07.14.09 MAN SUES ABC, CLAIMS HE WROTE ‘LOST’ IN 1977

A man claims that he wrote a 121-page script for ABC called “Lost” that was rejected three times before the network developed a show with the same title and premise without giving him any credit or payment.  As you can imagine, he’s suing.

Anthony Spinner — a producer on “Baretta” and “Babes in Toyland” — says back in 1977 he was paid $30,000 to write a TV pilot, which eventually became a 121-page script called “Lost.”  Spinner is now suing ABC and Touchstone Television, claiming the network passed on the show in ‘77, ‘91 and ‘94 … then suddenly created an exact replica with Touchstone in 2004.

Spinner lists a ton of similarities in his suit — which was filed on July 10 — notably an “airplane headed to Los Angeles [that] crashes into a tropical jungle-like environment.” [...] Spinner tried to sue a few years ago, but it was dismissed for procedural reasons. [TMZ]

You can check out the .pdf here.  While some of the supposed rip-offs are questionable (”Killing off of a lead” — no one’s ever done that before!), it’s pretty hard to argue that a script called “Lost” about plane crash survivors on a tropical island that the network had in its possession didn’t influence a show called “Lost” about plane crash survivors on a tropical island.  If Spinner can’t at least win a settlement, then ABC’s lawyers are straight gangsta.  Or possibly the smoke monster.