Bob Yari's 'Crash' lawsuit dismissed

By Stone Martindale Dec 28, 2006, 19:43 GMT

(C) Cathy Schulman (R) Bob Yari - © Chris Hatcher / Photorazzi

Producer Bob Yari has lost a legal battle in Los Angeles Superior Court after protesting his name was omitted from the producer credits list for the Paul Haggis directed "Crash" issued by the organizers of the Oscar awards.

"Crash" won for best picture back in March, but Bob Yari, who arranged financing for the movie, was not credited at the Academy Awards.

A Superior Court judge in Los Angeles dismissed the case.  Yari's attorney's have been given 10 days to resubmit part of their claim.

Six people were listed as producer, notably Paul Haggis, who wrote as well as directed and Cathy Schulman. 

Schulman and Yari have had contentious exchanges in the past over this film and other issues.   Page Six reported after the Oscars last year: "I was not invited to the premiere," Schulman confirmed to Page Six. "I went as Paul Giamatti's date."

"When I saw [Yari], I said hello. He didn't say anything, but let's put it this way - if looks could kill . . . and they didn't give me a wristband to get in the VIP section of the after-party."

Not that Schulman minded. We hear she joined the cast at Norton's pad on East 10th Street for a super-exclusive after-party - to which Yari was not invited.

"It's just an unfortunate and unnecessary situation," she said. "I still haven't been paid for 'Crash' or 'The Illusionist.' "

"Crash" was a patchwork of interwoven stories that had race issues connecting them based in Los Angeles, and won a total of three Oscars for best original screenplay, best film editing, and best picture.