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Cher v. Forum International, Ltd., 213 USPQ 96 (CD Cal
1982). The court recognized the fair market value of Cher's
name and picture appearing in a single advertisement for
Forum magazine as $100,000. The entertainer had never
agreed to endorse the publication. Cher was awarded total
damages of $325,000 plus costs and attorney's fees.
Apple Corps Ltd v. Leber, 229 USPQ 1015 (Cal Super 1986).
The "Beatlemania" case involved an award of
$7.5 million based on "the reasonable value of what
the defendant has taken" - the value of a license
from the Beatles, for the performances by Beatles imitators
and a movie made of the performance. 
Sinatra v. National Enquirer, Inc., 854 F2d 1191 (9th
Cir 1988). This case involved a Swiss medical clinic which
planted a false story in the National Enquirer that Frank
Sinatra had received treatment at the clinic. Court awarded
$350,000 in compensatory damages for the unlicensed use
of his name and $100,000 in punitive damages.
Joe
Frazier v. South Florida Cruises 19 USPQ 2d 1470 (ED pa
1991) This case involved a cruise line which falsely advertised
that the boxing champion would be vacationing on the ship.
The jury awarded Frazier $45,000 "for the commercial
value of his name in this context." 
Waits v. Frito-Lay, Incorporated, 978 F2d 1093, 23 USPQ2d
1721 (9th Cir 1992) In Waits, singer Tom Waits was granted
$100,000 for the "fair market value" of his
voice when Frito-Lay imitated his distinctive vocal sound
in a Doritos chip advertisement. Waits was awarded total
damages of $2.5 million, including punitive damages and
attorney's fees. 
Ventura
v. Titan Sports, 65 F.3d 725 (8th Cir 1995). In this case,
the court awarded the former professional wrestler turned
politician Jesse Ventura $810,000 as compensation for
his right of publicity performance rights embodies in
nine videotapes that were sold based on an expert witness'
testimony as to the going market rate for video royalties
paid to performers in similar circumstances.
Most recently, the case of Dustin Hoffman v. Capital Cities/ABC,
Inc., shows that the fair market value of a celebrity
is on the increase. While the decision by the U.S. District
Court in 1999 was overturned by Hoffman v. Capital Cities/ABC,
Inc., 255 F. 3d 1180 (9th Cir. 2001), the appellate decision
turned on First Amendment issues, and did not involve
an examination of the lower court's determination of Mr.
Hoffman's fair market value. As such, the lower court
decision is still useful in this context. By using a still
shot of Dustin Hoffman in his role as Tootsie which was
then digitally altered to make it appear as though Hoffman
was wearing a Richard Tyler gown and Ralph Lauren heels,
Los Angeles Magazine was found to have infringed on Hoffman's
right of publicity. In part, this was due to the fact
that the fashion designers who were promoted through this
use were primary advertisers of the publication. Further,
this is the type of use for which celebrities and models
are routinely compensated. However, the appeal turned
on whether the use was protected by the First Amendment,
with certain elements of parody. The lower court, in holding
for Hoffman, ruled that Hoffman was entitled to compensatory
damages in the amount of $1,500,000, "which represents
the fair market value of the right to utilize Mr. Hoffman's
name and likeness in the manner in which it was used by
Los Angeles Magazine." 
