Paul Hogan has filed a lawsuit against popular Australian burger joint Grill’d for using one of his famous lines on a knife sleeve.
Mr Hogan has objected to the use of his iconic “That’s not a knife, that’s a knife” line on a knife sleeve used by Grill’d. The line is from 1986’s Crocodile Dundee film in which Hogan’s bushman character wields a bowie knife against a group of muggers in the USA while speaking the line.
The Grill’d knife sleeves feature the famous line in small print, attributing it to “Mick Dundee”, the name of Hogan’s character in the classic film.
In the Federal Court hearing, Mr Hogan declared that Grill’d had made a misleading or false implication that the use of the line was endorsed by him and/or his company: Rimfire Films. Hogan went on to accuse Grill’d of failing to cease and desist the distribution of the knife sleeves, breaching copyright law.
Hogan, a movie star and millionaire is seeking a successful injunction against Grill’d, preventing them from continuing to use the sleeve and forcing them to pay damages for neglecting the Copyright Act.
Hogan seeks the damages charge to be moved up to “exemplary damages” due to his accusations that Grill’d acted with “flagrant disregard” for his rights and for copyright law. Hogan’s claim states Grill’d refused to cooperate with removing the cutlery sleeves knowing that it would cause him financial damage and that they must be “restrained”.
Mr Hogan has claimed that his famous line, referred to in his claim document as the “knife line” has value because of its reach to consumers of his films. He has accused Grill’d of using the line without seeking licensing from him or Rimfire Films, the rights holders to Crocodile Dundee.
Mr Hogan submitted to the court that Crocodile Dundee was written by himself and Ken Shadie with the merchandising rights being handed to Rimfire Films in 1985.
Grill’d have not yet filed a legal defence but its owner has commented on the situation.
Simon Crowe, the founder of Grill’d has stated he is bemused by the lawsuit and would rather sit down, resolving the manner over a burger. Mr Crowe claims he is quite astounded by the lawsuit and thinks it is unnecessary.
Hogan’s lawyer has not relented in the attack against Grill’d, rejecting notions that the line has transcended copyright law to become an Australian owned phrase. Hogan and his estate reaffirmed that the inclusion of the line on the knife sleeve was obviously an attempt to falsely associate the business with Paul Hogan and his reputation.