Marvin told to pay ex- lover $104,000

Press, 20 April 1979, Page 5

Marvin told to pay ex- lover $104,000

NZPA-Reuter Los Angeles Lee Marvin, the American actor, has been ordered by a court to pay his former lover, Michelle Triola Marvin, SUSIO4,OOO to help her prepare for a new life after living with him for six years. y But Judge Arthur Marshall In the Los Angeles Superior Court rejected her claim for SUSI.7SM, half of Marvin’s assets, saying he f ound no contract existed between them to share communal aroperty. Both sides claimed victory (n the first full courtroom *est of the so-called "lover’s Ijiw." which gives live-in couples the right to sue for

communal property when they break up. Lawyers predicted that the decision would lead to an avalanche of similar claims by unmarried people whose partners had walked out on them. Judge Marshall said he was awarding Miss Marvin, who is 46, the SUSIO4,OOO “so that she may return from her status as a com- • panion of a motion picture star to a separate, indepenident but perhaps more projsiac existence." The 62-year-old judge I based his award on the highest salary Miss Marvin ever learned as a singer, SUSIOOO la week. Miss Marvin should be able |to rehabilitate herself in less i than two years by, re-edu-

cating herself or learning new skills, and SUSIOOO a week for two years amounted to SUSIO4,OOO, Judge Marshall said. When the 41-day trial opened, Judge Marshall said Miss Marvin should have to prove there was a contract, or at least an implied contract, between her and the 55-year-old film star to share their property. In her breach-of-contracti suit, Miss Marvin said she gave up her singing and dancing career to perform “housewife-like” duties, including cooking and caring for the actor and giving him love and affection. “No amount of money can ever replace the six years I gave to Lee Marvin" Miss

Marvin told reporters afterwards.

“But this award show’s I was right to stand by my principles,” she said. “I am receiving unemployment benefits now though. I can not really take into my mind such a large amount of money as I have begn awarded. But I feel I accomplished a really wonderful legal victory,” Miss Marvin [added.

Her flamboyant Hollywood [ lawyer. Marvin Mitchelson, told reporters: “Every unmarried couple living together will carefully reexamine their relationship as a result of this decision.”

The tall, grey-haired Marvin, who won a Hollywood Academy Award in 1965 for his role in “Cat Ballou,” and

his wife, his former school sweetheart, Pam Feeley, stayed at their home in Tucson, Arizona, while the decision was announced. But Marvin’s chief lawyer, David Kagon, told reporters: “The fact the judge made clear no contract existed between Lee and Michelle shows our position in opposing Miss Marvin’s claim for compensation for her love was the right one.” Mr Kagon said Marvin had told him by telephone: “I am extremely pleased that the judge decided there was no contract between Michelle and myself to share our property. “I never had any doubt what the decision would be.” The decision came only a day after a similar case

brought against the British rock star, Peter Frampton, by his former lover, Penelope McCall, was thrown out of court by a New York state judge. He said an alleged contract between Frampton and Miss McCall could not be enforced because it was based on adultery. In New York state adultery is illegal.

Several other cases involving entertainment peri sonalities are still pending. They include a claim for. SUSSM brought by a model, Karen Eklund, against Nick Nolte, who starred in “The Deep,” and a claim for $U53,500,000 brought by another model, Cindy Lang, against Alice Cooper, the bizarre rock star.