Donna Douglas, the actress who portrayed the mischievous young Elly May Clampett in the 1960s TV series The Beverly Hillbillies, has concluded her lawsuit against Mattel, the toy company that produced a Barbie doll modeled after her character.
This year, 78-year-old Donna filed the lawsuit in May 2011—an unusual legal case. She claimed that everything she wore as Elly May— the checkered shirt, tight jeans, hairstyle, and more—was reproduced in the new Barbie doll, yet Mattel had never obtained her permission to use her name for marketing the product. She sought damages of USD 300,000.
“They used my likeness, name, and image without authorization to market and sell the ‘Elly May’ Barbie,” she stated.
According to Donna’s attorney, the case was settled on December 27, 2011, under confidential terms. The lawyer declined to comment on the details of the agreement, and Mattel’s California headquarters also offered no comment.
The Beverly Hillbillies was once among the most beloved TV shows in America, still enjoyed more than 40 years after it first aired.
