A summary of Southern California-related business litigation developments during the past week.

Dangerfield Sued Over Dog Story: Comedy actor-writer Harold Ramis sued comedian Rodney Dangerfield, accusing him of stealing an idea for a film about a dog named Rover Dangerfield “who looked and acted like Dangerfield.” In the federal court suit seeking at least $1 million, Ramis claims that he conceived of Rover Dangerfield in 1986 and told Dangerfield about his idea of making a movie about the dog. The two men reached a contractual agreement whereby Ramis later received $350,000 from Dangerfield after writing a screenplay for the film. Dangerfield began production of the film last December, the suit said, but Ramis claims that Dangerfield has failed to pay the balance on money promised in the contract. (Case No. 90-6025. Filed Nov. 8, 1990)