Sabrina in Court

1958

18 May 1958

SABRINA CAUGHT SPEEDING

LONDON, Saturday (AAP.Reuter) - Bosomy, blonde entertainer Sabrina was fined £2 yesterday for speeding in Green Park, London.

The 21-year-old Sabrina, who was charged in her real name of Norma Ann Sykes, also had her driving licence endorsed.

Sabrina did not appear in Court, but pleaded guilty and apologised for the trouble she had caused.

Police Constable Gordon Powell said she was travelling at 45 m.p.h.

When stopped, Sabrina said: "I didn't realise I was going that fast."

Her car registration number is S41—her bust measurement.

1958

Sabrina is named as co-respondent in the divorce between Paul Carpenter and his wife.

The case was dropped before Sabrina could tell her side of the story.

Hear Sabrina discuss the trial in our interview.

Read the press clippings.

1958

In 1958, Robert Muller's novel Cinderella Nightingale was released. Sabrina the author and publisher for libel and all copies of the book were withdrawn from sale (except for Australia where I found a hardback first edition!) Later, Sabrina took action to stop the filming of the book.

Read the whole curious incident of Sabrina and Cinderella Nightingale.

1959

Sabrina Trademark confusion? From a page entitled TRADE MARKS LIKELY TO DECEIVE OR CAUSE CONFUSION.

4.1 For the ground for rejection to exist, the ordinary person should reasonably expect some connection between the organisation or person and the goods or services for which registration is sought. See, for example, "Sabrina", Charles Kidd & Co's Application., (1959) 24 AOJP 1988. In the case of the name of a well known person there should be a good reason why a connection would be attributed by the appropriate public between the goods or services and the person.

In the above case Sabrina was a famous entertainer renowned for her outstanding physical attributes and the product for which registration was sought was a bust development cream. It was held by the Registrar that an ordinary person would believe that the goods were endorsed by the artist.

Advertisement found (30 Sep 2011) in Adam magazine (Australia), September 1964

1960

12 August 1960 - Earl Wilson

Sabrina, the busty English star, will sue her landlord, who "doesn't want theatrical people."

 

Sabrina Sues for Hair Goof - By Dorothy Kilgallen

Sabrina, the British glamour girl, is suing the Flamingo hotel in Las Vegas for $150,000, claiming her hair was turned blue in the hostelry's beauty parlor and the goof cost her an important movie job.

 

1961

There's a stripteaser around using the name Sabrina. "It’s hard enough trying to play down my statistics, let alone having to play down being a stripper." Sabrina's going to court, or something, to prevent that other Sabrina from calling herself Sabrina.

1963

18 October 1963 - Daily Express

SABRINA'S SOLVENT SAYS MOTHER

MRS. ANN SYKES, mother of blonde actress Sabrina, said yesterday: " My daughter is fully solvent"

She had just heard of a bankruptcy petition filed against Sabrina — real name Norma Sykes — by the Pall Mall solicitors, M. A. Jacobs and Sons. It is in respect of legal work done for Sabrina.

Mrs. Sykes said: "I cannot understand this at all. Some months ago she paid the solicitors £250. Then on Monday her father sent them another cheque for £100. My daughter will be very upset when she hears about the petition. She certainly isn't bankrupt."

Mr. Nat Berlin, Sabrina's agent, said she was being paid "top money" for the cabaret tour she is now doing in South Africa.

Mr. David Jacobs, a partner inthe solicitors' firm, said yesterday: "We issued a writ against Miss Sykes last May. A cheque arrived in this office last night. But now the petition has been filed the matter is in the hands of the Registrar of the Bankruptcy Court."

The hearing in chambers is fixed for November 27.

DAILY EXPRESS 12 NOV 1963

Sabrina pays up

A petition in bankruptcy against Sabrina — Miss Norma Sykes — has been withdrawn because the debt, as the result of a High Court Judgment concerning monies paid on her behalf, has been paid, it was stated yesterday.

1968

1 August 1968 - The News – Van Nuys, California

English actress Sabrina has been ordered to pay $250 for night club material she claimed is risqué.

