Roger Corman is famous in Hollywood as one of the film industry’s most successful and prolific directors and producers, but now in a sad twist, the adult children of the 91-year-old director of the original “Little Shop of Horrors” that gave a young Jack Nicholson an early break are in a court battle over $100 million in family trusts.
Two sons allege their mother, Julie, who has been married to Corman since 1970, has “berated and abused” the man who either directed or produced dozens of films, including “The Raven, “The Haunted Palace,” “The Man with the X-ray Eyes,” “Blood Bath,” “The Trip,” “Piranha,” “Smokey Bites the Dust,” “Slumber Party Massacre II,” “Masque of the Red Death,” “Frankenstein Unbound,” “Dracula Rising,” “Death Race” and “Bucket of Blood.”
As part of the fight over the family trusts, the brothers apparently want the “fair market rent” for the Cormans’ $16 million home overlooking the Riviera County Club, despite the fact the parents still live there. Control of the home may have been shifted to the Corman children under terms of the parents’ trusts.
Julie Corman has refused to vacate the property even though the terms of the residence trusts that allow her and her husband to occupy the property have expired, the brothers’ petition states.
Corman mentored such film directors as Francis Ford Coppola, Ron Howard, Martin Scorsese, Jonathan Demme and James Cameron. He also helped start the acting careers of Peter Fonda and Nicholson.
Two daughters of Corman lost a round when a judge denied their motion to dismiss a petition brought by two of their brothers who allege their mother is trying to undermine their interests in the family’s trusts.
Roger Martin Corman and Brian William Corman are asking a judge to determine their rights as co-trustees and beneficiaries. The assets of the trust include a multimillion-dollar mansion in Santa Monica.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Clifford Klein on Friday denied a motion by Catherine Ann Corman and Mary Tessa Corman to throw out the petition brought Aug. 23 by their brothers. The sisters alleged in their court papers that there was no “statutory authority” in support of their siblings’ action.
Klein issued his ruling “without prejudice,” meaning the sisters can bring the motion again later if the circumstances warrant them doing so. He did not rule on the brothers’ petition, saying he needed more information. Another hearing was scheduled Feb. 5.
Roger Martin Corman and Brian William Corman maintain that Julie Corman has “berated and abused” her 91-year-old husband to force him to succumb to her wishes” and prevented him from carrying out his wishes regarding their children.
“The origin of Julie’s abuse of her family, and the reason for her about-face regarding the irrevocable trusts that she helped to establish with (her husband) for the benefit of their children, stems from her belief that she and Roger W. have been too generous, at her expense, in providing for their children,” according to the petition.
Corman and his wife set up three irrevocable trusts: the Pacific Trust, the Tessa Trust, and the MG Trust. Their children are now adults and the trusts assets are purportedly worth more than $100 million. The couple also established qualified personal residence trusts.
The brothers want a judge to determine their rights and obligations as beneficiaries and co-trustees regarding the home where the filmmaker and his wife live. They seek an order directing the trustees to act “solely in the interest of the beneficiaries in connection with the property,” including that it not be leased for an amount “less than the value of the fair market rent for the property.”
Built in 1938, the home overlooking the Riviera Country Club has seven bedrooms, more than five bathrooms, a swimming pool and a tennis court, according to the brothers’ petition.
The home has an appraised value as great as $16 million, the petition states.
Julie Corman has refused to vacate the property even though the terms of the residence trusts that allow her and her husband to occupy the property have expired, the brothers’ petition states.
–City News Service