Deceased personalities.

Existing law establishes a cause of action for damages on behalf of specified injured parties for the unauthorized use of a deceased personality's name, voice, signature, photograph, or likeness for commercial purposes within 70 years of the personality's death, except as specified. Existing law defines "deceased personality" for purposes of these provisions as any natural person whose name, voice, signature, photograph, or likeness has commercial value at the time of his or her death, whether or not during the lifetime of that natural person the person used his or her name, voice, signature, photograph, or likeness on or in products, merchandise, or goods, or for purposes of advertising or selling, or solicitation of purchase of, products, merchandise, goods, or services. This bill would expand that definition of "deceased personality" for purposes of these provisions to include any natural person whose name, voice, signature, photograph, or likeness has commercial value either at the time of his or her death, or because of his or her death. The bill would provide that its provisions are severable.