CBS Faces New Theme-Music Copyright Suit Over ‘Gomer Pyle’ Song

The owner of late composer Earle Hagen’s copyright in the theme song for “Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.” brought infringement allegations against CBS Corp. subsidiary CBS Television Distribution in Los Angeles federal court.

Hagen also co-composed the theme song for “The Andy Griffith Show"—the show “Gomer Pyle” spun off from—and the owners of rights to that song settled a similar case against CBS earlier this year.

E D J Music Inc. sued CBS on Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California for allegedly exploiting Hagen’s composition copyright in the “Gomer Pyle” theme without its permission, through broadcasts ...