Albert Einstein. $18 million a year
Photo: GPO
Hebrew University sues GM for People's Einstein ad
Leading Israeli university holding rights to physics pioneer's image asks General Motors to pay for placing him in People magazine ad
An Israeli university that holds rights to Albert Einstein's image is asking General Motors Co. to pay for putting the physics pioneer's picture in a magazine ad.
The Detroit automaker grafted the Nobel Prize-winning German scientist's head onto the body of a buff, shirtless man in a November 30 ad in People magazine.
The ad had the slogan "Ideas Are Sexy Too."
Hebrew University of Jerusalem filed suit against GM earlier this month federal court in central California. The suit quotes Forbes magazine in 2008 as saying Einstein earned $18 million a year, fourth among deceased celebrities. He died in 1955.
GM spokeswoman Ryndee Carney told The Detroit News that the company paid for rights to Einstein's image.
