIENDLY, Circuit Judge:

This well briefed and argued appeal raises a question of copyright law of first impression. 1 The question is of considerable importance despite the small amount of money here at stake. The issue is this: When the author of a copyrighted story has assigned the motion picture rights and consented to the assignee’s securing a copyright on motion picture versions, with the terms of the assignment demonstrating an intention that the rights of the purchaser shall extend through a renewal of the copyright on the story, does a purchaser which has made a film and obtained a…