High court steers clear of copyright fight over Tarzan

<br>WASHINGTON (AP) _ The Supreme Court has ducked a copyright fight over Tarzan storybooks. <br><br>Justices on Monday rejected an appeal from heirs of illustrator Burne Hogarth, who wanted a share of

Monday, March 22nd 2004, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

WASHINGTON (AP) _ The Supreme Court has ducked a copyright fight over Tarzan storybooks.

Justices on Monday rejected an appeal from heirs of illustrator Burne Hogarth, who wanted a share of the rights to ``Tarzan of the Apes'' and ``Jungle Tales of Tarzan,'' both published in the 1970s.

Tarzan was created by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Long before his death in 1950, Burroughs gave a family corporation control of the Tarzan likeness and rights to his 26 stories. An appeals court had said that the family business was the rightful owner of the two contested books because it commissioned Hogarth to do the illustrations.

The case is Estate of Burne Hogarth v. Edgar Rice Burroughs Inc., 03-1009.