Chaplin lawyers wipe the Smile off charity video as girl helps hospice

A KIND-hearted 10-year-old who is trying to raise money for a children's hospice by performing a Charlie Chaplin dance routine has become embroiled in a legal row with a major music company.

Bethany Hare, from Horsforth in Leeds, incurred the wrath of an American international publisher after acting out the legendary entertainer's Smile on camera.

The schoolgirl put the video, complete with her version of Charlie's slapstick antics filmed at various locations, on the Just Giving website to try to raise 5,000 for Martin House Children's Hospice.

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She chose the music because she had first seen Chaplin's version with her grandfather in 2008 and had learned the song herself as a surprise for his 71st birthday.

But her parents, Yvonne and Simon, have since been inundated with emails from New York-based Bourne Music demanding she remove the clip from the charity page even though she has received the backing of Chaplin's family. They only own part of the rights.

The clip received thousands of hits after being added but was taken down by Mrs Hare after they were contacted by copyright owner Marco Berrocal saying the music had to be "removed immediately" unless a $2,000 year's usage fee was paid.

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