This undated file photo shows American author John Steinbeck, winner of the 1940 Pulitzer Prize for his novel "The Grapes of Wrath." (AP Photo, File)
LOS ANGELES (AP) --
A federal jury in Los Angeles has awarded John Steinbeck's stepdaughter more than $13 million in a lawsuit claiming the author's son and daughter-in-law impeded film adaptations of his classic works.
The jury on Tuesday found in favor of Waverly Scott Kaffaga, who had alleged that long-running litigation over the Steinbeck's estate prevented her from making the most of his copyrights. She claimed remakes of "The Grapes of Wrath" and "East of Eden" fell apart.
Kaffaga said in a statement that the verdict upholds the Steinbeck estate's mission of sharing his legacy with the world.
Messages seeking comment from defense attorneys were not immediately returned.
Kaffaga, daughter of the late author's third wife, sued the estate of stepbrother Thomas Steinbeck, who died last year, his widow and their company.
Television producer Mark Burnett, left, looks on as President Donald Trump arrives for the National Prayer Breakfast, Feb. 2, 2017, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
Mark Burnett, the power producer who helped reintroduce Donald Trump to a national television audience with "The Apprentice," is being tapped by the president-elect as special envoy to the United Kingdom in his upcoming administration.
"With a distinguished career in television production and business, Mark brings a unique blend of diplomatic acumen and international recognition to this important role," Trump announced Saturday.
Burnett, who was born in London, helped produce hits like "Survivor" and "The Voice," but is perhaps best known for teaming up with Trump for "The Apprentice," which first aired on NBC in 2004.
Trump had been well-known in real estate and pop culture circles for decades. But the show helped again make him a household name — though Trump severed ties with NBC in 2015, the same year he launched his first White House run.
The selection of Burnett continues Trump's trend of filling out his incoming administration with people who have high-profile backgrounds in television or politics, or both — including his choice to be defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, a former co-host of "Fox & Friends Weekend," and ex-television doctor and unsuccessful Senate candidate in Pennsylvania, Mehmet Oz.
Trump's first campaign in 2016 was rocked by allegations about his conduct on "The Apprentice" and other appearances during his association with NBC, notably in footage in which he said he could sexually assault women and get away with it because he was a "star."
Almost a decade after he left his reality TV role, Trump's television career remains central to his biography and political rise. The show presented Trump Tower to tens of millions of people as a symbol of power and success before Trump launched his first... Read More
