Kokomo Tribune
January 10, 1993
Q one of my favorite films of the past few years ”¢ was Bette Midler‘s “For the Boys.” I heard that a lawsuit was filed against Midler by Martha Raye, accusing Bette of stealing the idea for the film. Is that accurate?–Kim Riordan, Seymour, Conn.
A Though the facts in the case are still in dispute, it is true that Martha Raye, 76, filed a $6 million lawsuit last July against Bette Midler, her production company, 20th Century-Fox and the producers of “For the Boys,” alleging that the 1991 movie–a major box-office flop–was ripped off from a written film treatment of Raye’s life story. According to the comedienne’s lawyers, Fox has admitted that the story was “inspired by Martha Raye’s life.” The studio, however, would not comment.
