‘GoodFellas’ Actor Sues Fox for $250 Million, Alleges ‘Simpsons’ Steals His Likeness For Mob Character Louie

In July, Frank Sivero, who played a mobster in "The Godfather Part II" and in "GoodFellas," filed a lawsuit against the owner of a deli in El Cajon, California, for creating a “Frank Carbone” sandwich, using the name of his "GoodFellas" character without his permission. But Sivero apparently now has bigger fish to fry, recently filing a $250 million lawsuit against Fox Television Studios alleging that “The Simpsons” creators stole his likeness for its minor-mobster character Louie, reports Hollywood Reporter.

In 1989, the lawsuit alleges, the writers of "The Simpsons" lived next to Sivero in an apartment complex in Sherman Oaks, California, and “knew he was developing the character he was to play in the movie 'Goodfellas.'” Soon after, among the many characters who lived in fictional Springfield, a mob guy named Louie, who worked for “Fat Tony,” appeared on the scene.

The lawsuit states: “Louie’s appearance and mannerisms are strongly evocative of character actor Frank Sivero."

Sivero alleges that his publicity rights were violated, that his idea was misappropriated, and that the defendants have interfered with his prospective economic advantage. In addition, by stealing his likeness and his idea, the defendants “diluted the value of the character created by plaintiff, and contributed to the typecasting of Sivero.

The $250 million includes $50 million in actual damage loss of his likeness, $100 million for improper interference, and $50 million in actual damage loss for stealing his “confidential” idea. Fox has not yet responded.