The ruling by Municipal Court Commissioner Arland J. Myhrvold came on a suit against Sabrina by musical comedy writer Pearl Rowe 37, of 4233 Jasmine Ave., Culver City.

Mrs Rowe sought $1500 which she claimed was due her under a 1962 contract to write material for the actress' night club act.

Sabrina, 26, of Woodland Hills, countersued for $1500, claiming she gave Mrs. Howe a $500 down payment and spent $1200 for an arranger only to find out that the lyrics were not suitable.

Sabrina's testimony was supported by famed composer and musical director Fred Karger, who testified he felt Mrs. Howe's lyrics were "smutty".

Commissioner Myhrvold, after reviewing the songs, said he found "the material is not in the best taste" but ordered the actress to pay $250 plus interest since Mrs Rowe had performed some of her duties.

The commissioner pointed out Sabrina was probably aware of the material's contents, but did not complain until she tried the material out at the Rainbow Room in Long Beach in September 1962 and found the audience was not receptive.

No money was awarded Sabrina (sic), who was represented by Atty. Robert Eaton. Mrs. Howe's attorney was Clifford Dicker.

 

1986

Sabrina and/or ex-husband Harold Melsheimer were involved in legal action related to "commodity straddle transactions" against the American tax office.

In http://www.loislaw.com/livepublish8923/doclink.htp?alias=USTAX&cite=87+T.C.+1087, BARRY S. GLASS AND SHIRLEY P. GLASS, ET AL. PETITIONERS v COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, RESPONDENT, in 1986, there is a 1206 page document which lists "Harold L. Melsheimer and Sabrina [...], docket No. 11780-80" as petitioners in a London Metals Exchange matter - with 842 other petitioners.

One of these days I might spend the time to find out what was going on there! It was dated 9 years after their divorce in 1977.

Sabrina was again cited as a legal precedent in
FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA, McCorquodale v Masterson [2004] FCA 1247

In Sabrina Trade Mark, the opponent was a well-known British actress, who worked under the name “Sabrina”. She opposed the registration of her name as a mark for a cosmetic cream for bust development. The objection arose under s 26 of the Trade Marks Act 1955 (Cth), which required the consent of a living person where the name of that person was used as a trade mark. The applicant for registration submitted that Sabrina was not the name of a “living person” for the purposes of this provision. As to this, the Deputy Registrar of Trade Marks said, at 1990:

I am satisfied that the English actress and stage personality Miss Norma Sykes was well-known by her professional name “Sabrina” in Australia before application 137,460 was lodged. I am satisfied that the average member of the Australian purchasing public would, when seeing the word “Sabrina”, immediately think of the stage personality who would be far better known by the word/name “Sabrina”, than she would be as Miss Norma Sykes. I consider also that the average purchaser would, when seeing the name “Sabrina” on goods of the kind claimed by application 137,460, wonder whether the goods had any association with the stage personality whom they knew by the name “Sabrina”. I think that many purchasers might consider that the person well-known by the name “Sabrina” had some direct association with the goods claimed by application 137,460. The motive of the applicants in this matter in adopting the word “Sabrina” as their trade mark would not have any relevance for [the] purposes of this decision.

1994

United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit

Argued and Submitted: Oct. 5, 1994.
Decided: Jan. 25, 1995

Plaintiff [Sabrina] brought an action alleging professional negligence against Dr. K and Dayton General Hospital. In a five day non-jury trial, the district court held that Dr. K was negligent in performing a 1988 back operation on Ms. [Sabrina].

Damages including 'Future Economic Damages' and 'Pain and Suffering' came to a 7 figure settlement, which was reduced to one twelfth due to the previous surgeries which could also have contributed to her injuries.

The court records further state that - "Unfortunately Ms.[Sabrina] was not aware that Dr. K's history consists of allegations of questionable ethics, a disregard for scientific or medical principles, and a series of terminations and severances from several schools and hospitals. Dr. K performed his operation on Ms. [Sabrina] at Dayton General Hospital, the only hospital in the United States where he still had privileges."

2005

After their inaccurate 2003 report on Sabrina's living conditions, Sabrina took action against them. The Mail On Sunday apologises for their silly article.